License calculation types supported by the legacy Software Asset Management plugin

  • Release version: Australia
  • Updated March 12, 2026
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    Summary of License Calculation Types Supported by the Legacy Software Asset Management Plugin

    The legacy Software Asset Management plugin provides default license calculation types that cannot be deleted. These types determine how software licenses are calculated based on various metrics, such as CPU counts, user counts, and installation types, enabling efficient license management for ServiceNow customers.

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    Key Features

    • By CPU: Counts license rights based on the total CPU or CPU core count from hardware configuration items.
    • By Points: Specific to IBM PVU software installations, using a point system based on the CPU type and installation count.
    • Client Access Licenses (CAL): Counts installations per device or user, tracking usage through the Software Usage table.
    • By User: Tracks installations per user, allowing for flexible license assignments.
    • Utilization Tracking: Measures usage by CPU and user, ensuring accurate license compliance.
    • By Workstation: Counts installations based on hardware configuration, applicable to unique installations.
    • Oracle Licensing: Supports Oracle's unique licensing schemes based on user counts and processor numbers when the Oracle Process Pack is active.

    Key Outcomes

    By utilizing these license calculation types, ServiceNow customers can effectively manage software licenses, ensuring compliance and optimizing usage across their organization. Customers can expect accurate tracking of software installations and rights, leading to better resource allocation and potential cost savings. This functionality also helps in identifying applications that do not require licenses, such as open-source software.

    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.