FlexNet Manager Platform

Discovery and Inventory

FlexNet Manager Platform automates discovery and inventory of software and hardware assets in the enterprise across a wide range of platforms, including Windows, Windows Server, Linux, UNIX and MAC OS, from desktops to datacenter servers. It also offers discovery and inventory of virtual servers for VMware vSphere, ESX and Microsoft Hyper-V environments. The Platform integrates with third party configuration management and inventory tools to allow importing of inventory data from your existing systems, leveraging your prior investments. It consolidates multiple sources of inventory data to achieve the highest possible coverage across your IT environment.

Automated License Reconciliation and License Compliance

With its Application Recognition and Stock Keeping Unit (SKU) libraries, and support for many complex license models, FlexNet Manager Platform automates the identification of software titles, versions and editions, and accurately reconciles software inventory and purchases. The Platform also delivers robust contract management capabilities including document management, email alerts and contract scoping. Its common Dashboard provides comprehensive reporting capabilities that allow users to identify and evaluate areas of license compliance concern and make informed decisions to reduce software license and maintenance costs. The FlexNet Manager Platform allows organizations to quickly achieve Level 3—Continuous License Compliance, in the Enterprise License Optimization Maturity Model.

Oracle Discovery, Inventory & License Management

The Platform incorporates discovery, inventory and license management capabilities for Oracle database products. Oracle deployment and usage information from FlexNet Manager Platform has been verified by Oracle as being "detailed and accurate", and will be accepted by Oracle License Management Services (LMS) during a license audit.

The Platform has extensive support for complex license models, including Oracle's processor-core and named user plus (NUP) models. It automatically calculates the core factor points for Oracle processor licenses based on the hardware inventory data, and calculates NUP user minimums per core.

'What If' Analysis

An industry first simulation capability has been added to the FlexNet Manager Platform for Oracle processor based license models, allowing customers to understand the licensing implications of a change to their IT environment. The Platform in conjunction with FlexNet Manager for IBM provides this simulation capability for IBM PVU licenses. The Platform in conjunction with FlexNet Manager for Microsoft provides this capability for Microsoft Server Processor licenses.

Actions such as modifying hardware properties, changing shared processor pool settings, moving virtual machines across hosts or installation of a new software title can be simulated, providing an estimated license position that reflects these changes. This 'What If' analysis capability allows organizations to proactively maintain license compliance and understand the cost impact of hardware and software changes before they are made.

Integration with Existing IT Systems

The Platform seamlessly integrates with many other Inventory, Procurement, Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) and Human Resources systems to collect the necessary inventory, purchase order, user, computer and organizational data. It provides out-of-the-box integration with Microsoft System Center Configuration Manager (SCCM) for inventory and application usage (metering) data, for example.

FlexNet Manager Platform is the foundation of the FlexNet Manager Suite for Enterprises used by hundreds of enterprises to gain control of and optimize spend across their software estate.