License Types (servers vs. desktops)

Adam_Dzyacky

Apart from Machine Access Licenses and Client Access Licenses, another licensing spectrum goes even further into Machine licensing and that's one that makes a distinction between servers and workstations/desktops.

Something tells me I'm overlooking something obvious, but how could this type of distinction be made easily within the solution so I could show a clear breakdown of license "types" for a particular piece of software to ultimately report and notify on?

Brett_Moffett

Great question @Adam_Dzyacky
License types for different "Hardware Platforms" is a tricky one as technically the Software Assets are the same. However, I would split the two in to their own Software Assets. One for Desktop and One for Servers.

Then, you could use the Authorization to be to limit what machines can consume a license for that software asset.

This would also allow you to consume those licenses in different ways. For example: Servers might be licensed per Physical CPU while PC's might be licensed per machine.

The License CI might also need to be split, even if they are from the same Purchase Order or Line Item as the two types of licenses are distinctly different.

Not sure if I'm making myself very clear here...  If I'm not, please let me know and I'll try to add some more detail.

Tony_Collett

so I'm not 100% sure if this will help. but do any of the options in the Software Asset for Licensing Mode help?

Brett_Moffett

Great question @Adam_Dzyacky
License types for different "Hardware Platforms" is a tricky one as technically the Software Assets are the same. However, I would split the two in to their own Software Assets. One for Desktop and One for Servers.

Then, you could use the Authorization to be to limit what machines can consume a license for that software asset.

This would also allow you to consume those licenses in different ways. For example: Servers might be licensed per Physical CPU while PC's might be licensed per machine.

The License CI might also need to be split, even if they are from the same Purchase Order or Line Item as the two types of licenses are distinctly different.

Not sure if I'm making myself very clear here...  If I'm not, please let me know and I'll try to add some more detail.

Adam_Dzyacky

I originally was thinking the same thing @Tony_Collett, but I think @Brett_Moffett nailed it in the first few sentences. Specifically -

Brett_Moffett said:

...However, I would split the two in to their own Software Assets. One for Desktop and One for Servers.

Because along a similar line of thought (presumably) from Brett I could now SMA runbook the end solution of a Hardware Asset is of Type "Desktop" or "Server" with a related Software Asset of the item and then create the respective relationship of "Authorized Computers" based on what is what.



To PowerShell!

Brett_Moffett