8.3. VNF License Information Guidelines¶
This Appendix describes the metadata to be supplied for VNF licenses.
- General Information
Table C1 defines the required and optional fields for licenses.
8.3.1. Table C1. Required Fields for General Information¶
| Field Name | Description | Data Type | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| VNF Provider Name | The name of the VNF provider. | String | Mandatory |
| VNF Provider Product | The name of the product to which this agreement applies. Note: a contract/agreement may apply to more than one VNF provider product. In that case, provide the metadata for each product separately. |
String | Mandatory |
| VNF Provider Product Description | A general description of VNF provider software product. | String | Optional |
| Export Control Classification Number (ECCN) | ECCNs are 5-character alpha-numeric designations used on the Commerce Control List (CCL) to identify dual-use items for export control purposes. An ECCN categorizes items based on the nature of the product, i.e. type of commodity, software, or technology and its respective technical parameters. | String | Mandatory |
| Reporting Requirements | A list of any reporting requirements on the usage of the software product. | List of strings | Optional |
- Entitlements
Entitlements describe software license use rights. The use rights may be quantified by various metrics: # users, # software instances, # units. The use rights may be limited by various criteria: location (physical or logical), type of customer, type of device, time, etc.
One or more entitlements can be defined; each one consists of the following fields:
8.3.2. Table C2. Required Fields for Entitlements¶
| Field Name | Description | Data Type | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| VNF Provider Part Number / Manufacture Reference Number | Identifier for the entitlement as described by the VNF provider in their price list / catalog / contract. | String | Mandatory |
| Description | Verbiage that describes the entitlement | String | Optional |
| Entitlement Identifier | Each entitlement defined must be identified by a unique value (e.g. numbered 1, 2, 3….) | String | Mandatory |
| Minimum Order Requirement | The minimum number of entitlements that need to be purchased. For example, the entitlements must be purchased in a block of 100. If no minimum is required, the value will be zero. | Number | Mandatory |
| Unique Reporting Requirements | A list of any reporting requirements on the usage of the software product. (e.g.: quarterly usage reports are required) | List of Strings | Optional |
| License Type | Type of license applicable to the software product. (e.g.: fixed-term, perpetual, trial, subscription.) | String | Mandatory |
| License Duration | Valid values: year, quarter, month, day. Not applicable when license type is Perpetual. |
String | Conditional |
| License Duration Quantification | Number of years, quarters, months, or days for which the license is valid. Not applicable when license type is Perpetual. |
Number | Conditional |
| Limits | see section C.4 for possible values | List | Optional |
- License Keys
This section defines information on any License Keys associated with the Software Product. A license key is a data string (or a file) providing a means to authorize the use of software. License key does not provide entitlement information.
License Keys are not required. Optionally, one or more license keys can be defined; each one consists of the following fields:
8.3.3. Table C3. Required Fields for License Keys¶
| Field Name | Description | Data Type | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Description | Verbiage that describes the license key | String | Mandatory |
| License Key Identifier | Each license key defined must be identified by a unique value (e.g., numbered 1, 2, 3….) | String | Mandatory |
| Key Function | Lifecycle stage (e.g., Instantiation or Activation) at which the license key is applied to the software. | String | Optional |
| License Key Type | Valid values: Universal, Unique Universal - a single license key value that may be used with any number of instances of the software. Unique- a unique license key value is required for each instance of the software. |
String | Mandatory |
| Limits | see section C.4 for possible values | List | Optional |
- Entitlement and License Key Limits
Limitations on the use of software entitlements and license keys may be based on factors such as: features enabled in the product, the allowed capacity of the product, number of installations, etc… The limits may generally be categorized as:
- where (location)
- when (time)
- how (usages)
- who/what (entity)
- amount (how much)
Multiple limits may be applicable for an entitlement or license key. Each limit may further be described by limit behavior, duration, quantification, aggregation, aggregation interval, start date, end date, and threshold.
When the limit is associated with a quantity, the quantity is relative to an instance of the entitlement or license key. For example:
Each entitlement grants the right to 50 concurrent users. If 10 entitlements are purchased, the total number of concurrent users permitted would be 500. In this example, the limit category is amount, the limit type is users, and the limit quantification is 50.
Each license key may be installed on 3 devices. If 5 license keys are acquired, the total number of devices allowed would be 15. In this example, the limit category is usages, the limit type is device, and the limit quantification is 3.
