IBM Storage Virtualize Licensing Guide for AS400/IBM i Buyers

Separate the hardware decision from the software decision

When an AS400/IBM i storage refresh includes IBM FlashSystem, it is easy to treat the array as one purchase. In practice it is two decisions: the FlashSystem hardware and FlashCore Module part numbers on one side, and the IBM Storage Virtualize software license that actually runs the array on the other. Budgeting and evaluation should keep these separate, since the software licensing scope determines which features are actually usable once the hardware arrives.

Know what Storage Virtualize actually licenses

IBM Storage Virtualize is the software layer performing compression, encryption, replication, and automated tiering (Easy Tier) on a FlashSystem array. IBM commonly splits base array operation from add-on entitlements, particularly around replication and high-availability configurations, so a buyer who assumes every feature ships with the array purchase can end up with a licensing gap discovered mid-project.

• Compression and encryption: confirm bundled vs. add-on scope
• Replication: synchronous vs. asynchronous, and HyperSwap-style high-availability configurations
• Easy Tier automated tiering across flash and lower-cost storage
• Multi-platform management if the array also serves AIX, Linux, or Windows

Scope replication licensing against real RPO/RTO targets

Replication licensing is where most Storage Virtualize budgets go wrong, either by under-scoping (no replication licensed, then discovering it is needed after a DR planning exercise) or over-scoping (licensing synchronous replication for a workload that only needed asynchronous). Define the actual recovery point and recovery time objectives for the IBM i workloads in question before pricing replication entitlements, not after.

Add monitoring as a separate line item

IBM Storage Insights sits above Storage Virtualize as a cloud-based monitoring and capacity analytics layer. It is typically evaluated once the array is already operational and the team wants earlier warning on capacity or performance trends than manual review provides. Treat it as its own licensing decision rather than assuming it is bundled with the array's core software.

Coordinate the software decision with the hardware quote

Because Storage Virtualize licensing and FlashSystem hardware (including FlashCore Module generation and part number) are evaluated separately, they still need to land in the same project budget and timeline. Confirm the software licensing scope before the hardware quote is treated as final, since a hardware-only budget that discovers a licensing gap late in the project is one of the most common ways a FlashSystem-attached storage refresh runs over budget.

Common questions about this Storage Software Licensing topic.

Is IBM Storage Virtualize software licensed separately from FlashSystem hardware?

Yes. IBM FlashSystem is the physical array and its FlashCore Module drives; IBM Storage Virtualize is the software that runs on that array, and features like replication, encryption, and automated tiering are commonly split between what is bundled with the base array and what is sold as separate licensed entitlements.

What does Easy Tier licensing actually do on a FlashSystem array?

Easy Tier is IBM Storage Virtualize's automated data placement feature, moving data between flash and lower-cost storage tiers based on access patterns. It is part of the software licensing scope, not a hardware feature, so confirm whether it is included in the base license or requires a separate entitlement.