TM1 Licensing Clarification

[RCO]

Hi All,

I'm not sure if it is only me but I find quite "confusing" or not very clear on what the IBM licences allow you and don't allow you to do...

For example if we have a start off package as follows:

1x IBM Cognos Express Manager Connector for Xcelerator Install --- What does this actually entitles you to do?
1x IBM Cognos Express Administrator Authorised User --- What does this actually entitles you to do?
4x IBM Cognos Express Xcelerator User Per Authorised User --- What does this actually entitles you to do?
5x IBM Cognos Express Consumer User Authorised User --- What does this actually entitles you to do?

My understanding in a very simplistic way to see it:
1x IBM Cognos Express Manager Connector for Xcelerator Install --- This allows you to run TM1 in one instance ONLY
1x IBM Cognos Express Administrator --- 1 user ONLY set up as admin in the TM1 security model
4x IBM Cognos Express Xcelerator User --- 4 users set up as read/write ONLY in the TM1 security model. Users can access data via TM1 Perspectives (excel) & TM1 Web
5x IBM Cognos Express Consumer User --- 5 users set up as read ONLY in the TM1 security model. Users can access data via TM1 Perspectives (excel), TM1 Web, any of the other Cognos Express BI tools if availabe such as reporter, planner, advisor.

If we were to have a second TM1 instance (DEV & PROD), we would only need to acquire 1 more IBM Cognos Express Manager Connector for Xcelerator Install.
User licences can access data across several instances
Am I right in saying this? or Do we need 1x licence per user per instance?

Hope any of you can shade a light here

[stephen waters]

I'm not sure if it is only me but I find quite "confusing"

IBM licensing is confusing and, with Cognos Express, they made it even worse because of confusing marketing roles with licenses. Part of the problem is how few IBM people understand the product set and capabilities.
Note that CX licensing was simplified at the end of last year (following years of feedback from partners). They now have effectively 2 versions, CX BI and CX PM (Performance Management). CX PM combines all TM1 10.2 roles apart from CAFÉ (and SAP package connector?) and is limited to 560 PVUS

Your queries are on the old (9.5 and 10.1) roles. Not sure how much has changed in the 10.2.1 roles.

1x IBM Cognos Express Manager Connector for Xcelerator Install --- This allows you to run TM1 in one instance ONLY

Strictly they call it ICAS rather than TM1 but yes.

1x IBM Cognos Express Administrator --- 1 user ONLY set up as admin in the TM1 security model

A CX administrator role is for users to "install, configure and manage the IBM Cognos Express deployment". They can use Express manager, Framework Manager and Perfomance Modeller (edit-they also have rights of all other user roles). Other CX roles can use Architect to set up and manage TM1\ICAS objects for which they will need to be set up as admin in TM1\ICAS

4x IBM Cognos Express Xcelerator User --- 4 users set up as read/write ONLY in the TM1 security model. Users can access data via TM1 Perspectives (excel) & TM1 Web

See comment above: they can create and manage TM1\ICAS objects

5x IBM Cognos Express Consumer User --- 5 users set up as read ONLY in the TM1 security model. Users can access data via TM1 Perspectives (excel), TM1 Web, any of the other Cognos Express BI tools if availabe such as reporter, planner, advisor.

Consumers can only access data via Cognos Connection Portal. They cannot use Perspectives add-in but I think you can embed TM1 web in the connection portal

If we were to have a second TM1 instance (DEV & PROD), we would only need to acquire 1 more IBM Cognos Express Manager Connector for Xcelerator Install. User licences can access data across several instances

This is the way it works with TM1 Enterprise and I believe is is now the same with CX, though it is a bit vague.

Hope this helps though may need updating for 10.2.1

[hittony]

Hello,

I'm not using Express, but I have also plenty of questions regarding TM1 licensing.

One of my clients actually uses TM1 Performance Modeler, Architect, Perspectives and CAFE. They have bought

• 8 IBM COGNOS ENTERPRISE PLANNING TM1
• 12 IBM Cognos Enterprise Planning Modeler Authorized User
• 23 IBM Cognos Enterprise Planning Contributor Authorized User
• 18 IBM Cognos Enterprise Planning Explorer Authorized User
• 8 IBM Cognos Analytic Server Processor Value

1. Why they need so many IBM COGNOS ENTERPRISE PLANNING TM1 ? What contains this license ?
2. 12 Modeler against 2 real back-end developers ? It is far from optimal, isn' it ?
3. 8 IBM Cognos Analytic Server for one 8-processor virtual production server and another 8-processor virtual non-production server, is it illegal ?
4. No license for IBM Support ?

The last but the most crucial question: how IBM keeps track of the utilization in their clients ? It seems that the software install neither need any serial numbers nor install any license file like .lic

Can anyone help us to better grasp the TM1 licensing ?

