Introduction
Honeywell International Inc. is a leading provider of software for diverse engineering sectors, best known for its Experion® Process Knowledge System (PKS) and Honeywell Forge platform. As engineering projects become increasingly complex and data-driven, tools like Honeywell's software help teams create, monitor, analyze, and optimize industrial processes efficiently. Effective use of Honeywell's software across an organization requires careful software license management, ensuring the right users have access when needed and that the company is not overspending on unused licenses. This report examines Honeywell's software portfolio and licensing models, the importance of managing these licenses, and how integration with license management solutions can enhance license metering, reporting, and optimization. We also provide sample configurations and reports, and strategies for optimizing Honeywell software license usage. The information is organized for IT procurement staff, software asset managers, and administrators to make informed decisions about Honeywell license management.
Honeywell International Inc. is an American multinational corporation founded in 1906 and headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina. The company specializes in aerospace, building technologies, performance materials, and safety solutions. Honeywell's flagship software products include:
| Application Name | Description | Industry |
| Experion® Process Knowledge System (PKS) | Unified platform for process control, safety systems, and business management with intuitive operator interface | Oil & Gas, Chemical, Power Generation |
| Honeywell Forge | Cloud-based enterprise performance management platform with advanced analytics and machine learning for equipment monitoring and optimization | Cross-industry (Industrial, Aerospace, Buildings) |
| UniSim® Design Suite | Process simulation and optimization software for modeling and improving industrial processes | Chemical, Petrochemical, Refining |
| GoDirect™ Suite | Flight planning, weather forecasting, and fuel efficiency tools for aviation operations | Aerospace |
| Enterprise Buildings Integrator (EBI) | Platform that unifies control of HVAC, lighting, security, and fire safety systems | Commercial Real Estate, Facilities Management |
| Honeywell Connected Plant | Integrated platform providing holistic view of operations for informed decision-making | Process Industries, Manufacturing |
| Manufacturing Execution Systems (MES) | Software bridging the gap between enterprise resource planning and shop floor operations | Manufacturing, Production |
Honeywell's evolution to increasingly autonomous, AI-driven solutions shows the vendor's focus on enhancing operational performance while improving safety and sustainability. This reflects the broader industry trend toward digital transformation and smart industrial systems.
Effective Software License Management (SLM) is crucial for organizations using Honeywell or any expensive engineering software. Licenses represent a significant investment – for example, a single Honeywell Forge or Experion PKS license can cost thousands of dollars per user annually. Without proper management, companies risk overspending, non-compliance, or under-utilization of these assets.
Key reasons why license management and optimization matter:
Cost Control: Studies show that 25–35% of software license spend is typically wasteful. Unused or under-used licenses tie up capital. Proactive tracking of who uses Honeywell software and how often can identify licenses that are paid for but rarely used. For instance, if an expensive Honeywell Forge license was only used 30% of the time, that's a sign it could be reassigned or eliminated. Optimizing the number of subscriptions or license seats ensures you're not over-purchasing licenses you don't need or under-provisioning for actual demand.
Compliance and Audit Preparedness: Vendors like Honeywell keep track of license activations and usage. Good SLM provides documented proof of usage so that you don't have to blindly accept a vendor's usage calculations. This is especially critical if perpetual licenses are in use – mismanaging them could lead to breach of license terms. By monitoring usage in-house, you can confidently face software audits knowing you have accurate data and are compliant.
Optimized Access: Good license management is proactive rather than reactive. It ensures that all users who need Honeywell software have access when they need it (avoiding work stoppages due to all licenses being in use), while not issuing licenses to users who don't need them. This balance maintains productivity – for example, ensuring engineers have Experion PKS for critical process control – but also prevents "shelfware" (licenses assigned to people who have left the company or no longer use the software).
Informed Procurement and Renewal: Tracking actual usage metrics allows IT procurement to negotiate renewals or expansions based on real data rather than guesswork. For Honeywell, this might mean adjusting the mix of different software subscriptions to fit actual user needs, or deciding how many enterprise seats or floating licenses are truly required at peak usage. With insights from usage reports, you can avoid last-minute true-up costs and potentially secure better pricing by demonstrating knowledge of your utilization.
Efficiency and ROI: Ultimately, the goal of SLM is to maximize the ROI of software investments. In the case of Honeywell, if certain advanced features are rarely used, you might downgrade those users to cheaper plans to save money without impacting their productivity. Conversely, if usage data shows a critical need for more licenses at certain times, you can justify additional spend by the improved output it enables. Effective license management often yields substantial cost savings and productivity gains, turning what could be waste into opportunity.
