License calculation types supported by the legacy Software Asset Management plugin

  • Release version: Zurich
  • Updated July 31, 2025
  • 5 minutes to read
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    Summary of License calculation types supported by the legacy Software Asset Management plugin

    The legacy Software Asset Management (SAM) plugin in ServiceNow provides a set of default, undeletable license calculation types. These types enable customers to accurately track and manage software license consumption based on various metrics tied to hardware, user data, and software usage. Understanding these license types helps optimize license compliance and cost management.

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    License Calculation Categories and Types

    • By CPU
      • By CPU cores: Counts license rights based on total CPU cores of the hardware configuration item where the software is installed.
      • By number of CPUs: Counts licenses according to the number of CPUs in the hardware configuration item.
    • By number of points
      • Per installation - IBM PVU: Calculates license usage based on IBM Processor Value Unit (PVU) multipliers tied to CPU type and core count. Requires activation of the IBM PVU Process Pack to function.
    • By Client Access License (CAL)
      • CAL (Device): Counts licenses by unique devices (configuration items) accessing the software.
      • CAL (User): Counts licenses by unique users accessing the software.
    • By user
      • Number of installs per user: Counts licenses per each software installation across hardware used by a user. Each install requires a license.
      • Per named user: Counts one license per unique user regardless of number of installs.
      • No license needed (User): Counts users for software that does not require licensing (e.g., open source).
    • By utilization
      • Usage (CPU): Counts one license per unique hardware configuration item based on software usage data.
      • Usage (User): Counts one license per unique user based on software usage data.
    • By workstation
      • Per workstation: Counts one license per hardware configuration item with at least one software installation.
      • No license needed (Workstation): For software where no license is required (e.g., open source).
    • By Oracle install (requires Oracle Process Pack)
      • Oracle Named User: Counts licenses by unique users.
      • Oracle Named User Plus: Counts licenses by unique users and accounts.
      • Oracle Processor: Counts licenses by number of processors on the server.

    Practical Implications for ServiceNow Customers

    • These license calculation types allow precise measurement of license consumption aligned with various vendor licensing models and organizational environments.
    • They support compliance tracking by linking software installations and usage to hardware and user entitlements.
    • Activation of specific process packs (like IBM PVU or Oracle Process Pack) is required to enable certain license types.
    • Understanding the difference between license types such as "Number of installs per user" versus "Per named user" is crucial for accurate license cost allocation.
    • The system automatically checks entitlement records for all license calculations, ensuring that usage is validated against purchased licenses.

    Default license calculation types are available with the legacy Software Asset Management (com.snc.software_asset_management) plugin.

    These license types cannot be deleted.

    Table 1. License calculation types
    Category License type
    By CPU
    • By CPU cores: The counter adds up the total license rights for all software license records of this model. The CPU Core Count field on the hardware configuration item determines the number of rights consumed by any software installation located on the configuration item. For that installation, the counter checks for a valid entitlement record on any of the software license records. Applies to software installation data and hardware configuration items.
    • By number of CPUs: The counter adds up the total license rights for all software license records of this model. The CPU Count field on the hardware configuration item determines the number of rights consumed by any software installation located on the configuration item. For that installation, the counter checks for a valid entitlement record on any of the software license records. Applies to software installation data and hardware configuration items.
    By number of points

    Per installation - IBM PVU: The counter adds up the total license rights for all software license records of this model. The installation count for every hardware configuration item that has IBM PVU software is a point calculation. The CPU type determines the PVU per-core multiplier based on the IBM PVU mapping table. The total number of cores on the configuration item is multiplied with this per-core multiplier to determine how many rights are used by an installation on this configuration item. For that installation, the counter checks for a valid entitlement record on any of the software license records. Applies to software installation data and hardware configuration items.

    This license type is present but does not work until the Software Asset Management plugin IBM PVU Process Pack is active.
    By Client Access License (CAL)
    • CAL (Device): The counter adds up the total license rights for all software license records of this model. Usage is counted as one installation for every unique configuration item (device). For each installation, the counter checks for a valid entitlement record on any of the software license records. The Software Usage [ast_usage] table is used for counting.
    • CAL (User): The counter adds up the total license rights for all software license records of this model. Usage is counted as one installation for every unique user. For that installation, the counter checks for a valid entitlement record on any of the software license records. The Software Usage [ast_usage] table is used for counting.
    By user
    • Number of installs per user: The counter adds up the total license rights for all software license records of this model. It counts an installation when one software installation matches the discovery models that are mapped to this software model for any hardware used by a user. It counts up to the specified amount. For that installation, the counter checks for a valid entitlement record on any of the software license records. Applies to software installation data and hardware configuration items.
    • Per named user: The counter adds up the total license rights for all software license records of this model. It counts an installation when there is at least one software installation that matches the discovery models that are mapped to this software model for any hardware used by a unique user. For that installation, the counter checks for a valid entitlement record on any of the software license records. Applies to software installation data and hardware configuration items.
    • No license needed (User): The counter adds up the total number of users of this model. It counts an installation when there is at least one software installation that matches the discovery models that are mapped to this software model for any hardware used by a unique user. It applies to software installation data and hardware configuration items. This license type is used for software installations where no license is required, such as open source applications.
    To compare Number of installs per user and Per named user:
    • Number of installs per user counts the number of installs the user has and assigns license cost based on installs per license. For example, UserA has three installs. One license is used by each install, for a total of three licenses.
    • For Per named user, there is no install limit for a particular user. For example, UserB, who has three installs, needs only one license for the three installs.
    By utilization
    • Usage (CPU): The counter adds up the total license rights for all software license records of this model. The counter looks at all of the software usage data mapped to any of the discovery model records of the counter's software model. It counts one installation for every unique configuration item. For that installation, the counter checks for a valid entitlement record on any of the software license records. Applies to software usage data.
    • Usage (User): The counter adds up the total license rights for all software license records of this model. The counter looks at all of the software usage data mapped to any of the discovery model records of the counter's software model. It counts one installation for every unique user Accessed From hardware configuration item. For that installation, the counter checks for a valid entitlement record on any of the software license records. Applies to software usage data.
    By workstation
    • Per workstation: The counter adds up the total number of license rights for all software license records of this model. It counts an installation when there is at least one software installation on a hardware configuration item that matches the discovery models that are mapped to this software model. For each installation, the counter checks for a valid entitlement record on any of the software license records. Applies to software installation data and hardware configuration items.
    • No license needed (Workstation)This license type is used for software installations where no license is required, such as open source applications.
    By Oracle install
    • Oracle Named User: Oracle licensing scheme that counts by the number of unique users.
    • Oracle Named User Plus: Oracle licensing scheme that counts by the number of unique users and accounts.
    • Oracle Processor: Oracle licensing scheme that counts by the number of processors on a server.

    This category and its license types are available when the Oracle Process Pack is activated.