HCL BigFix licensing covers HCLSoftware’s endpoint management family, which came from IBM. The 11.0 License Information Document (LI) names the programs HCL BigFix Compliance, Inventory, Lifecycle, Lifecycle StarterKit, Mobile, Patch, Remediate and Workspace 11.0. It also covers four add-on components: the Compliance PCI Add-on, the Known Exploited Vulnerabilities Content Pack, Windows Server ESU and Runbook AI.[1] Separate LIs cover BigFix Workspace and Workspace+ 11.0, and BigFix Enterprise and Enterprise+ 11.0.[2][3] All of them sit under the HCLSoftware Master License Agreement, which grants use up to the Licensed Capacity in an Order.[4]
The LI grants a limited right to use the program, restricted “to the level of Authorized Use defined in License Metric below or other specified level of use, paid for by Licensee and evidenced by the proof of entitlement”.[1] The LI lists several metrics that “may apply”. The Order states which one was bought.
Editions
| Program | Metrics in the LI | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Lifecycle, Compliance, Inventory, Patch, Remediate | Client Device, Per Device, Per User, MVS, RVU, Active Container[1] | Lifecycle is the prerequisite for Runbook AI; Compliance for the PCI Add-on |
| Mobile | Mobile Device[1] | Each operating system instance counts |
| Workspace, Workspace+ | Client Device, Per Device, Per User[2] | Workspace+ includes BigFix AEX under its own Service Description |
| Enterprise, Enterprise+ | Managed Virtual Server, Active Container[3] | No device metric is listed in the retrieved LI |
Add-ons and prerequisites. Each add-on requires a named prerequisite program. Runbook AI requires BigFix Lifecycle, and the PCI Add-on requires BigFix Compliance. The Known Exploited Vulnerabilities Content Pack and Windows Server ESU each require one of several listed programs.[1] Catalog proof: BigFix add-ons require a prerequisite Program.
HCLSoftware publishes separate LIs for BigFix 9.5 and 10.0, including versions dated on either side of 2024-02-05. A customer running an older release should check the LI for that release.[6]
Metrics
Client Device. “A Client Device is a single user device that requests the execution of or receives for execution a set of commands, procedures, or applications from or provides data to another computer system”. The examples range from desktop and notebook computers to kiosks, point-of-sale terminals, sensors, smart meters and tape drives.[1]
Per Device. The wording is the same, but it covers “a single user device or a shared device”. Its examples add digital signage, mobile devices, laptops and tablets.[1]
Managed Virtual Server (MVS). “A virtual server is either a virtual computer created by partitioning the resources available to a physical server or an unpartitioned physical server.” Each blade or rack-mounted device counts as a separate server.[1]
Resource Value Unit (RVU). RVUs count the Activated Processor Cores managed by the program, on a declining scale (see below).[1]
Per User (BigFix). “A User is a unique person who is given access to the Program. The Program may be installed on up to 5 laptop or mobile devices associated to a User.”[1]
Mobile Device (BigFix) and Active Container cover phones and tablets, and container workloads.[1]
Counting / floors
Endpoints. For both device metrics, the customer “must obtain entitlements for every Client Device which runs, provides data to, uses services provided by, or otherwise accesses the Program and for every other computer or server on which the Program is installed”.[1] As commentary, read literally this covers every device running a BigFix agent, plus every computer or server on which BigFix itself is installed. The LI does not say how long a device that has stopped reporting continues to count. Catalog proof: BigFix Client Device: every device that accesses the Program and every install.
Users. A User entitlement is dedicated, “may not be shared, nor may it be reassigned other than for the permanent transfer of the User entitlement to another person”, and covers up to five laptops or mobile devices.[1] As commentary, Per User works out cheaper than device licensing when users have several devices each. Shared devices and kiosks without a named user cannot be covered by a User entitlement. Catalog proof: BigFix Per User covers up to five laptop or mobile devices.
Mobile devices. “Each unique operating system would constitute a Mobile Device regardless of a local user, shared user, or unattended.”[1] Catalog proof: BigFix Mobile Device counted per operating system.
Containers. Active containers are measured “once every 24 hours during normal usage times” and “averaged over 30 days (to avoid licensing sudden usage spikes)”. The measurement uses the container management environment, such as kubectl, or the program itself.[1] Catalog proof: Active Containers are averaged over 30 days.
RVU table. The number of RVUs falls as the number of Resources (Activated Processor Cores managed) rises:[1]
| Resources | RVUs required |
|---|---|
| 1 to 2,500 | 1.0 per Resource |
| 2,501 to 10,000 | 2,500 plus 0.8 per Resource above 2,500 |
| 10,001 to 50,000 | 8,500 plus 0.6 per Resource above 10,000 |
| 50,001 to 150,000 | 32,500 plus 0.4 per Resource above 50,000 |
| More than 150,000 | 72,500 plus 0.2 per Resource above 150,000 |
Worked example: an estate with 12,000 managed cores needs 8,500 + (2,000 × 0.6) = 9,700 RVUs. RVU entitlements “may not be exchanged, interchanged, or aggregated” with RVUs for another program or resource.[1] Catalog proof: BigFix RVUs are tiered per Activated Processor Core managed.
Virtualization & partitioning
There are two ways to license servers. Under Full Capacity licensing, the customer licenses “each Activated Processor Core in the physical hardware environment managed by the Program”. An Activated Processor Core is counted “regardless of whether the capacity of the processor core can be or is limited through virtualization technologies”. Alternatively, the customer may license “each Virtual Machine instance that is managed by the Program by using the Managed Virtual Server metric”.[1] As commentary, dense hosts with many small VMs tend to favour full-capacity RVUs. Large hosts carrying a few managed VMs tend to favour MVS. Catalog proof: BigFix MVS: one entitlement per virtual server managed.
BigFix Inventory has a second licensing role. HCLSoftware’s PVU policy names it as an accepted source of PVU reports for virtual deployments of other HCL programs.[5] See HCLSoftware PVU and sub-capacity licensing.
Cloud / BYOL
“For devices running on a cloud, Customer may license devices with RVU or Managed Virtual Server (MVS) metrics.” Under RVU, the count is based on “the number of virtual CPUs being utilized” on cloud devices.[1] HCLSoftware also publishes Service Descriptions and terms of use for BigFix SaaS, marketplace listings and BigFix on Cloud. Those offerings follow their own documents rather than this LI.[6] Catalog proof: BigFix cloud devices: MVS or RVU from virtual CPUs.
Programs
Content and Support. BigFix content (policy information, analyses, dashboards and reports) is delivered from a Content Site. The LI grants rights to access the Content Site, and to copy and modify Editable Content, up to the Licensed Capacity. These rights “may be revoked in the event Licensee has allowed Support to lapse”.[3] The program also sends HCL the deployment serial number and relevant IP addresses, which authorise content downloads.[1] As commentary, this matters for a perpetual licence whose Support has lapsed: the licence remains, but the patch and compliance content can be cut off. Catalog proof: BigFix Content Site rights may be revoked if Support lapses.
Support. The first 12 months of standard Support are included with a licence. HCLSoftware may charge a reinstatement fee for lapsed Support.[4]
SDK. An included Software Development Kit may be used only to extend the customer’s own internal use. It may not be distributed.[1]
Out of scope
- BigFix AEX, BigFix Service Management, BigFix SaaS Remediate and other offerings governed by their own Service Descriptions.
- BigFix 9.5 and 10.0 LIs, and BigFix IoT and Cloud Lifecycle Management.
- Prices and part numbers.