In summary, managing Honeywell software licenses efficiently means verifying usage, reallocating underused resources, and planning needs ahead. This ensures compliance with Honeywell's terms and optimizes costs – a win-win for both IT and the end users who rely on the software.
Vendor Software and Licensing Overview
Honeywell's licensing has evolved to support its diverse portfolio of industrial and enterprise software. Below is an overview of Honeywell's applications, their pricing structures, licensing models, deployment methods, and license management systems:
Applications and Editions
Honeywell Experion® Process Knowledge System (PKS): Honeywell's flagship process control and automation platform is available in several editions tailored to different industry needs and scales. Pricing: Enterprise-level pricing typically starts in the six-figure range for baseline implementations and scales based on the number of control points, features, and modules required. Individual licenses are not typically available, as this is an enterprise-grade system. Deployment is primarily on-premises, though hybrid deployments with some cloud components are increasingly common for newer implementations.
Honeywell Forge: Available in several industry-specific editions (for Buildings, Industrial, Aerospace, etc.), Honeywell Forge is offered as a subscription-based platform. Pricing: Core platform pricing starts at approximately $50,000-$100,000 annually for base implementations, with additional costs based on number of users, connection points, and modules activated. It's primarily an enterprise solution sold through Honeywell's direct sales team. Deployment is cloud-based with edge components for data collection.
UniSim® Design Suite: Honeywell's process simulation software is available in different editions (Design, Dynamics, Operations). Pricing: Single-user licenses range from $15,000-$30,000 for perpetual licenses, while annual subscriptions typically run $5,000-$10,000 depending on the edition. Enterprise licensing with floating/concurrent user options is available for larger deployments. Deployment is desktop-based with options for network license servers for enterprise deployments.
GoDirect™ Suite: This collection of aviation-specific applications includes flight planning, tracking, and maintenance tools. Pricing: Typically subscription-based with costs determined by aircraft type, fleet size, and specific modules required. For individuals, limited versions may be available starting around $2,000 annually. For airlines and large operators, enterprise licensing is negotiated based on fleet size. Deployment combines cloud-based services with onboard systems and mobile apps.
Enterprise Buildings Integrator (EBI): This building management platform is sold in modular form with various controllers and integration points. Pricing: Base system pricing starts at approximately $50,000 with additional costs per point of integration and concurrent user. It's exclusively an enterprise solution. Deployment is typically on-premises with increasing cloud connectivity options for newer versions.
Manufacturing Execution Systems (MES): These modular systems scale from individual production lines to enterprise-wide deployments. Pricing: Entry-level implementations typically start at $250,000+ with expansion costs based on production points and user counts. This is an enterprise-only solution. Deployment is typically on-premises or in private cloud environments.
License Management Systems
Honeywell uses two primary license management systems to control and monitor software access:
Honeywell Unified License Manager (ULM): ULM is Honeywell's enterprise-grade license management solution primarily used for industrial automation and process control software like Experion PKS, UniSim Design Suite, and other engineering workstation applications. Key features include:
Centralized license server architecture that can be deployed on-premises
Support for both node-locked and floating/concurrent licenses
License borrowing capabilities for disconnected usage (portable workstations)
Basic usage reporting for administrators
Support for redundant license servers for high-availability environments
Integration with FlexLM/FlexNet technology
License pooling with configurable check-out timeouts
ULM typically manages applications that are critical to industrial operations and often deployed in secure network environments with limited external connectivity. It's integrated with Experion PKS, UniSim Design, Safety Builder, and other core industrial applications.
Honeywell Software Licensing Portal (HSLP): HSLP is a cloud-based license management solution primarily used for Honeywell's newer offerings, including Honeywell Forge, certain GoDirect modules, and next-generation building automation tools. Key features include:
Web-based administration interface accessible through a secure portal
User-based subscription management (rather than node or device management)
Automated license provisioning and activation
Integration with Honeywell's customer relationship management systems
Support for multi-tier organizational hierarchies (important for global deployments)
Role-based access control for license administrators
Automated usage reports and subscription status dashboards
API integration capabilities for enterprise customers
HSLP manages cloud-connected applications and subscription-based products that benefit from centralized cloud administration. It's the primary license management system for Honeywell Forge, Building Manager, the newer versions of GoDirect Flight Services, and other cloud-first applications.
