Licence metrics explained

Per user, per device, per core and the other ways licences are counted, and how AssetTrove measures each one.

Vendors count licences in different ways. Each entitlement has a metric that tells AssetTrove how to count use.

Metric	One licence covers	How AssetTrove counts use
Per user (named user)	One person, on any number of devices	Distinct people with the software allocated or installed on a device they're the primary user of. Someone using it on three devices counts once
Per device	One device	Distinct devices with the software installed or allocated
Per core	One physical processor core	Cores per processor × processors, with the vendor's minimums applied (see below)
Per processor	One processor socket	Number of processors
Concurrent	One simultaneous session	The peak number of sessions at the same time, from usage data. Without usage data, the number of allocations
Subscription seat	One seat in a SaaS app	Number of people with the seat allocated. For SaaS, having a seat is using it
Site / enterprise	Everyone in a location or legal entity	Always compliant within its scope; never creates a shortfall

Core minimums

Core-based licences usually have minimums. AssetTrove applies them per device:

a minimum number of cores per processor, for example Windows Server counts at least 8 per processor;
a minimum number of cores per device, for example SQL Server counts at least 4 per virtual machine, and Windows Server at least 16 per server.

If a device doesn't report its cores, AssetTrove counts the vendor minimum and flags it with Unknown core count, so you can check.

Each entitlement also says what counts as use:

Setting	Counts	Typical for
Allocations	Only the licences you've handed out in AssetTrove	SaaS subscriptions
Installations	Only software actually found on devices	Traditional desktop and server software
Allocations or installations	Either one. A person or device counts once if they have either	When you want the cautious answer