Product Authorization utility

When you apply passwords, the Product Authorization utility builds or updates the product authorization tables. Those tables contain entries that define the authorization for the relevant products. The utility also uses the applied passwords to validate software licenses. The types of product authorization tables are as follows:

• When you install or apply a permanent password, the utility builds or updates a permanent product authorization table. The permanent table controls which CPUs are licensed to run the product, based on a serial, model, and submodel numbers.

• When you apply a temporary password, the utility builds or updates a temporary product authorization table.

For more information about permanent and temporary passwords, see Authorizing.

Product authorization tables are product specific and are identified by a three-character product code (prd in the following examples):

• prdTBL3P (permanent)

• prdTBL3T (temporary)

This topic contains the following sections:

Product trials and permanent licensing

Permanent passwords update the permanent authorization table for a product.

Each permanent password authorizes one of the functions that are described in the following table. When you apply a permanent password, the Product Authorization utility automatically recognizes the password's function and prompts you accordingly.

Permanent password functions

CPU upgrades

When you upgrade to a new CPU, you must obtain a new permanent password for each product that you want to use on that CPU.

When you install the new password, the old entry in the product's authorization table is replaced. The new table entry defines the authorization for the product.

CPU failures

If a hardware failure or a disaster-recovery situation prevents the use of a licensed CPU, BMC can provide a temporary password that allows the product to run on a backup CPU for a limited time.

Before the temporary password expires, you must acquire a permanent password for the backup CPU or you must resume using the original CPU. At the end of the grace period, you can no longer run the affected product on the backup CPU. If the grace period ends, you must obtain a new password to reset the grace period.

Updates to the product authorization tables

To trigger the grace period, the license validation process must update the authorization tables.

If the password library must be write-protected, problems could occur with updates. To avoid problems, you can place the authorization tables in another data set and concatenate that data set to the password library.

The concatenated authorization table library should have the same DCB attributes as the product load library. (The RECFM for the table library must be U.)

Run a product on an unlicensed processor

When you run a product on an unlicensed processor, a 15-calendar-day grace period can be triggered. When this grace period ends, the product will not run or will run with diminished functionality.

To prevent this situation, you should obtain a RESET password from BMC. If you apply the Reset password before the grace period ends, the password updates the product authorization table and makes another 15-calendar-day grace period available.

When the grace period is triggered, the Product Authorization utility (online or in batch mode) and the affected product issue a message that advises you of the expiration date.

Product maintenance or version upgrades

Installing a new maintenance level or upgrading the version or release level of a product has no effect on product authorization. No new passwords are required. However, you must ensure that your authorization tables reside in the new production libraries.

If you install products in a test environment before moving them to production, the product authorization tables must also reside in the test libraries. If you try to run a product on a different CPU, that CPU must also be licensed. Copy the product authorization tables from the old library to the new library that contains the product maintenance or upgrade.

Although the product authorization tables typically reside in the password library, these tables are not loaded modules. If you are running ISPF version 4.2 or later, you might not be able to copy these tables by using the ISPF Move/Copy utility (option 3.3). You might receive a STOW error or one or more of the following error messages:

IEW2515W 4731 DIRECTORY ENTRY FOR prdTBL3n IDENTIFIED BY DDNAME ISPddname IS NOT MARKED AS LOAD MODULE.
 
IEW2522E 470E MEMBER prdTBL3n IDENTIFIED BY DDNAME ISPddname... IS NOT A LOAD MODULE- (INVALID RECORD TYPE). 
 
IEW2307S 1032 CURRENT INPUT MODULE NOT INCLUDED BECAUSE OF INVALID DATA.
 
COPY FAILED FOR MEMBER prdTBL3n.  FAILURE IN IEWBIND INCLUDE, RETURN CODE 8 REASON CODE 83000507

In these messages, the variable prd is the three-character product code and n is P (permanent) or T (temporary). For more information, see Authorizing.

If you receive any of these messages, use the IEBCOPY utility to copy the product authorization tables. Do not use the IEBCOPY COPYMOD parameter when copying the tables.