Licensing Models
Honeywell employs several licensing models across its product portfolio:
Named-User Licensing: Used for many of Honeywell's professional desktop applications (like UniSim® Design). Each license is assigned to a specific user and cannot be shared. The license may allow installation on multiple computers (typically 1-2) provided only the named user accesses the software. This model is straightforward but less flexible for organizations with shifting user populations. Named-user licenses are typically managed through HSLP for cloud products and ULM for desktop applications.
Concurrent (Floating) Licensing: Available for many of Honeywell's engineering applications, this model allows a specific number of users to access the software simultaneously from a pool of licenses. When a user finishes, the license is returned to the pool for others to use. This model is more efficient for organizations where not all potential users need access at the same time. ULM is the primary tool for managing concurrent licenses, providing check-out/check-in functionality, idle time management, and reservation capabilities.
Server/Core-Based Licensing: Used for server applications like Experion PKS, EBI, and MES systems. Licensing is based on the number of servers, processor cores, or virtual machines running the software. Additional licensing metrics may include the number of I/O points, connected devices, or data tags being processed. This model scales with the size and complexity of the deployment. Server licenses are typically verified through ULM for industrial applications and HSLP for newer cloud products.
Subscription Licensing: Increasingly common for Honeywell's newer offerings like Honeywell Forge, subscriptions provide access to software for a specified period (typically annual). Subscription costs may be based on various metrics (users, data points, etc.) and usually include maintenance and updates. This model provides predictable costs and ensures access to the latest features. HSLP is the primary system for managing subscription licenses, with automated renewal notifications and usage-based billing capabilities.
Perpetual Licensing: Traditionally used for many of Honeywell's desktop applications and some server products. This model involves a one-time purchase for a permanent license to use a specific version. Maintenance (annual fee) is typically required for updates and support. While this model has higher upfront costs, it may offer lower total cost of ownership for stable, long-term deployments. Perpetual licenses are primarily managed through ULM, with activation and entitlement verification through the system.
Enterprise License Agreements (ELAs): For large organizations, Honeywell offers customized enterprise agreements that may include multiple products with specialized terms. These agreements might incorporate elements of various licensing models, volume discounts, and specific provisions for global deployments. ELAs typically involve direct negotiation with Honeywell's enterprise sales team and may use both ULM and HSLP depending on the product mix.
Licensing Deployment Methods
On-Premises Licensing: Most of Honeywell's industrial and process control software (Experion PKS, EBI, etc.) is deployed on-premises with local license servers or hardware-based license enforcement. This approach is preferred in critical infrastructure environments where security and network isolation are priorities. ULM is the primary license manager for on-premises deployments, offering resiliency features critical for operational environments.
Cloud-Based Licensing: Newer offerings like Honeywell Forge use cloud-based license management where authentication and authorization occur through Honeywell's cloud infrastructure. This simplifies deployment but requires internet connectivity for license validation. HSLP handles most cloud-based licensing, with built-in redundancy and global distribution to ensure availability.
Dongle/Hardware Key Licensing: Some Honeywell software, particularly older versions or systems in high-security environments, may use physical dongles (USB keys) that must be connected to the computer running the software. This approach provides high security but creates management challenges for IT departments. Dongles are becoming less common but are still supported by ULM for legacy applications where a completely offline solution is required.
Network License Servers: For floating license deployments, Honeywell software typically integrates with ULM hosted on the customer's network. ULM manages the check-out/check-in process and can provide basic usage reporting. Administration is typically handled through the ULM console that shows current license allocation and basic usage statistics.
Hybrid Approaches: Many larger Honeywell deployments use a combination of licensing methods. For example, an Experion PKS system might have server-based licensing for the core platform while using concurrent licensing for engineering workstations and named-user licensing for specialized tools. These environments often require both ULM and HSLP operating in parallel, with ULM handling traditional industrial software and HSLP managing cloud subscriptions.
Integration Between License Management Systems:
For enterprise customers with diverse Honeywell products, the company offers limited integration between ULM and HSLP to provide a more unified view of license assets. This integration allows:
Single sign-on between the two systems using enterprise credentials
Consolidated entitlement reports across both platforms
Synchronized user directories to simplify administration
License migration tools for transitioning from ULM-managed perpetual licenses to HSLP-managed subscriptions
However, the integration is not complete, and many organizations still need to manage the two systems separately, particularly for detailed usage tracking and optimization.
