Hardware Asset Management licensing

  • Release version: Xanadu
  • Updated August 1, 2024
  • 5 minutes to read
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    Summary of Hardware Asset Management licensing

    Hardware Asset Management (HAM) licensing allows ServiceNow customers to selectively opt in to specific hardware asset resource categories based on their usage, helping optimize costs by paying only for the categories they use. Only opted-in resource categories count toward Subscription Units (SUs), which determine licensing fees based on the number and type of assets managed.

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    HAM licensing divides assets into predefined resource categories such as Servers, End User Computers, Network Gear, Mobile Devices, and others. Customers must opt in to the correct categories to enable associated normalization functions and asset actions in the HAM application.

    Key Features

    • Selective Opt-In for Resource Categories: Customers choose which hardware categories to license, enabling cost savings and tailored asset management.
    • Subscription Unit Ratios: Each resource category has a defined ratio for assets to subscription units (e.g., 4 End User Computers = 1 SU), which directly influences licensing costs.
    • Entitlement Management: On ServiceNow on-premise instances, entitlements can be managed via the snhamactiveentitlements system property, where customers list their licensed categories.
    • Custom Model Category Licensing: Custom asset model categories can access HAM features only if they fall under opted-in licensable parent categories or if a specific system property is enabled to include custom categories.
    • New Resource Categories in HAM License 5.0: Categories like Printers, Monitors, Storage, and Unclassified Hardware require upgrading to HAM license version 5.0 and explicit opt-in to access related features.
    • Telecommunications Network Inventory Integration: Requires installing the Telecommunications Network Inventory application and opting in to its resource category to manage telecom assets via HAM.

    Practical Application and Implications

    • To fully leverage HAM capabilities such as normalization and asset actions, customers must opt in to the appropriate resource categories matching their asset types.
    • Subscription Unit ratios enable customers to forecast licensing costs based on asset counts within each category, facilitating budgeting and license compliance.
    • For custom model categories, careful configuration is needed to ensure licensing compliance and feature accessibility, especially after upgrades to newer HAM license versions.
    • Existing assets in new resource categories introduced in HAM license 5.0 will not have automatic access to HAM features unless those categories are explicitly opted in, requiring administrative action post-upgrade.

    Key Outcomes

    • ServiceNow customers gain flexible and cost-efficient control over hardware asset management licensing by paying only for the resource categories they actively use.
    • Proper opt-in configuration ensures access to HAM workflows and asset management features tailored to each licensed category.
    • Clear guidelines on custom model categories and new resource categories help maintain compliance and maximize the value of HAM investments.
    • Integration with specialized applications like Telecommunications Network Inventory expands HAM's asset coverage when the corresponding resource categories are licensed.

    Hardware Asset Management (HAM) licensing enables you to choose the Hardware Asset Management resource categories that you want to use. You can save money by paying only for those categories that you use, and not for categories that you don't use.

    Only the resource categories that are opted in are counted toward the Subscription Units.
    Note:
    By default for a particular resource category, the normalization functions for its associated models and the asset actions for its associated assets don't work. If you want to use the normalization functions and asset actions, you have to opt in that resource category.
    For more information about opting in or out of the HAM license resource categories, see Opt-in or opt-out of HAM license resource categories.

    Based on the usage of model categories, the ServiceNow HAM license is divided into resource categories. There are different types of resource categories. Different assets fall under different categories as well. Make sure you opt in the correct and required categories. An asset represented in the Asset [alm_asset] table and which meets the criteria for each managed IT resource type such as Server, End User Computers, Network Gear, and Mobile Device, is counted toward a Subscription Unit based on the predefined ratio of number of assets to subscription units.

    Note:
    Resource categories in HAM are associated with certain entitlements. For example, the Computer resource category is shown only if the computer entitlement is available in the HAM license. On an on-premise ServiceNow instance, the entitlements aren’t downloaded. However, you can store your HAM entitlement details by using the sn_ham_active_entitlements system property. You can update this system property with a comma separated list of entitlements for which you have access.

