IBM License Metric Tool vs Snow Atlas

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.

Snow Atlas is Flexera’s cloud platform for IT asset management teams seeking a defensible software license position and lower software spend. It matches entitlements with applied licenses to calculate an effective license position, with verified data for Oracle Database, Java, E-Business Suite, and Middleware. Agents, APIs, and connectors consolidate hardware and software assets, while AI-based importing can ingest contracts and records such as invoices, purchase orders, and quotes. Its application catalog normalizes and enriches more than 800,000 applications from over 110,000 manufacturers. Usage metering can surface software use across an estate, including shadow IT, SaaS, and unsanctioned applications. Hardware management adds lifecycle and warranty visibility, plus mappings to users and applications. Read and write REST APIs support automation and bulk updates. Snow Atlas runs on Microsoft Azure, with customer-selectable regions listed in Amsterdam, London, Victoria, and Virginia. Flexera lists SOC 2 Type 2, ISO/ISE 27001, and Cloud Security Alliance STAR certifications. It is paid, with pricing available on request and no free plan listed.