Summary of Honeywell Licensing:
Honeywell's licensing approaches are diverse and reflect the varied nature of their software portfolio, from mission-critical industrial systems to professional engineering tools and cloud analytics platforms. The dual license management systems (ULM and HSLP) create a complex environment for organizations with multiple Honeywell products. ULM provides robust management of traditional industrial software with advanced floating license capabilities, while HSLP offers modern subscription management for cloud-connected applications. This diversity creates challenges for organizations trying to optimize their license utilization across multiple Honeywell products. While Honeywell's license management tools provide basic administrative functions, comprehensive monitoring across products, detailed usage analytics, and optimization opportunities often require third-party solutions that can provide a consolidated view of license consumption patterns across both ULM and HSLP-managed products.
Vendor-Provided Reporting and Management Tools
Honeywell provides certain tools and portals for license reporting and management, but these have limitations and challenges that can make in-depth license optimization difficult:
Honeywell Enterprise License Manager (ELM): For enterprise deployments of certain products, Honeywell offers ELM to track license allocation and usage. This tool provides basic information such as which licenses are assigned to which servers or users, and high-level usage statistics. However, the reporting is often limited to current state and basic historical data – it typically doesn't provide detailed analytics on usage patterns, idle time, or optimization opportunities. ELM is primarily designed for operational management (ensuring licenses are available) rather than strategic optimization.
Product-Specific License Dashboards: Individual Honeywell products (like UniSim or Forge) often include their own license management dashboards that show current usage and license status. These dashboards are typically focused on operational needs (who is using licenses now) rather than analytics. Historical data retention may be limited, and cross-product visibility is generally not available.
FlexLM/Third-Party License Server Reporting: For products using standard license management technologies like FlexLM, the built-in reporting tools provide basic information about license check-outs, denials, and current usage. However, these reports are often cryptic and require manual processing to extract meaningful business intelligence. They typically lack visualization capabilities and don't provide the context needed for optimization decisions.
Honeywell Customer Portal: Enterprise customers may have access to a customer portal showing their license entitlements and maintenance status. While helpful for contract management, these portals typically focus on what you're entitled to use rather than how effectively you're using it. Usage data, if available, is often aggregated and limited in scope.
License Status Logs: Many Honeywell applications generate log files containing license usage information. While potentially valuable, these logs are typically not in a user-friendly format and require significant effort to aggregate and analyze. The data may be incomplete or inconsistent across different products.
Limitations and Challenges in Vendor-Provided Reports:
Fragmented Visibility: With different reporting tools for different products, organizations struggle to get a holistic view of their Honeywell software deployment. This fragmentation makes it difficult to identify optimization opportunities across the portfolio.
Limited Historical Analytics: Most vendor tools focus on current status rather than trends over time. Without robust historical data, patterns like seasonal usage variations or gradual adoption changes are difficult to identify. This limited perspective hampers strategic planning.
No Detailed Activity Metrics: Honeywell's reports typically track license allocation and basic usage (is it checked out or not?) but don't measure actual active usage time. A license might appear "in use" even if the application is idle on a user's desktop, leading to misleading utilization data.
Poor Integration with Asset Management: Honeywell's tools generally don't integrate well with broader IT asset management systems. This isolation creates "data silos" that prevent organizations from correlating software usage with other IT metrics or business outcomes.
Limited User-Level Analytics: For concurrent licenses, it's often difficult to determine which specific users are consuming licenses or which users are experiencing denials. This lack of granularity makes it challenging to address usage patterns at the individual or departmental level.
Reactive Rather Than Proactive: Most vendor-provided tools alert administrators when licenses are fully consumed but don't provide predictive analytics to anticipate future needs or identify optimization opportunities proactively.
Focus on Compliance Over Optimization: Vendor tools are primarily designed to ensure customers remain compliant with their license agreements rather than helping customers optimize their license investment. This difference in priorities leads to reporting that emphasizes entitlement verification over efficiency analysis.
In summary, while Honeywell provides the basic tools needed for operational license management, organizations seeking to optimize their software investments often need more comprehensive solutions. Third-party software asset management tools can fill these gaps by providing consolidated visibility, detailed usage analytics, and actionable insights that help organizations maximize the value of their Honeywell software portfolio.
