IBM Software Central

IBM hybrid cloud software usage in one place

Centralized view of historical software usage, license resources, and deployment

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On a laptop computer, IBM Software Central Usage dashboard shows. Users see usage details and a chart with historical usage over time.

Why IBM Software Central?

Features

IBM Software Central

View IBM product usage

Tagging and usage assignment across different groups

Track usage for multiple charge metrics products

Deployment and metrics for disconnected environments

Plan for future license needs

Deploy IBM products to any Red Hat OpenShift cluster

Identify and display VM-based IBM software deployments

Aggregate IBM software license data via IBM License Service

Display infrastructure and OS of deployed IBM software

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Unlock the value of IBM Cloud Paks and more

An illustration representing IBM Software Central Usage dashboard shows. It is surrounded by small containers, attached to parachutes, floating down through clouds and an unlocked padlock that requires a key.

Without an accurate view of software utilization across various departments and projects, companies can over or under utilize their software and have difficulty forecasting future software needs.

IBM Software Central is a centralized view of licensed software deployments and utilization across the enterprise. View license metrics and consumption data in an easy to consume, centralized place. Usage data collected by IBM License Service and IBM License Metric Tool is aggregated and displayed in a centralized view to simplify software consumption and deployment tracking across the enterprise.

With IBM Software Central, your company will have a better handle on IBM Cloud Pak and IBM software usage than ever before, all at no additional cost.

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Sharing data with IBM

An illustration representing IBM Software Central user interface components shows, including a line chart of usage data, tiles of software, and a list of deployment steps. The illustration also includes containers floating through clouds.

Increased visibility into your company's use of IBM software relies on accurate data. By creating an IBM Software Central account and importing usage data, companies agree to share usage information with IBM and its business partners.

It's your data and IBM will only use it to improve your company's experience with IBM software. Shared data may be used to enhance product features, identify upcoming license renewals, inform marketing communications, and more.

Shared data will not be used by IBM for compliance activities.

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FAQs

  • Both containerized IBM software and traditionally deployed IBM software can be metered. Containerized IBM products report usage through IBM License Service, available through Common Services. Traditionally deployed IBM products report usage through IBM License Metric Tool. Data collected by either deployment option shows on IBM Software Central dashboard.

  • Yes. Adoption metrics will be available soon.

  • Both. License usage can be collected from existing software deployments and new deployments.

  • To start metering containerized software, users must register their RedHat OpenShift clusters with IBM Software Central. To register, users provide a pull secret to identify the account, and then install RedHat Marketplace Operator on to their clusters.

    To learn more, refer to Red Hat Marketplace documentation on how to register clusters.

    Note: Registering clusters with IBM Software Central requires logging into the cluster as a Cluster Admin.

  • Yes. Users can export usage reports from disconnected clusters and import into IBM Software Central. Usage views will look the same for both connected and disconnected deployments.

  • Yes. IBM shares data with authorized IBM customer account management teams.

  • Yes. Data from customer clusters shows on IBM Software Central once configuration is complete. To configure, customers must register clusters with IBM Software Central, install Red Hat Marketplace Operator, and enable usage reporting through IBM License Service. For disconnected environments, usage data needs to be imported. Data from traditionally deployed software shows on IBM Software Central once IBM Licence Metric Tool is configured.

  • Yes. Usage data from IBM License Service includes a breakdown of capabilities when the IBM software is bundled with other products. It reports data, such as measured value, converted value after applying a ratio per sub-capability, and reporting period. This data shows on IBM Software Central dashboard.

  • Customers can assign tags to deployments by clusters and will be limited release initially for Red Hat Marketplace Select customers only.

  • Yes. This functionality will be available soon where usage and entitlements are linked. Currently, when there are multiple entitlements for a products, all entitlements show the same usage. Tagging enables the ability to associate deployments for easier filtering and display

  • Shared Data is limited to usage information only. Data your company generates, imports, or manipulates with IBM software will not be shared with IBM as part of Shared Data.