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Continuous license support pays off

TIMETOACT supports a municipality in NRW in the correct use of the License Metric Tool in order to be optimally prepared for audits.

Note: This reference dates from before the merger and was created by TIMETOACT – now part of ATVANTAGE. Our experience remains the same – only our name has changed. You can find more information about the merger here.

Keeping track of software and licenses is not easy and presents companies with challenges, especially when a license audit is due. If IBM software is used, the compliance-conforming use of the IBM License Metric Tool (ILMT) plays a decisive role. TIMETOACT ensures the adherence to IBM compliance regulations for a city administration in North Rhine-Westphalia and continuously monitors the correct licensing.

Initial situation:

  • Products are licensed according to sub-capacity licensing
  • Use of the IBM License Metric Tool (ILMT)
  • Announcement of an audit

Solution:

  • Monthly checks by TIMETOACT experts to ensure compliance with IBM regulations in the run-up to the audit: ensuring all systems covered, use of the latest version of the ILMT, up-to-dateness of operating systems

Added value:

  • Early detection of overlicensing and underlicensing
  • Passing an audit without follow-ups

We already know our way around ILMT quite well. Nevertheless, we were very grateful for TIMETOACT's experience. Because consulting is a matter of trust.

Sebastian Harmsen License Manager Stadt Herne

Why is the IBM License Metric Tool needed?

With the purchase of IBM products, the customer commits to comply with corresponding rules for license usage. Products that meet the requirements with regard to the operating system, the process technology and the virtualization environment are entitled to be licensed according to the so-called sub-capacity licensing. In this case, the IBM License Metric Tool (ILMT) must be used. The correct use of ILMT, the creation of regular reports and the complete recording of all systems is essential. If IBM's requirements are not met exactly when using the IBM License Metric Tool, among other things, this can be very expensive for the customer. The complex mixture of technical understanding and licensing law is an incentive for many companies to look for a partner who is familiar with the subject.

Constant adherence to IBM compliance guidelines

The city of Herne and the experts at TIMETOACT have been working together for many years. Already in the past, the major city in the Ruhr region underwent a license audit, as a result of which continuous ILMT support was commissioned. "We are well aware of the challenges in dealing with ILMT, which is why we already have the ILMT managed by TIMETOACT," says Sebastian Harmsen, license manager at the city of Herne.

In order to adhere to IBM compliance regulations, TIMETOACT already carried out monthly preventive checks. As part of these, it was not only ensured that all systems were recorded and that the latest version of the ILMT was being used, but above all that the operating systems used were always up-to-date. For example, the ILMT servers of the city of Herne have already been migrated from Windows 2008 to Windows 2016. Monthly license balances enable undesirable developments to be identified and rectified quickly, which means that the city can provide information about license usage at any time.

We are very satisfied. The expertise and continuous support of TIMETOACT has paid off.

Sebastian Harmsen License Manager Stadt Herne

Optimal preparation is indispensable

For optimal preparation for the audit, close coordination took place between the system administrators and license managers to avoid mislicensing and to ensure the completeness of the reports. "We are very satisfied. TIMETOACT's expertise and continuous support paid off," was the city's conclusion. TIMETOACT will continue to provide service and support to maintain the ILMT infrastructure in preparation for the next audit.

Sample dashboard of the IBM License Metric tool
Download Use Case as PDF

Used technologies:

With a population of around 160,000 in the center of the Ruhr region, Herne is one of the major cities in the area and, in addition to its convenient location, offers a wide range of leisure and cultural activities, industrial culture and impressive architecture. The areas of responsibility offered are also diverse. The services offered by the city of Herne range from classic administrative tasks to activities in the fields of technology, construction or culture, and work in the social and health care sectors.

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