How Open iT Enhances License Metering and Reporting
Overview of Open iT's Capabilities
Open iT offers a comprehensive solution for managing Honeywell software licenses through its LicenseAnalyzer platform, which can significantly enhance visibility and control beyond what Honeywell's native tools provide. Open iT captures Honeywell license usage through several specialized collection methods:
Direct License Manager Integration
For Honeywell ULM (Unified License Manager), Open iT employs specialized collectors that interface with the underlying FlexLM technology:
FlexNet License Server Collector: Since Honeywell ULM is based on FlexNet, Open iT's collectors parse ULM log files to extract detailed usage data, including checkout duration, denials, and user information.
Redundant License Server Support: For mission-critical Honeywell environments with failover license servers, Open iT can monitor the entire server cluster, maintaining continuous data collection even during server transitions.
Real-time Usage Monitoring: Open iT's LicenseAnalyzer polls ULM servers at configurable intervals (typically every 15 minutes) to provide near real-time visibility into license consumption patterns.
API Integration for Cloud Solutions
For Honeywell's cloud-based products using HSLP (Honeywell Software Licensing Portal):
RESTful API Connections: Open iT can connect to available HSLP APIs to extract subscription status, usage metrics, and user allocation data.
Web Application Tracker: For browser-based interfaces like Honeywell Forge, Open iT tracks activity through its Web Application Tracker, which can identify specific Honeywell cloud applications by URL patterns.
Desktop Client Monitoring: For desktop components of cloud solutions, Open iT's client monitors executable processes and application activity.
Data Types Collected from Honeywell Systems
Open iT captures numerous data types to provide comprehensive license analytics:
| Data Type | Description | Relevance to Honeywell |
| License Checkout (Type 1) | Records when a license is checked out, by whom, and duration | Essential for monitoring ULM-managed applications like UniSim and Experion PKS |
| License Denial (Type 2) | Captures when a user was denied access due to unavailable licenses | Identifies capacity issues in concurrent licensing models |
| Feature Usage (Type 5) | Tracks which specific features of a product are being used | Particularly valuable for Honeywell's modular products with feature-based licensing |
| Application Runtime (Type 31) | Measures how long an application is actually running | Useful for desktop components of Honeywell solutions |
| True Usage (Type 42) | Captures actual user interaction time vs. idle time | Critical for distinguishing between active use and inactive sessions in Experion workstations |
| User Activity (Type 51) | Monitors keyboard/mouse activity while an application is open | Reveals how intensively engineers are using Honeywell design tools |
| Process CPU/Memory (Type 61) | Measures resource consumption by Honeywell applications | Helps optimize workstation performance for resource-intensive applications |
| Web Application Usage (Type 81) | Tracks browser-based application activity | Essential for monitoring cloud-based Honeywell Forge usage |
| Project Time (Type 91) | Associates software usage with specific projects or tasks | Enables project-based allocation of Honeywell software costs |
Multi-Level Usage Tracking
Open iT's hierarchical approach to usage tracking provides increasing depth of Honeywell license analytics:
Level 1 (Runtime Usage): Identifies installed Honeywell software across the organization through agent-based scanning, providing a foundation for compliance verification.
Level 2 (True Active Usage): Monitors license checkout events from Honeywell ULM and HSLP through log parsing and API integration, revealing allocation patterns and peak usage times.
Level 3 (Optimization): Measures actual user interaction with Honeywell applications through keyboard/mouse activity monitoring, uncovering the difference between allocated licenses and productive usage.
Advanced Reporting and Management Features
Advanced Analytics and Reporting: The Analysis Server component provides sophisticated reporting capabilities including:
Historical usage patterns across all Honeywell products
Peak usage times and potential bottlenecks
User-centric views showing who uses which Honeywell applications and for how long
Departmental allocation analysis and chargebacks
License efficiency metrics highlighting optimization opportunities
Integration with License Servers: Open iT can directly monitor Honeywell ULM through its license manager collectors, capturing real-time data about license consumption patterns, denials, and wait times.
Cloud License Monitoring: For Honeywell's cloud-based products managed through HSLP, Open iT can track usage via API integration and client-side monitoring to provide visibility into subscription utilization.
Alerting and Proactive Management: Open iT's alerting system can notify administrators before license shortages impact productivity, with configurable thresholds for different Honeywell applications based on their criticality.
Key Benefits of Using Open iT Over Vendor-Provided Tools
The limitations of Honeywell's native license management tools create several opportunities for Open iT to deliver enhanced value:
Cross-Platform Visibility: While Honeywell maintains separate systems for different product lines (ULM vs. HSLP), Open iT provides a unified view that helps organizations make holistic decisions about their entire Honeywell software portfolio. This consolidated approach is particularly valuable for organizations using both legacy industrial systems and newer cloud platforms.