    The comma separated entitlements should be updated in the following format:

    • End User Computers- ham_computer_license
    • Mobile Device- ham_mobiledevice_license
    • Servers- ham_server_license
    • Network Gear- ham_networkgear_license
    • Monitors- ham_monitor_license
    • Storage- ham_storage_license
    • Printer- ham_printer_license
    • Telecom Network Inventory- ham_tni_license
    Table 1. HAM license resource categoriesThe Subscription unit ratio is the ratio of the number of assets to the number of subscription units. For example, the subscription unit ratio of End User Computers is 4:1, where 4 assets require a single unit of license. If 1 license costs $100, then 4 computer assets cost $100 and 8 computer assets cost $200.
    Resource category Subscription unit ratio Model category
    End User Computers 4:1 Computer
    Servers 1:1 Any server such as the following:
    • AIX Server
    • ESX Server
    • HPUX Server
    • Linux server
    • Netware Server
    • OS/X Server
    • Server
    • Solaris Server
    • Unix Server
    • Windows Server
    Network Gear 5:1
    • Network gear
    • IP Switch
    • IP Router
    Mobile Device 10:1 Mobile Device
    Telecom Network Inventory 1:1
    • Card
    • Network Interface
    • Logical connection
    • Physical connection
    • Telco equipment
    Unclassified hardware 1:1 Hardware
    Monitors 15:1 Monitor
    Storage 3:1 Storage Device
    Printers 10:1 Printer
    Note:
    Unclassified hardware, Monitors, Storage, and Printers are available with Hardware Asset Management version 10.1.0 and later only when you upgrade to HAM license version 5.0.

    To access Hardware Asset Management features for Telecommunications Network Inventory, you should install the Telecommunications Network Inventory application and opt-in to the Telecom Network Inventory resource category. For more information, see Telecommunications Network Inventory integration with Hardware Asset Management.

    HAM Licensing for custom model categories

    HAM provides some model categories out-of-the-box. Any model category that you create is considered as custom model category. When you upgrade to the Hardware Asset Management license released in Washington DC and later releases, any asset with a custom model category can access the Hardware Asset Management features and workflows only if any of the following conditions hold good:
    • The custom model category of the asset belongs to the hierarchy of opted-in model categories.
    • The parent model category of a custom model category is associated with a licensable and opted-in resource category.
    Note:
    If you are on any HAM license version released before Hardware Asset Management license version 4, the assets with custom model categories can access Hardware Asset Management features and workflows even if they aren't associated with an opted-in and licensable resource category. Also, the custom model categories aren't counted toward a Subscription Unit.

    From Hardware Asset Management version 10.1.2 and 11.0.1 onward, even if you are on a license version released before Hardware Asset Management license version 4, you can enable HAM licensing for custom model categories by using the sn_hamp.enable_custom_category_licensing system property. By default, the value of this system property is set to false. When you set the sn_hamp.enable_custom_category_licensing system property to true, custom model category assets are excluded from HAM workflows unless the parent of the custom model category is an opted-in and licensable category.

    Figure 1. Example for hierarchy of model categories
    Model category hierarchy
    In the example, the Computer model category is associated with the custom model categories Laptop and Tablet. Note the following about the custom model categories:
    • When you opt in Computers, both Laptop and Tablet are also counted toward a Subscription Unit under the End User Computers resource category. Also, these custom model categories can access Hardware Asset Management features and workflows.
    • When you opt out Computers, both Laptop and Tablet are also opted-out and these custom model categories can’t access Hardware Asset Management features and workflows.
    Note:
    A model category that belongs to a licensable resource category and has a parent model category is licensed only under its associated resource category. For example, the Monitor model category that's associated with the licensable Monitors resource category and that has Computer as its parent, is licensed only under Monitors.
    Assets with the following model categories are excluded from accessing Hardware Asset Management features and workflows:
    • Any model category that is a child of an opted-out resource category.
    • Any model category that is a child of model categories such as printer and storage device. This exclusion is only in Hardware Asset Management version 10.0.0.
      Note:
      The existing model categories such as printer, consumables, and storage devices continue to access the Hardware Asset Management features only with Hardware Asset Management version 10.0.0 and earlier.

      From Hardware Asset Management version 10.1.0 onward, the resource categories like Printers, Monitors, Storage, and Unclassified hardware are licensed and available only when you upgrade to HAM license version 5.0. You must opt in these resource categories to access the Hardware Asset Management features. When you opt in these resource categories, all their child model categories can also access the HAM features and workflows.

      After you upgrade to HAM license version 5.0, the printers, monitors, storage devices, and Unclassified hardware assets that were created in the earlier versions wouldn't be able to access the Hardware Asset Management features by default. You should explicitly opt in these resource categories.

    • Any other custom model category without a parent category.