- Location
Locations may be logical or physical location (e.g., site, country). For example:
- use is allowed in Canada
8.3.4. Table C4. Required Fields for Location¶
| Field Name | Description | Data Type | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Limit Identifier | Each limit defined for an entitlement or license key must be identified by a unique value (e.g., numbered 1,2,3…) | String | Mandatory |
| Limit Description | Verbiage describing the limit. | String | Mandatory |
| Limit Behavior | Description of the actions taken when the limit boundaries are reached. | String | Mandatory |
| Limit Category | Valid value: location | String | Mandatory |
| Limit Type | Valid values: city, county, state, country, region, MSA, BTA, CLLI | String | Mandatory |
| Limit List | List of locations where the VNF provider Product can be used or needs to be restricted from use | List of String | Mandatory |
| Limit Set Type | Indicates if the list is an inclusion or exclusion. Valid Values: Allowed Not allowed |
String | Mandatory |
| Limit Quantification | The quantity (amount) the limit expresses. | Number | Optional |
- Time
Limit on the length of time the software may be used. For example:
- license key valid for 1 year from activation
- entitlement valid from 15 May 2018 thru 30 June 2020
8.3.5. Table C5. Required Fields for Time¶
| Field Name | Description | Data Type | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Limit Identifier | Each limit defined for an entitlement or license key must be identified by a unique value (e.g., numbered) | String | Mandatory |
| Limit Description | Verbiage describing the limit. | String | Mandatory |
| Limit Behavior | Description of the actions taken when the limit boundaries are reached. The limit behavior may also describe when a time limit takes effect. (e.g., key is valid for 1 year from date of purchase). |
String | Mandatory |
| Limit Category | Valid value: time | String | Mandatory |
| Limit Type | Valid values: duration, date | String | Mandatory |
| Limit List | List of times for which the VNF Provider Product can be used or needs to be restricted from use | List of String | Mandatory |
| Duration Units | Required when limit type is duration. Valid values: perpetual, year, quarter, month, day, minute, second, millisecond | String | Conditional |
| Limit Quantification | The quantity (amount) the limit expresses. | Number | Optional |
| Start Date | Required when limit type is date. | Date | Optional |
| End Date | May be used when limit type is date. | Date | Optional |
- Usage
Limits based on how the software is used. For example:
- use is limited to a specific sub-set of the features/capabilities the software supports
- use is limited to a certain environment (e.g., test, development, production…)
- use is limited by processor (vm, cpu, core)
- use is limited by software release
8.3.6. Table C6. Required Fields for Usage¶
| Field Name | Description | Data Type | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Limit Identifier | Each limit defined for an entitlement or license key must be identified by a unique value (e.g., numbered) | String | Mandatory |
| Limit Description | Verbiage describing the limit. | String | Mandatory |
| Limit Behavior | Description of the actions taken when the limit boundaries are reached. | String | Mandatory |
| Limit Category | Valid value: usages | String | Mandatory |
| Limit Type | Valid values: feature, environment, processor, version | String | Mandatory |
| Limit List | List of usage limits (e.g., test, development, vm, core, R1.2.1, R1.3.5…) | List of String | Mandatory |
| Limit Set Type | Indicates if the list is an inclusion or exclusion. Valid Values: Allowed Not allowed |
String | Mandatory |
| Limit Quantification | The quantity (amount) the limit expresses. | Number | Optional |
- Entity
Limit on the entity (product line, organization, customer) allowed to make use of the software. For example:
- allowed to be used in support of wireless products
- allowed to be used only for government entities
8.3.7. Table C7. Required Fields for Entity¶
| Field Name | Description | Data Type | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Limit Identifier | Each limit defined for an entitlement or license key must be identified by a unique value (e.g., numbered) | String | Mandatory |
| Limit Description | Verbiage describing the limit. | String | Mandatory |
| Limit Behavior | Description of the actions taken when the limit boundaries are reached. | String | Mandatory |
| Limit Category | Valid value: entity | String | Mandatory |
| Limit Type | Valid values: product line, organization, internal customer, external customer | String | Mandatory |
| Limit List | List of entities for which the VNF Provider Product can be used or needs to be restricted from use | List of String | Mandatory |
| Limit Set Type | Indicates if the list is an inclusion or exclusion. Valid Values: Allowed Not allowed |
String | Mandatory |
| Limit Quantification | The quantity (amount) the limit expresses. | Number | Optional |
- Amount
These limits describe terms relative to utilization of the functions of the software (for example, number of named users permitted, throughput, or capacity). Limits of this type may also be relative to utilization of other resources (for example, a limit for firewall software is not based on use of the firewall software, but on the number of network subscribers).
The metadata describing this type of limit includes the unit of measure (e.g., # users, # sessions, # MB, # TB, etc.), the quantity of units, any aggregation function (e.g., peak or average users), and aggregation interval (day, month, quarter, year, etc.).
8.3.8. Table C8. Required Fields for Amount¶
| Field Name | Description | Data Type | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Limit Identifier | Each limit defined for an entitlement or license key must be identified by a unique value (e.g., numbered) | String | Mandatory |
| Limit Description | Verbiage describing the limit. | String | Mandatory |
| Limit Behavior | Description of the actions taken when the limit boundaries are reached. | String | Mandatory |
| Limit Category | Valid value: amount | String | Mandatory |
| Limit Type | Valid values: trunk, user, subscriber, session, token, transactions, seats, KB, MB, TB, GB | String | Mandatory |
| Type of Utilization | Is the limit relative to utilization of the functions of the software or relative to utilization of other resources? Valid values:
|
String | Mandatory |
| Limit Quantification | The quantity (amount) the limit expresses. | Number | Optional |
| Aggregation Function | Valid values: peak, average | String | Optional |
| Aggregation Interval | Time period over which the aggregation is done (e.g., average sessions per quarter). Required when an Aggregation Function is specified. Valid values: day, month, quarter, year, minute, second, millisecond |
String | Optional |
| Aggregation Scope | Is the limit quantity applicable to a single entitlement or license key (each separately)? Or may the limit quantity be combined with others of the same type (resulting in limit amount that is the sum of all the purchased entitlements or license keys)? Valid values:
|
String | Optional |
| Type of User | Describes the types of users of the functionality offered by the software (e.g., authorized, named). This field is included when Limit Type is user. | String | Optional |