True Usage Metrics vs. Check-Out Time: Honeywell's tools typically report only when a license is checked out, not how actively it's being used. Open iT's Level 2 monitoring distinguishes between active work and idle time, revealing that many "in-use" licenses are actually sitting inactive. For expensive Honeywell software like Experion PKS or Forge, identifying even a few underutilized licenses can lead to significant cost savings.
Historical Trend Analysis: While Honeywell's tools focus on current state, Open iT maintains comprehensive historical data that enables trend analysis, seasonal planning, and long-term optimization. This historical perspective is crucial for negotiating renewals with Honeywell, as it provides evidence-based justification for license counts.
Granular User Analytics: Open iT provides detailed user-level analytics that Honeywell's tools often lack, especially for floating licenses. This granularity helps identify power users who might need dedicated licenses versus occasional users who are better served from a floating pool. For industrial software like Honeywell's, where specialized skills often determine usage patterns, this user-centric view is invaluable.
Compliance Assurance: Open iT maintains a continuous audit trail of Honeywell license usage, providing protection against compliance issues during vendor audits. This comprehensive tracking is especially important for Honeywell's industrial systems, where non-compliance could potentially impact critical operations.
License Harvesting and Optimization: Unlike Honeywell's mostly passive reporting tools, Open iT can actively help reclaim unused licenses through automated monitoring and notifications. For example, if an engineer with a UniSim Design license leaves their workstation idle for an extended period, Open iT can detect this and potentially free the license for others to use.
Integration with IT Asset Management: Open iT can integrate Honeywell license data with broader IT asset management systems, providing context that Honeywell's standalone tools cannot. This integration helps align software investments with business objectives and provides a more complete picture of total cost of ownership.
Custom Reporting for Stakeholders: While Honeywell's reporting tools are designed primarily for license administrators, Open iT provides customizable reports for different stakeholders—from IT procurement needing cost justification to department managers tracking usage within their teams to executives requiring high-level ROI metrics.
Organizations using Honeywell's software, particularly those with diverse deployments spanning traditional control systems and newer cloud platforms, can benefit significantly from Open iT's ability to bridge these separate ecosystems with comprehensive monitoring and analytics capabilities that extend well beyond what Honeywell's native tools provide.
Special Configurations and Mappings
Unique Vendor-Specific Configurations
Implementing effective license monitoring for Honeywell products requires specific configurations to account for their unique licensing structures and deployment models. The following configurations are particularly relevant for optimizing Honeywell software license management within Open iT:
Honeywell ULM Configuration
For Honeywell's on-premises applications managed through the Unified License Manager (ULM), Open iT can be configured to collect detailed usage data:
FlexLM Integration: Since Honeywell ULM utilizes FlexLM technology, Open iT's LicenseAnalyzer Level 1 can be configured to collect data from FlexLM log files. According to the Open iT documentation, this requires:
Identifying all ULM server hostnames/IP addresses
Configuring the license server collection in Open iT Core Server
Setting up vendor daemon monitoring for Honeywell-specific daemons
Enabling REPORTLOG in the ULM server with appropriate path and format settings
Server Redundancy Setup: For high-availability Honeywell environments that use redundant ULM servers (common in critical control systems like Experion PKS), Open iT requires special configuration:
Configuring the licpoll.opt file to recognize the primary and backup license servers
Setting up appropriate failover logic to maintain accurate usage reporting during server transitions
Implementing special reporting to highlight any discrepancies between servers
Feature Mapping: Honeywell products often use cryptic feature codes in ULM that don't clearly identify the actual product functionality. Open iT can be configured to map these codes to meaningful product names:
Creating a custom mapping file that translates Honeywell's feature codes to readable product names
Grouping related features into logical product packages
Differentiating between base products and add-on modules for accurate cost allocation
Honeywell Cloud Application Monitoring
For Honeywell's cloud-based applications managed through HSLP:
Web Application Tracker Setup: For web-based interfaces like Honeywell Forge, Open iT's Web Application Tracker can be implemented to monitor usage:
Configuring URL patterns to identify specific Honeywell cloud applications
Setting up activity detection to distinguish active use from idle browser sessions
Creating application profiles that accurately represent the Honeywell cloud product structure
API Integration: For platforms with available APIs:
Configuring API connection parameters in Open iT to extract usage information
Setting up appropriate authentication and security measures
Creating scheduled data collection to maintain current information
Client-Side Monitoring: For desktop components of cloud solutions:
Deploying Open iT client on workstations accessing Honeywell cloud services
Configuring process monitoring rules to identify specific Honeywell applications
Setting up proper application identification and categorization
Example Mappings for Improved Reporting and Tracking
Effective reporting on Honeywell software requires thoughtful mapping configurations within Open iT. Below are example mappings that enhance visibility and management:
Feature Mapping Examples
# Example Feature Mapping for Honeywell Experion PKS Components
# Format: FeatureCode|VendorDaemon|ProductName
C10001|honeywlm|Experion PKS - Operator Workstation
C10002|honeywlm|Experion PKS - Engineering Workstation
C10003|honeywlm|Experion PKS - Application Development
C10004|honeywlm|Experion PKS - Simulation Environment
C10005|honeywlm|Experion PKS - Advanced ControlThis mapping transforms cryptic feature codes into meaningful product names that business stakeholders can recognize, making reports more useful for decision-making.
