ServiceNow SAM Pro- Suite Inference basics

Introduction

In today's technology landscape, software suites have become integral for many organizations. A software suite consists of related programs packaged together, offering cost efficiencies and integrated functionality. Major publishers like Microsoft, VMware, and Oracle provide these suites, enabling users to acquire a collection of tools necessary for their operations, often at a reduced price compared to purchasing individual components.

What is Suite Inference?

Suite inference is a feature of ServiceNow's SAM Pro that helps identify whether software installations or subscriptions belong to a software suite. This identification is crucial for licensing benefits. For example, if you have a deployment of Windows Server, Suite Inference can automatically determine that it falls under the Core Infrastructure Suite (CIS), ensuring the correct licensing applies.

When a suite is detected, entitlements will automatically create software models in ServiceNow. This triggers the addition of necessary suite components and facilitates the automatic mapping of deployed software to the correct license under its respective suite.

Importance of Suite Inference

Organizations benefit from Suite Inference as it provides a streamlined approach to managing software licenses. Notably, it helps avoid licensing errors, ensuring that software installations are accurately attributed to the correct licenses. The suite inference also accounts for various challenges that software asset managers face, such as configuration validation and real-life application of the feature.

How it Works

1. Publisher Part Number (PPN): When a PPN is entered into the system, it automatically creates a software model.
2. Discovery Maps: The software model uses discovery maps to auto-populate components that belong to that suite.
3. Inferencing and Licensing: Once components are identified, their installations can be inferred to the correct suite model for proper licensing. The inferred suite status can be checked in the software installs list view under the "Inferred Suite" column.

Configuration Steps

To configure Suite Inference correctly, several steps must be taken:

• Set up Suite Inference using the correct PPN to create relevant entitlements.
• Define the inference percentage or number.
• Determine if the suite components are mandatory or optional.
• Utilize properties for component licenses, allowing for a smooth transition if suite entitlements are exhausted.
• Apply product install conditions for specific scenarios, like development environments.

Use Cases

Suite Inference has several practical applications:

• Example 1: When Windows Server standard installations are made, they can be inferred and licensed under the Core Infrastructure Suite.
• Example 2: If entitlements for the Core Infrastructure Suite are fully consumed, the software installations can then be licensed under the individual Windows Server component licenses.

These use cases can be visualized through the deployment of software, where licenses are tracked and managed efficiently.

Demonstration of Suite Inference

In a real-life demonstration, we can see that if there are multiple installations of Windows Server being managed, the inference system will map these installs to appropriate entitlements based on the configuration steps outlined. If mappings exceed the licenciable total for a suite, the software will then begin consuming individual component licenses seamlessly.

This mechanism ensures that organizations never find themselves inadvertently without software compliance, as the system will intelligently manage license consumption across components.

Keywords

• Software Suite
• Suite Inference
• ServiceNow
• Licensing
• Publisher Part Number (PPN)
• Discovery Maps
• Core Infrastructure Suite (CIS)
• Configuration
• Entitlement
• Software Installations

FAQ

What is Suite Inference?
Suite Inference is a feature of ServiceNow SAM Pro that identifies whether a software installation is part of a software suite, enabling efficient licensing.

Why do organizations use software suites?
Organizations use software suites for cost savings, integrated functionality, and comprehensive support, as compared to purchasing individual software components.

How can I check if Suite Inference has been applied?
You can check by going to the software installs list view and inspecting the "Inferred Suite" and "Software Model Result" columns.

What happens if suite entitlements are exhausted?
If suite entitlements are exhausted, the system will move to consume individual component licenses based on configured properties.

What are some common use cases for Suite Inference?
Common use cases include licensing Windows Server installations under the Core Infrastructure Suite and managing component licenses for specific applications like Visual Studio.