BelManage vs IBM License Metric Tool

BelManage helps organizations manage software licenses and maintenance costs while monitoring cybersecurity status and configuration details. It automatically builds a central repository covering software, hardware, and security configurations. Asset-management features include license optimization, virtual-machine dependency mapping, server software discovery, an operational CMDB, and a software catalog. Configuration monitoring can identify authorized and unauthorized applications by version, track additions and removals, and compare systems with standard images. Listed security and audit functions include NIST controls and benchmarks, FISMA compliance, and vulnerability assessments and scans. The server can run on premises, on a customer's cloud, or as Belarc-hosted SaaS. Monitored clients include Windows desktops and servers, macOS, Linux, and many Solaris versions, with installable and agent-less options. BelManage uses encrypted HTTPS for client and report-viewer communication, supports PKI/CAC authentication for U.S. Government customers, and does not require Domain or SSH user credentials. Yearly prices vary by deployment and computer or server licensing: on-premises starts at $10 a year for computers and $50 a year for servers.

IBM License Metric Tool inventories IBM software measured by processor core and measures required licenses in full-capacity and virtualization sub-capacity environments. IBM recommends it for full-capacity licensing and requires it for sub-capacity licensing. It scans infrastructure for installed IBM software and version details that can support version management and security patching. For sub-capacity use, it produces audit reports, tracks license utilization thresholds, and sends email notifications when thresholds approach or exceed their limits. Installation options are License Metric Tool Lite, License Metric Tool with Ansible, and License Metric Tool with BigFix. It integrates with BigFix and provides a REST API for external systems, which must retrieve data through the API rather than directly from the database. The tool is free, with a listed price of free; customers supply hardware and installation services. Linux installations require DB2, included at no charge for use only with the tool. Windows installations require a customer-provided MS SQL Server instance; MS SQL Server Express is supported for environments under 500 endpoints. Sub-capacity audit snapshots must be generated quarterly and kept for at least two years.