User Group Mapping Examples
User group mapping helps associate license usage with organizational structures:
# Example User Group Mapping for Honeywell Products
# Format: Username|GroupName
jsmith|Process Engineering
bjones|Process Engineering
mwilliams|Operations
rdavis|Maintenance
twilliams|Process ControlThis mapping enables departmental reporting and chargeback for Honeywell license costs, providing accountability and better alignment with business units.
Application Type Mapping
For proper categorization of Honeywell applications in reports:
# Example Application Type Mapping
# Format: ApplicationName|ApplicationType
Experion Station|Process Control
UniSim Design|Process Simulation
Forge Dashboard|Analytics
Safety Builder|Safety SystemsThis mapping ensures that different types of Honeywell software are properly categorized in reports, enabling better analysis of usage patterns by software category.
License Type Classification
To distinguish between different Honeywell license models:
# Example License Type Classification
# Format: Feature|LicenseType
PKS_BASE|Server
UNISIM_DESIGN|Floating
FORGE_USER|Named UserThis mapping helps separate reporting on different license types, enabling appropriate analysis methods for each category (e.g., concurrent usage analysis for floating licenses versus utilization metrics for named users).
Cost Allocation Mapping
For financial reporting and ROI analysis:
# Example Cost Allocation for Honeywell Products
# Format: Product|CostPerLicense
Experion PKS - Engineering|25000
UniSim Design Suite - Standard|15000
Honeywell Forge - Professional User|8000This mapping enables cost-based reporting that translates technical usage metrics into financial impact, helping justify investments and optimize spending.
By implementing these specific configurations and mappings, organizations can dramatically improve their visibility into Honeywell software usage, enabling data-driven decisions about license optimization, cost allocation, and future investments. The enhanced reporting capabilities bridge the gap between technical license management and business value, providing stakeholders at all levels with relevant insights into this significant IT investment.
Sample Reports from Open iT
Effective Honeywell license management requires comprehensive visibility into usage patterns and optimization opportunities. Open iT's reporting capabilities follow the "5 Degrees of Awareness" framework, providing increasingly sophisticated insights into how Honeywell software licenses are truly being used in your organization.
The 5 Degrees of License Usage Awareness
Open iT's reporting framework for Honeywell software follows five progressive levels of awareness:
What You Own - Basic inventory of Honeywell licenses and entitlements
What's Installed - Deployment status of Honeywell software across your organization
What's Running - Runtime usage of Honeywell applications (when applications are open)
What's Being Used - True active usage showing actual user interaction with Honeywell software
What's Needed - Optimized license requirements based on actual usage patterns
As organizations progress through these awareness levels, they typically discover significant optimization opportunities in their Honeywell software investments.
LicenseAnalyzer Level 1 Reports (Degrees 1-3)
Level 1 reports address the first three degrees of awareness, focusing on what Honeywell licenses you own, what's installed, and what's running (based on checkout data from ULM and HSLP).
License Overview Report
This foundational report provides a complete inventory of your Honeywell license assets alongside installation and usage metrics.
Data Types Used:
Type 0 (License Inventory): Captures static information about available Honeywell features, versions, and expiration dates
Type 1 (License Checkout): Records when Honeywell ULM licenses are checked out, by whom, and for how long
Type 11 (License Server Status): Monitors the health and availability of Honeywell ULM servers
Key metrics include:
Total licenses owned by product and feature
Deployment status across locations and departments
License expiration dates and maintenance status
Compliance status (owned vs. installed)
Application for Honeywell: For complex deployments spanning multiple Honeywell products (Experion PKS, UniSim, Forge), this report creates a consolidated view across licensing systems that Honeywell's native tools cannot provide.
