Cognos licensing is not based on instance, right? Also, load balancing...

[Suraj]

I'm pretty confident that Cognos server license is based on server and not on how many Cognos instances are in that server but just wanted to see if that has changed.
For example, let's say license is for a non-prod server with 800 PVU.
If we install four instances or Cognos (different or same version with separate content/audit dbs), I assume we are still within that 800 PVU license as it's the same server/box.

Another thing I wanted to confirm is when Cognos is installed in multiple load balancing servers, how does the PVU work?
For example,
Gateways are installed in two windows machine --> I assume there is no license requirement here.
App servers and content manager are installed in two linux machines sharing the same CS and audit dbs --> I assume this means each linux boxes should have 400 PVU.

Thanks for chiming in.  8)

[bdbits]

As always, it is best to contact your IBM representative for licensing clarifications.

That said, my understanding is that the 800 PVUs would cover as many Cognos instances as you like on that single named server. However, I do not believe that means you could put VMs on there and host multiple named servers, unless you are specifically licensed to do that. e.g. I know we have clauses in our license agreement with IBM so we can host on VMs within a farm.

For multiple or load-balanced servers, you need PVUs for each server. OS is irrelevant. That is my understanding.

But, it is best to contact your IBM representative for licensing clarifications.  ;D

[Suraj]

Thanks

Yes, we'll confirm with IBM.
Even with VM, if a VM is configured to use 800 pvu, we should be able to install as many instances of Cognos as needed as long as we install them within the same VM and don't install them in separate VM as that'll be another server.

[bdbits]

Yes, that is my understanding also. It is the individual, named server that is normally PVU licensed, whether physical or virtual.

Licensing is always a bear to figure out. Even the IBM reps usually have to ask somebody in the company for clarification.

Good luck!

[MFGF]

Hi,

With PVU licensing it's the PVU value of the server that counts, not the number of Cognos instances installed on the server. With a physical server it's really simple - the CPU power of the CPUs installed will translate to a PVU value which IBM will use to govern the cost of the license.

With VMs, IBM uses a "Sub Capacity Licensing" model. If you have a physical server with (say) 16 CPUs and that hosts a VM with 8 virtual CPUs and your Cognos instance is installed in the VM, the IBM PVU calculation will be based on the 8 CPUs available within the VM - not on the 16 of the physical server. If you have that same 16CPU server which now hosts 4 separate VMs, having 8CPUs, 4CPUs, 4CPUs and 2CPUs available (respectively), and you have Cognos instances on each of the VMs, IBM Sub Capacity Licensing will base the PVU rating on the 16 physical CPUs of the physical server, not the total of 18 virtual CPUs of the VMs. So licensing is based on either the number of physical CPUs of the server, or on the total of the virtual CPUs of the VMs, whichever is the smaller.

Cheers!

MF.

PS - These are my opinions and do not necessarily reflect truth, reality, or the official licensing policies of IBM or any other affiliated organisation. Any inaccuracies are all mine - check with your IBM rep before making any decisions or changes.

[Suraj]

Thanks MF.
That was/is my understanding.
I setup a multi-instance load balancing with multiple app server in the same machine as well as multiple instances during test/upgrade but all within the same VM or physical server.
So basically, if I have a virtual server testcog that's configured for 800 PVU, I can install multiple instances of Cognos as long as it's
testcog/c10
testcog/c10-1
testcog/c10-2

meaning they are within the same VM and all of them use total of 800 PVU so licensing wise that should be okay even though I can go to each instance separately.

Another situation that I am trying to decide licensing is, if Cognos is installed in two VM's for load balancing, we should configure each to use 400 PVU even though users can only access them via one gateway or does that violate licensing since now it's installed in two servers and license only allows one server of 800 PVU? I'm guessing the latter but client is set that they are fine with load balancing like that.   :o

[MFGF]

meaning they are within the same VM and all of them use total of 800 PVU so licensing wise that should be okay even though I can go to each instance separately.

That's my understanding, yes. Check with your IBM account manager for an official answer, though!

Another situation that I am trying to decide licensing is, if Cognos is installed in two VM's for load balancing, we should configure each to use 400 PVU even though users can only access them via one gateway or does that violate licensing since now it's installed in two servers and license only allows one server of 800 PVU? I'm guessing the latter but client is set that they are fine with load balancing like that.   :o

If they have an 800PVU license and they are distributing the processing between two 400PVU VMs on the same physical server, that should be perfectly fine from my understanding of sub-capacity licensing. I think IBM will insist/request/ask plaintively that the customer install a PVU tracking utility to track VM PVU usage to ensure compliance, though.

[Suraj]

If they have an 800PVU license and they are distributing the processing between two 400PVU VMs on the same physical server, that should be perfectly fine from my understanding of sub-capacity licensing. I think IBM will insist/request/ask plaintively that the customer install a PVU tracking utility to track VM PVU usage to ensure compliance, though.

I see. That may be okay then as they have Vsphere virtual server with multiple VMs but the two Cognos VMs have 400 PVU each.
I'll look into that PVU tracking utility.
Thanks.

[MFGF]

Some interesting reading here:

http://www-01.ibm.com/software/lotus/passportadvantage/subcaplicensing.html

There is also a link to the License Matric Tool:

https://www-01.ibm.com/software/lotus/passportadvantage/ibmlicensemetrictool.html

Cheers!

[bdbits]

We got audited last year for compliance for all of our IBM products, including Cognos. They put a tool on a server (probably from MFGF's link) on the network that proceeded to find all the software and grabbed all of the Cognos roles and capabilities, as well as the hardware specs. They then matched this up against our licensing and haggled with management over how much more we had to pay for all of our incredible IBM software. Point being, during this process they treated the Cognos PVUs as a pool, from which they would then draw X units for each server based on the CPU types and cores available to the servers (all VMs). We also had some named licenses, again just treated as a pool drawn down from each assigned user role on each server.

So I think what you have done will be perfectly fine as long as the total PVUs being consumed do not exceed your total PVUs purchased.

(Sorry for not getting back sooner, was out sick for quite a few days, but I am better now.)