HCLSoftware licensing is the set of terms under which HCLSoftware, the software division of HCL Technologies Limited, licenses its programs. The portfolio includes several product families that HCL acquired from IBM. HCLSoftware’s FAQ names AppScan, BigFix, Unica (on-premise), Commerce, Portal, Notes and Domino, and Connections. It says these products “are owned and will only be sold by HCLSoftware and authorized HCLSoftware resellers”.[2] Informix and Sametime are also HCLSoftware programs with their own licence documents.[10][3]
The structure will be familiar to anyone who knows IBM Passport Advantage. It has two layers. The Master License Agreement (MLA) is the general licence. It grants a licence “up to the Licensed Capacity”, meaning the quantity in an Order, for internal business purposes and for the term the Order states.[1] A License Information Document (LI) for each program and version then sets the metric and any extra terms. HCLSoftware publishes these documents on its license agreements page.[1][3] Software-as-a-service offerings follow the same pattern under a separate Cloud Services Agreement (CSA), with a Service Description in place of the LI.[7] Catalog proof: MLA licence is limited, revocable and up to the Licensed Capacity.
Editions
HCLSoftware sells most on-premises programs as either term or perpetual licences. The MLA states that on termination “All affected licenses … will terminate, except perpetual licenses”.[1] Domino Complete Collaboration, for example, has separate LIs for its term and perpetual versions.[5]
| Product family | Main metrics in the current LI | Deeper article |
|---|---|---|
| BigFix (Lifecycle, Compliance, Inventory, Patch, Remediate, Workspace, Mobile, Enterprise) | Client Device, Per Device, Per User, Managed Virtual Server, RVU, Active Container, Mobile Device[4] | HCL BigFix licensing |
| Domino Complete Collaboration (CCB), CCX, Messaging Express | Authorized User; Known Guest and Guest User included; CCX User[5] | HCL Domino and Sametime licensing |
| Domino Enterprise 14.0 | Client Access per Authorized User plus Server per PVU[11] | same; PVU and sub-capacity licensing |
| AppScan Standard, Source, Enterprise | Authorized User, Floating User[8] | HCL AppScan, Unica and Informix licensing |
| Unica Campaign | Marketing Audience Record, Platform User[9] | same |
| Informix Dynamic Server | Core[10] | same |
Metrics
The MLA defines one quantity that applies to every program: Licensed Capacity, “the quantity of each Program licensed as specified in an Order”.[1] The unit of that quantity comes from the LI. The current LIs use these metrics:
- Device metrics (BigFix). Client Device and Per Device for endpoints. Managed Virtual Server and Resource Value Unit for servers. Per User (BigFix), Mobile Device (BigFix) and Active Container.[4]
- User metrics. Authorized User (Domino) counts every credential permitting authenticated access. Related metrics are Known Guest and CCX User.[5] The IBM-style Authorized User and Floating User apply to AppScan.[8]
- Capacity metrics. The Processor Value Unit applies to Domino Enterprise Server, Connections, Commerce, Digital Experience and Leap.[6] Informix uses Core (Informix).[10]
- Business metrics. Unica uses Marketing Audience Record and Platform User.[9] AppScan on Cloud uses Application Instance.
Counting / floors
Use by Affiliates and Authorized Users “shall be counted in determining Licensee’s utilization of the Licensed Capacity”.[1] In the MLA, Authorized Users include employees, temporary agency staff, contractors, consultants and service providers.[1] Catalog proof: Use by Affiliates and Authorized Users counts toward Licensed Capacity.
The product rules differ widely. A BigFix Client Device entitlement is needed for every device that “runs, provides data to, uses services provided by, or otherwise accesses the Program”.[4] Domino Complete Collaboration requires “separate, dedicated A/U entitlements for each credential permitting authenticated access”, including credentials for roles and processes.[5] Each Unica Campaign unit covers 250,000 unique Marketing Audience Records.[9] Caps also appear in the LIs. Domino Collaboration Express is limited to 1,000 entitlements per Domino Domain.[11] Catalog proof: BigFix Client Device: every device that accesses the Program and every install; Domino A/U: one entitlement per credential, including roles and processes; Unica Marketing Audience Records: 250,000 per unit, counted per year; Domino Collaboration Express: at most 1,000 entitlements per Domino Domain.
