FlexNet Manager Platform: Features

Contract Management

SKU Library and Purchased Versus Installed License Reconciliation

Application Recognition Library

'What If' Analysis

Connectivity

Discovery & Inventory

Executive Dashboard

Hardware Asset Management

'What If' Analysis

Support for ISO 19770-2 Tagging Standard

• ISO 19770-2 provides a standard for software identification tags that contain authoritative identifying information for installed software. The Flexera Software Windows agent delivered with this release now automatically scans for software tags on each device.
• In compliance with the standard, the digital signatures in any discovered software ID tags are verified to confirm that tags have not been tampered with.
• Tags are supported by the Application Recognition Library and used to identify software installations.
• Reports have been added to expose the inventoried tag data.

Citrix XenApp/EdgeSight Integration

• FlexNet Manager Platform 8.6 now integrates with Citrix XenApp, providing the ability to manage the licensing of software titles running under this application virtualization technology.
• The connector enables licensing based on what users have access to run, or if Citrix EdgeSight is implemented, on the actual software usage.

Application Recognition Library Enhancements

• The management of the Applications Recognition Library is now easier and more transparent: customers have full visibility into what is delivered by Flexera Software and their modifications performed locally.
• Recognition rules provided by Flexera Software can no longer be modified locally; however additional recognition rules can be added to any application. This enables updates to the Application Recognition Library provided by Flexera Software, for applications modified locally.
• Overlaps between recognition rules are now detected enabling the operator to resolve these conflicts.
• Applications with no evidence are now highlighted in the product. Customers can easily detect them to add their own recognition rules if available.
• The file evidence rules have been extended allowing recognition based on the size of a file, as well as the ability to specify multiple file rules with an OR relationship.

Oracle

• A new methodology has been implemented for rounding the processor values to achieve the most optimal license position.
• Oracle components are now independently managed from database licenses.
• Support for Oracle Management Packs has been added: licenses can be created to manage these products.
• Inaccurate device inventory can be manually overwritten.

Ability to Override Inventory Data

Support for Hardware Partitioning

• Discovery and inventory of hardware partitions for AIX LPAR, HP-UX nPar, vPar and Solaris Zones technologies is now available.
• The relationship between hardware partitions and their host is reported in the FlexNet Manager Platform console.
• The calculation of an accurate license position requires, in some circumstances, the clear identification of these environments and the specific license properties associated with them. The Oracle Processor license model for instance, supports hardware partitioning but  has specific rules in these environments.

Hooks for Third Party Programs

• A standard Web Services API is now available to query and update the FlexNet Manager Platform repository.
• It enables third party products to directly integrate with the FlexNet Manager Platform using web services calls. The Flexera Software Workflow Manager product uses this API to communicate with FlexNet Manager Platform.

Maintenance SKU Management

• A new wizard is available to manage maintenance SKUs. The program automatically tries to find existing licenses or contracts related to purchase order maintenance line items and guides the operators through multiple steps in order to accurately update the repository.
• Maintenance SKUs usually impact product upgrade rights that provide free access to new releases. Keeping the upgrade rights up to date helps optimize the license position as existing licenses can be used for new software product releases.

Identification of Installations Not Requiring a License

• Software installations can be manually flagged as not requiring a license and the specific reason indicated (backup/ disaster recovery, trial or evaluation, fail-over, second use, test…)
• The accuracy of the license compliance calculation is improved as some installations can be discarded. Reports are available in the event of an audit.

Identification of Application Access Mode

• The access mode for each application is now tracked in the system. It indicates if there is a local installation of the software product or if it has been used through a virtualization technology such as App-V, Citrix, etc.
• Installation and usage data enable license managers to understand how an application is accessed and help them to optimize their license position. For instance software installations that are not required can be reharvested.

New Custom License Type

• A new license type is now available to manage licenses using miscellaneous metrics that are usually not measured by inventory tools: number of electronic order lines, compensated individuals, mailboxes…
• It enables the management in the product of licenses using these metrics.

Improved Group Assignment

• Licenses can be assigned to enterprise groups (cost centers, corporate unit or location). The feature has been improved to preferably consume licenses based on group ownership and enable roll-up of quantities at a specific level in the hierarchy.

Improved Performance and Scalability

• The overall performance and scalability of the solution has been improved.
• All customers will be benefit from faster response times in all areas of the product. The implementation for very large customer environments (greater than 100K devices) will be easier.