Superseded — Virtual Processor Core (VPC)
Catalog row in Vendor License Metrics · Draft
- Unit
- VPC
- Aliases
- VPC; Virtual Processor Cores; vCPU (IBM: in IBM licensing a vCPU is also referred to as a Virtual Processor Core (VPC))
- Definition
- Virtual Processor Core (VPC) is a unit of measure by which the Program can be licensed. A Physical Server is a physical computer that is comprised of processing units, memory, and input/output capabilities. A Virtual Server is either a virtual computer created by partitioning the resources available to a Physical Server or an unpartitioned Physical Server. A Processor Core is a functional unit within a computing device that interprets and executes instructions. A Virtual Processor Core is a Processor Core in an unpartitioned Physical Server, or a virtual core assigned to a Virtual Server. — Passport Advantage / Passport Common License Types & Definitions, ibm.com, retrieved 2026-08-31.
- Counting rules
- Deploy using full capacity, sub-capacity, or container licensing if supported. Sub-capacity: same lower-of virtual vs physical cores as PVU; then 1 VPC equals 1 virtual CPU (vCPU). PA v11: sub-capacity reporting that applied to PVU/RVU applies to VPC for new customers 1 Feb 2023 and existing 1 May 2023. Effective 10 May 2022, VPC sub-capacity requires ILMT or an IBM-approved tool; manual capacity counting is no longer permitted; failure is full capacity of activated physical cores. That VPC policy change does not include container licensing. Container guidance only: 1 VPC = 1 vCPU and 70 PVU = 1 vCPU. IBM does not publish a global VPC-to-PVU table for traditional VM licensing.
- Floors / minimums
- Same whole-core minimum as other core-based metrics (Sub-Capacity FAQs: entitlements for one whole processor core). Container: pod fractions allowed; cluster-level aggregation rounded up to nearest whole integer (Container Licenses page).