Virtualization & partitioning
PVU-licensed programs follow HCLSoftware’s own PVU policy, which is modelled on IBM’s. Under full capacity licensing, every activated processor core in the physical environment must be covered. Under sub-capacity licensing in eligible virtualized environments, the customer may license “to the lower of” the physical cores or the virtual cores available to the program. On public cloud, a flat rate per vCPU applies.[6] HCLSoftware accepts HCL BigFix Inventory reports and IBM License Metric Tool Audit Snapshots covering at least 90 days as evidence.[6] BigFix has its own virtual-server metric (MVS) and a core-based RVU table.[4] See HCLSoftware PVU and sub-capacity licensing. Catalog proof: Sub-capacity: license the lower of physical or virtual cores; ILMT Audit Snapshot for at least 90 days accepted as sub-capacity evidence.
Cloud / BYOL
Customer-managed public cloud deployments of PVU programs use the per-vCPU flat rate: 70 PVUs for Domino, Connections, Commerce and Leap, and 100 for Digital Experience.[6] Domino deployed on supported Kubernetes or OpenShift platforms must use the Complete Collaboration model.[6] HCLSoftware’s own cloud services, such as AppScan on Cloud, are subscriptions under the CSA. They renew for 12-month terms unless either party gives notice 30 days before renewal.[7] Catalog proof: Public cloud: flat PVU rate per vCPU; Cloud Services renew for 12 months unless notice is given 30 days ahead.
Programs
- HCLSoftware Master License Agreement and Cloud Services Agreement. See HCLSoftware Master License Agreement.
- Support (first 12 months included). A licence purchase enrols the customer in standard Support for 12 months at no additional cost. A fee may apply to reinstate Support that has lapsed.[1]
- PVU Sub-Capacity Licensing, Cold and Warm Standby and the PVU Temporary Additional Use Policy.[6]
- Domino License Analysis Utility report. HCLSoftware may require a DLAU report before it accepts a Domino Order or Support renewal.[5]
- Unica annual usage reporting.[9]
- Trial, demonstration or evaluation licence.[1]
Moving from IBM
For customers who bought these products from IBM, the FAQ sets out the transition. Customers with active IBM Enterprise License Agreements “will be retained by IBM for the duration of the contract” and contact HCL for support. After that, “The licenses of these products will only be available for purchase/renewal through HCLSoftware”. IBM “will no longer be able to provide the product licenses or pricing quotes”.[2] As commentary, older entitlements therefore usually appear in two places: IBM Passport Advantage records up to the transition, and HCLSoftware Orders afterwards. See IBM Passport Advantage for the IBM side. Catalog proof: Acquired IBM products are sold and renewed only by HCLSoftware.
Audits and compliance
Under MLA section 11, HCLSoftware may audit “no more than one time per twelve (12) month period”. The audit may cover software logs of the Licensee, its Affiliates and Authorized Users, and may be done remotely or on site. HCLSoftware gives 15 calendar days’ notice and bears its own costs. Unauthorised use is paid “at HCLSoftware’s then list price”, and the audit right survives for two years after the licence or agreement ends.[1] Self-reporting obligations add to this. Domino customers may have to produce DLAU reports, and Unica customers must file an annual usage report.[5][9] Catalog proof: Audit once per 12 months with 15 days notice; shortfall at list price; Unauthorised usage is paid at then list price; Audit rights survive two years after the licence or Agreement ends. See software license audit.
Out of scope
- Prices and part numbers. Fees are set in Orders, and no price list was among the retrieved documents.[1]
- HCLSoftware products without a retrieved LI in this article, such as Commerce, Digital Experience, Connections, Workload Automation and the Actian data products.
- IBM’s own licence terms for these products before the transfer.