When planning an upgrade to the Maximo Application Suite (MAS, or “the Suite”), one of the questions we are asked most frequently is the impact on licensing.
Rather than the legacy Maximo model of authorized, limited, and express users, MAS introduces the concept of AppPoints. The AppPoint model provides more flexibility, but it’s important to understand how they work and how to structure your environment to maximize the benefit of AppPoints.
While it’s one more thing to learn, we’ve found it beneficial for our clients in several ways:
- Single license: One entitlement to entire Suite
- Flexible consumption: Sharing of license through concurrent users
- Simplified usage: Access applications without additional provisioning
Flexibility of Usage
Unlike previous versions of Maximo, users do not need to specify which modules, add-ons, or industry solutions they wish to purchase. AppPoints allow a user to access any portion of the Suite without purchasing additional licenses. Want to try Maximo Spatial? Mobile? Predict? You can use your existing AppPoints to do so without ordering additional licenses. This has several benefits:
- License management and software renewals are much simpler.
- Users can try add-ons and new components of the Suite without a commitment to renew those entitlements. This allows organizations to test the various modules of the Suite prior to making a larger investment in their use.
No More Ratios
Legacy Maximo licensing had ratio requirements limiting the number of Limited and Express users based on the number of total Authorized users. With AppPoints, this restriction no longer exists. In fact, many organizations will find that the majority of their MAS Manage users will fall under the Limited category, and this is acceptable using AppPoints.
Self-Service Users Still Free
Just like legacy Maximo, you may have an unlimited number of self-service users. These users consume zero (0) AppPoints, or $0. Self-service includes the following applications:
- Service Requests
- Desktop Requisitions
- Requests (Oil & Gas)
- Create/Review Incidents (HSE)
- Vehicle Requests (Transportation)
- Graphical Appt. Book (Scheduler)
- Bill Review (Service Provider)
- Data Transfer via Devices and Sensors (Safety)
Mobile and Other Applications Included
Maximo Mobile is now included for all Limited users – no additional licensing is required. A MAS Limited or Base user may use Maximo Mobile, Anywhere (for legacy applications), Assist, or third-party mobile applications.
Likewise, Limited and Base users may access Spatial, Linear, and Calibration without requiring additional AppPoints for the user. Note: Spatial requires AppPoints for the installed environment (see below), but not for each user who accesses Spatial functionality.
The Base tier now also includes use of Maximo Scheduler.
Industry Solutions
Maximo Manage add-ons require premium-tier licensing. Add-ons may include:
- Asset Configuration Manager (ACM)
- Service Provider (SP)
- Health, Safety & Environment (HSE)
Similarly, Manage industry solutions also require premium-tier licensing. Industry solutions include:
- Oil & Gas
- Aviation
- Transportation
- Utilities
- Nuclear
- Civil Infrastructure
There is one notable exception. If the user’s add-ons and industry solutions are all contained within three non-administrative modules, this user may be considered limited rather than premium.
In the following example, we demonstrate the applications made available to two different users. Because Sam’s applications are all contained within the same three modules, he is a limited user. Ed’s applications span four modules, and thus he requires a premium license.
In short, users of industry solutions may be either premium or limited, but not base. Limited vs. Premium is determined by the total number of Manage modules assigned to that user.
Licensing for Multiple Environments
Each user needs a license. If a user has access to development, test and production environments, only one license is required. In the occasional situation where a user has access only to a non-production environment (e.g., test but not production), this user will still consume AppPoints.
Add-ons and modules that require install licenses will require AppPoints for each environment. For example, if you are using Maximo Spatial in development, test, and production – three environments – and Spatial requires 20 AppPoints, you will need a total 60 AppPoints to use Maximo Spatial in all three environments. Install licenses apply to the following modules:
- ERP Connectors (SAP, Oracle, or WorkDay)
- Spatial
- Civil Infrastructure
- Optimizer
- Visual Inspection
- Edge
- Assist
- Health & Predict for Utilities
Benefits of Concurrency
AppPoints were designed for a concurrent model. They are allocated as a pool. When a user logs in, they consume points, and those points are removed from the pool. When they log out, those points are returned to the pool for other users.
IBM has realized that some organizations require named users, and allow the use of a combination of authorized and concurrent licensing. These authorized (named) users, including systems administrator(s) will have their AppPoints reserved whether or not they are logged in at the time. This ensures that admins and authorized users always have access to the Application Suite.
AppPoints may be purchased for authorized (named) users or concurrent users, but our experience has been that most organizations are able to optimize licensing costs by using primarily concurrent licenses, with a handful of authorized users for those who utilize Maximo consistently throughout the day.
Using AppPoints in Maximo 7.6.1.x
Organizations may convert legacy licensing to AppPoints in version 7.6.1.x, even before upgrading to MAS. This will allow them to access newer application features prior to upgrading. The most notable use case for doing so is to utilize the new Maximo Mobile and Role-based Applications.
Determining Number of AppPoints Needed
The diagram below illustrates the number of AppPoints required for each tier based on applications used. Evaluating the security permissions of your user base will help you to determine the tier for each user. If Login Tracking is enabled in your Maximo system, you can use this to identify the peak concurrent usage of your system and right-size your AppPoints pool.
IBM, Maven, or your business partner of choice can help you to perform this calculation and optimize your AppPoints conversion. Please reach out to one of our Maximo Application Suite experts, and we’ll help you to get started.
This diagram demonstrates which licensing tier is required for each Maximo module:
| Application User | Limited | Base | Premium | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Manage Limited | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | Any 3 EAM Manage modules (cannot be Scheduler/Plus, Administration, Integration, System Config, Security) Ability to view reports, change status and update work orders in any module (former Express capability). Includes Linear, Calibration, Spatial. Spatial requires an Install. |
| Manage Industry Solution and Add-on Limited | ✔️ | – | ✔️ | Includes Manage Industry Solutions(IS) and Add-ons. If installed and more then 3 IS/Add-on modules selected must be a Premium user, cannot be a Base user. 3 modules selected cannot be Planning and Scheduling, Administration, Integration, System Config, Security. |
| Mobile | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | Includes Maximo Mobile (use of Manage and Assist, Assist requires Install), Maximo Anywhere or 3rd party mobile. |
| Monitor | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | |
| Maximo Manage | ✔️ | ✔️ | Includes Linear, Calibration, Spatial. Spatial Requires an Install. | |
| Health | ✔️ | ✔️ | ||
| Safety | ✔️ | ✔️ | Base users required for Supervisor/Team Lead/Safety Officer. | |
| Industry Solutions | ✔️ | Manage IS – Utilities, Nuclear, Aviation, Oil & Gas, Transportation, Civil Infrastructure (CI requires an Install), Health & Predict – Utilities(HPU) (HPU requires an Install). | ||
| Add-ons | ✔️ | Manage Add-on – Asset Configuration Manager (ACM), Service Provider (SP), Health, Safety and Environment (HSE). | ||
| Predict | ✔️ | |||
| Visual Inspection | ✔️ | Install Points are Required. |
While moving to AppPoints is a change, and any change requires effort, the new licensing model is not that complicated once you understand how it works, and the value it brings to your organization. There are clear advantages to switching to AppPoints, even while still in the planning stages of an upgrade.
Still have questions? Please ask – we will update our guide and share Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) about AppPoints here.