Thanks and cheers

[stephen waters]

Hittony,
Before answering, I have some questions:
- Most of these descriptions are not current. DId they buy the licenses some time ago?
- Are you sure all numbers are correct, the 8 PVU's is about 10% of a single processor!
- What do you mean by "2 real back-end developers", is this the number of users?

The licenses are normally perpetual and will have part numbers beginning with a D eg
IBM Cognos Performance Management Modeler D0762LL. This will be shown on the IBM "Proof of Entitlement" (PoE)

The support (S&S in IBM jargon) is an annual renewal and the part numbers begin with an E eg
Ibm Cognos Performance Management Modeler Authorized User Annual Sw Subscription & Support Renewal E064GLL

If your client is under support they should also get a support "Proof of Entitlement" (PoE) once they have renewed.

You are correct there are no longer serial numbers and license keys as there were in the Applix days. It is the responsibility of the customer to make sure they are complying with IBM licensing. The ILMT monitoring tool seems to have the potential to do this but i dont think it actually does so yet.

[BariAbdul]

I just came across below post,Hopefully relevant:
https://goo.gl/do4qLW Thanks

[stephen waters]

Bari
That Lodestar post contains errors and ommissions and is not an accurate guide. Also, it doesn't (IMHO) differentiate sufficiently between what you interface you can use and what you can do with the interface.

btw as a reminder, Hittony has resurrected an old post and my previous advice from Jan 2014 about Cognos Express has been superseded in more recent versions of CX (10.2.1 onwards I think)

[hittony]

- Most of these descriptions are not current. DId they buy the licenses some time ago?

Yep, they should buy them before autumn 2014.

- Are you sure all numbers are correct, the 8 PVU's is about 10% of a single processor!

Yep, i'm quite sure about the numbers. But you mean for a 8 processor virtual production server, they should have bought 640 PVU ?

- What do you mean by "2 real back-end developers", is this the number of users?

No, i meant that only 2 users frequently use Performance Modeler, Architect and so on, write rules, develop TI process, etc. Other users just refresh and commit in Excel templates in most of time.

[stephen waters]

hittony
Without the part numbers on the PoE it is difficult to answer your original questions but I will try

Why they need so many IBM COGNOS ENTERPRISE PLANNING TM1 ? What contains this license ?
This sounds like a legacy , processor based license. Maybe 4 Applix TM1 servers?

12 Modeler against 2 real back-end developers ? It is far from optimal, isn' it ?
If you only have 2 named users performing development and administration (eg dimension maintenance) then 12 modelers is overkill. But, if you want to reduce ongoing support costs, you would need to negotiate license reduction with your partner or IBM account manager

8 IBM Cognos Analytic Server for one 8-processor virtual production server and another 8-processor virtual non-production server, is it illegal ?
If you are licensed for a production AND a non-production environment then that is fine but be careful about virtual environments. On current (normally PVU based )licensing you are subject to the IBM sub-capacity licensing rules and may have to run ILMT to comply. I don't think this applies to legacy Applix licenses.

No license for IBM Support ?
As explained above, for standard licenses ( not SaaS) S&S is normally an annual renewal, independent of the original (perpetual) license.

I hope this helps, even if it does not fully answer your questions. I strongly recommend you find an experienced TM1 partner in your local area who can help with this complex area.
Reconfiguring or migrating to Cognos Express may be a cost effective option for you.

[hittony]

hittony
Without the part numbers on the PoE it is difficult to answer your original questions but I will try

Hi stephen,

Finally i got them :

D0C12LL IBM COGNOS ANALYTIC SERVER PVU
D0C10LL IBM COGNOS ENTERPRISE PLANNING TM1 EXPLORER AUSR
D0762LL IBM COGNOS ENTERPRISE PLANNING TM1 MODELER AUSR
D076ELL IBM COGNOS ENT PANNING TM1 NON-PROD ENVIRONM. PVU
D076ALL IBM COGNOS ENT PLANNING TM1 CONTRIBUTOR AUSR

Is posible to tell which licence enables which TM1 component legal usage ?

Thank you again

[stephen waters]

Hittony
Getting IBM licensing wrong can cost a lot of money and the rules changes with different versions. As I mentioned above you should consider getting someone involved who can check out your precise situation. Remember the suers are named not concurrent! Anyway, based on current rules (ver 10.2.2.1) I think situation is:

D0C12LL IBM COGNOS ANALYTIC SERVER PVU
D076ELL IBM COGNOS ENT PANNING TM1 NON-PROD ENVIRONM. PVU
These are Server licenses, 1 for production 1 for nonproduction. They are based on the number of PVUs, e.g. a typical eight core processor has a value of 560.

