--- sourceDocument: Australia IT Service Management sourceDocumentLink: https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/r/it-service-management Release : - australia ft:locale : - en-US ft:publication_title : - Australia IT Service Management ft:clusterId : - itsm bundleId : - itsm workflow : - Technology --- # Legacy IBM PVU Process Pack # Legacy IBM PVU Process Pack {#ariaid-title1} Release version: Australia Updated March 12, 2026 ![](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/portal-asset/ico-clock) 1 minute to read Processor Value Unit (PVU) is a unit of measurement defined by IBM to determine software licensing costs based on processor or server model. A processor is defined as each core on a socket. Each software package has a price defined as number of points or PVUs per core. For a complete explanation of IBM PVU licensing for distributed software, see [Processor Value Unit \[PVU\] licensing for Distributed Software](https://www-01.ibm.com/software/lotus/passportadvantage/pvu_licensing_for_customers.html) on the IBM website. In the ServiceNow AI Platform, the concept of PVU is used by the legacy IBM PVU Process Pack, which is an add-on to the legacy Software Asset Management (com.snc.software_asset_management) plugin. This legacy process pack provides the ability to manage software licensed under the IBM Processor Value Units licensing model. Important: The legacy IBM PVU Process Pack is not required for tracking and managing IBM PVU licenses through the Software Asset Management publisher pack for IBM, which is available as part of the Software Asset Management Professional (com.snc.samp) plugin. The IBM publisher pack includes all capabilities that are required for tracking and managing both full capacity and sub-capacity PVU and RVU licenses for your IBM products. See [Software Asset Management publisher pack for IBM](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/access?context=ibm-publisher-pack&version=australia&pubname=australia-it-asset-management&ft:locale=en-US) for more information on the IBM publisher pack. The legacy Software Asset Management (com.snc.software_asset_management) plugin Processor Definition Extension is automatically activated when the legacy IBM PVU Process Pack is activated. It provides data model support for processor definitions and is required by all legacy Software Asset Management (com.snc.software_asset_management) plugin process packs. Note: Oracle and Microsoft also use the concept of PVU, but have slightly different definitions. * **[Activate the legacy IBM PVU Process Pack](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/lE2aU6UNuyUmTH2ZhgtWIw)** The legacy Software Asset Management - IBM PVU Process Pack (com.snc.sam.ibmpvu.pp) plugin can no longer be activated upon request. If the legacy plugin has already been activated on your ServiceNow instance, you can continue to use the legacy IBM PVU Process Pack. * **[Validate legacy IBM PVU Process Pack requirements for associating software installations with PVU mappings](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/ZhOK7DbttSmkjhXX80JdNQ)** Meet the recommended requirements to ensure that you receive the highest quality results with PVU mapping. * **[IBM PVU mapping preparation for the legacy IBM PVU Process Pack](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/03IKuUtO~ag1BVXN1G6YAA)** Most IBM PVU mapping and license checking for the legacy IBM PVU Process Pack is managed automatically. * **[Refresh your legacy Software Asset Management plugin processor definitions](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/g7X7bhKKXYN7Qr8tyh1W6w)** After activating the legacy IBM PVU Process Pack, use the Refresh Processor Definitions module in the legacy Software Asset Management (com.snc.software_asset_management) plugin to create process definitions for existing computers in the Computer \[cmdb_ci_computer\] table. * **[Legacy Software Asset Management plugin processor definitions](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/Vdzy3NL74mBeDwTHuoHDoQ)** Processor definitions for the legacy Software Asset Management (com.snc.software_asset_management) plugin are automatically derived from the information in the configuration item form for an item such as a computer or server. * **[View IBM PVU mappings for the legacy IBM PVU Process Pack](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/9ElSjj_MutBPkLVirMqggQ)** Every rule listed in the IBM PVU Table is represented by one PVU mapping record in the legacy Software Asset Management (com.snc.software_asset_management) plugin. * **[Use software counters with the legacy IBM PVU Process Pack](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/eSUXNKQ_TFbzc7FYDBa1Hg)** To calculate IBM PVU licenses through the legacy IBM PVU Process Pack, you can create a software counter with the IBM PVU license type. For a given PVU software package, you only need to create the counter once and then it can be reused. * **[Installed with the legacy IBM PVU Process Pack](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/9prJylgYrQGtE96kAfSM4Q)** The following tables, fields, script includes, and business rules are installed with the legacy IBM PVU process pack. **Related concepts** * [Legacy Software Asset Management plugin Overview module](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/QXVLbVrl4XlKJIve9lwakQ "The Overview module for the legacy Software Asset Management (com.snc.software_asset_management) plugin is a homepage that displays various software asset management reports.") * [Legacy Software Asset Management plugin setup process](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/sVO99TX3jE8kBkOETYJbCA "To get started with the legacy Software Asset Management (com.snc.software_asset_management) plugin, you need to identify and discover software owned, create software models, create license records, and configure software counters.") * [Determine where software is installed using the legacy Software Asset Management plugin](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/A6~cX8KA2lnXeVzclofIiQ "When using the legacy Software Asset Management (com.snc.software_asset_management) plugin to determine where your software is installed, you must keep the following points in mind.") * [Software licenses in the legacy Software Asset Management plugin](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/qduUcv2gS_IKiOJ66qX~kA "Software licenses are based on models that are defined through the legacy Software Asset Management (com.snc.software_asset_management) plugin.") * [License calculations with the legacy Software Asset Management plugin](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/EcghOsl~pnJaFs9XgW6v9w "Software license calculations with the legacy Software Asset Management (com.snc.software_asset_management) plugin count the number of licenses that exist in your network environment.") * [Software discovery models in the legacy Software Asset Management plugin](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/9jMh~li8q1PwMhap1WHEqg "Software discovery models in the legacy Software Asset Management (com.snc.software_asset_management) plugin can be used to help normalize the software you own by analyzing and classifying models to reduce duplication.") * [Legacy Software License Compliance Checker](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/bbToIS2e9OHU4RjW4XiL1A "The Software License Compliance Checker that is included in the legacy Software Asset Management (com.snc.software_asset_management) plugin is a fast way to see if the software licenses used in your organization are compliant based on number of rights purchased and number of installations.") * [Software license reconciliation counters for the legacy Software Asset Management plugin](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/A2m5ZzDE0r9kb1pdVvjW5A "Software counters for the legacy Software Asset Management (com.snc.software_asset_management) plugin reconcile software rights with software installations to verify compliance.") * [Software contracts for the legacy Software Asset Management plugin](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/dwxhXQk9LxI3TjTT7K~GTw "A software contract is a binding agreement between the owner of a software product and a buyer. The contract enables the buyer to use the software legally.") * [Legacy Oracle process pack](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/5yZUUJqmIm5GwhXRdEwCPg "The legacy Oracle process pack is an add-on to the legacy Software Asset Management (com.snc.software_asset_management) plugin that provides the ability to manage software licensed under the Oracle licensing model.") **Related tasks** * [Manage software models using the legacy Software Asset Management plugin](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/QMb8njfi4OlJXzq23FVgMA "The legacy Software Asset Management (com.snc.software_asset_management) plugin uses software models to manage licenses, specifically in software counters and license restrictions, and to track upgrade and downgrade licenses.")