D0762LL IBM COGNOS ENTERPRISE PLANNING TM1 MODELER AUSR
Now "IBM Cognos Performance Management Modeler" These users can use all TM1 interfaces for admin, development, read\write access etc.

D076ALL IBM COGNOS ENT PLANNING TM1 CONTRIBUTOR AUSR
Now "IBM Cognos Performance Management User" This allows read\write access with almost all TM1 interfaces apart from Performance Modeller ( and Ops console?). But, they cannot use the admin\developer functions contained in eg Perspectives, Architect, Applications web etc

D0C10LL IBM COGNOS ENTERPRISE PLANNING TM1 EXPLORER AUSR
Now "IBM Cognos Enterprise Planning Tm1 Explorer" . Can use Architect, Perspectives and TM1 Web in read only mode, not for writeback. Cant use CAFÉ or Insight.

btw I have ignored the BI rights that come with Enterprise TM1 for use on TM1 databases (eg Modeler can use Report Studio, Explorer can use Workspace etc)

[st2000]

Hittony,
Before answering, I have some questions:
- Most of these descriptions are not current. DId they buy the licenses some time ago?
- Are you sure all numbers are correct, the 8 PVU's is about 10% of a single processor!
- What do you mean by "2 real back-end developers", is this the number of users?

The licenses are normally perpetual and will have part numbers beginning with a D eg
IBM Cognos Performance Management Modeler D0762LL. This will be shown on the IBM "Proof of Entitlement" (PoE)

The support (S&S in IBM jargon) is an annual renewal and the part numbers begin with an E eg
Ibm Cognos Performance Management Modeler Authorized User Annual Sw Subscription & Support Renewal E064GLL

If your client is under support they should also get a support "Proof of Entitlement" (PoE) once they have renewed.

You are correct there are no longer serial numbers and license keys as there were in the Applix days. It is the responsibility of the customer to make sure they are complying with IBM licensing. The ILMT monitoring tool seems to have the potential to do this but i dont think it actually does so yet.

I do not understand up to now, how I could fullfil this responsibility. My manager purchased user licenses now and states, that he encountered a "license manager" tool in place, installed by the consulting firm who build our system recently. I guess, this is the mentioned ILMT? But do I have a todo to implement some codes into a file or form belonging to that ILMT tool? Or is it just an automatic measurement on usage, which will be compared to licensing data on IBM site? Myself, I'm only familiar using the old .lic-file, but now I have to learn the new 10.x stuff. Seeking for license management/implementation and similar didn't discover other than ILMT, so how could I circumvent underlicensing when ILMT has some flaws left?

I'd be happy on any hint to a best practice how to manage TM1 licenses in the 10.x era.

[st2000]

Now we did some investigation how IBM wants us to make sure not to be underlicensed.

The "big guys" use Tivoli for this, the poor man "purchases" ILMT at 0.00 EUR. No download without a passport adv account as IBM offers support for this tool. And this is important in cases it doesn't work, because one can't handover the responsibility for accurate licencse monitoring until a ticket is opened at IBM helpdesk.

ILMT seems to be a plugin into another software called Bigfix. This consists of a server and several agents to be installed on all servers running a TM1 server. They collect the usage data and Bigfix server runs a job to store all this and making a report indicating if licenses are sufficient or not. This report will periodically demanded by IBM.

We will install this next time before going productive. I will report here about pitfalls, as far as I encounter some.

[st2000]

I encountered so many pitfalls about Bigfix and ILMT that I would have to write a book about it.
The actual version of BigFix 9.5 seems to be incompatible with Windows Server 2008 R2 Ent., at least we didn't manage to install it on this platform, even not together with some IBM supporters who really worked hard also. But the final insight was: Some downloads the first installed basic system tries to do fail due to "something with the server". But they couldn't give me a whitelist of all preferences expected for that platform. They expect to have a fully open system instead to expect a server setup with completely closed network and to open only those ports and urls which are really needed. So we had to use a separate (private) cloud server and Windows 2012 R2 Std. for BigFix and its ILMT-Plugin alone. This makes IBM software more expensive when virtualized, additionally.
To install ILMT inside of BigFix worked after some try&error cycles (docs are not very clear at many points, too, same as with BigFix). To configure a valid report to use in case of an audit was again not very clear described. So ILMT is very ugly and keeps you under the risk, that IBMs auditors dislike your report and try to bill anything at full capacity price. The the lawyers are at stake.
---
Final insight: If one wants to use IBM software, operate it on the Bluemix Cloud (as IBM promotes, but who trusts clouds under a law which demands them to keep backdoors open for authorities... and maybe more). Then IBM has the provisioning of virtualized hardware under its own control.
Or operate it on bare metal, then you are on full capacity in fact and don't need ILMT. But beware of non-IBM-cloud, if not already in place you will habe much pain and no gain with ILMT.