License Efficiency Report
This critical report reveals how effectively your Honeywell licenses are being utilized, comparing maximum concurrent usage against total available licenses.
Data Types Used:
Type 1 (License Checkout): Tracks the checkout duration for Honeywell ULM floating licenses
Type 2 (License Denial): Records when users are denied access to Honeywell features due to all licenses being in use
Type 5 (Feature Usage): Captures which specific features within Honeywell products are being utilized
Key metrics include:
Peak concurrent usage vs. total licenses owned
Utilization percentage (efficiency ratio)
Trend analysis showing usage patterns over time
95th percentile usage (the level that would satisfy demand 95% of the time)
Application for Honeywell: For expensive floating licenses like UniSim Design or Experion Engineering workstation licenses, this report can identify significant over-provisioning. Many organizations discover they can reduce license counts by 20-30% while still meeting 95% of peak demand.
Heatmap - Week Hour Report
This visualization shows Honeywell license usage patterns by hour and day, revealing temporal usage patterns that can inform optimization strategies.
Data Types Used:
Type 1 (License Checkout): Provides timestamp data for when Honeywell ULM licenses are checked out
Type 81 (Web Application Usage): For Honeywell Forge and other web-based applications, captures browser session data with timestamps
Key features:
Color-coded grid showing peak usage periods
Clear identification of underutilized time periods
Ability to segment by product, feature, or user group
Application for Honeywell: For globally distributed teams using Honeywell Forge, this report can reveal opportunities for license sharing across time zones, potentially reducing total license requirements while maintaining adequate availability.
License Denials Report
This report identifies instances when users were unable to access Honeywell software due to license unavailability.
Data Types Used:
Type 2 (License Denial): Records when users attempt to access Honeywell ULM-managed applications but are denied due to license unavailability
Type 1 (License Checkout): Provides context about overall license utilization during denial periods
Key metrics include:
Denial events by feature, user, and time
Recurrent denial patterns
Estimated productivity impact
Suggested license additions based on denial patterns
Application for Honeywell: For mission-critical Honeywell systems like Experion PKS, where denials can impact operations, this report provides justification for strategic license additions where truly needed.
LicenseAnalyzer Level 2 Reports (Degree 4)
Level 2 reports address the fourth degree of awareness—what's actually being used—by incorporating user activity metrics that reveal true productive usage of Honeywell software. These reports extend beyond checkout data to measure actual interaction with applications.
Active vs. Inactive Time Report
This revealing report distinguishes between when Honeywell applications were merely running versus when users were actively working with them.
Data Types Used:
Type 1 (License Checkout): Establishes the baseline duration of license allocation
Type 42 (True Usage): Measures actual keyboard and mouse interaction while Honeywell applications are running
Type 51 (User Activity): Provides detailed information about user interaction patterns within Honeywell applications
Key metrics include:
Total checkout duration
Active usage time (with keyboard/mouse interaction)
Idle time percentage
Work ratio (active time divided by checkout time)
Application for Honeywell: Engineering workstations running Honeywell Experion or UniSim frequently remain logged in but inactive for extended periods. This report often reveals that actual productive usage represents only 20-30% of total checkout time, highlighting major optimization opportunities.
Work Ratio by User Report
This user-centric report identifies which team members are effectively using Honeywell licenses versus those who frequently keep applications open while inactive.
Data Types Used:
Type 42 (True Usage): Captures the ratio of active to inactive time for each user
Type 31 (Application Runtime): Measures how long each user has Honeywell applications running
Type 51 (User Activity): Tracks keyboard/mouse activity within Honeywell applications by user
Key metrics include:
Individual work ratios by user
Average session duration and activity patterns
License consumption relative to actual productive work
Historical trends in user efficiency
Application for Honeywell: For expensive Honeywell engineering licenses, this report can identify users who routinely maintain low work ratios (under 20%), representing prime candidates for license harvesting or usage training.
Application Activity Detail Report
This comprehensive report reveals detailed usage patterns within Honeywell applications, including specific features and modules being utilized.
Data Types Used:
Type 5 (Feature Usage): Identifies which specific features within Honeywell applications are being used
Type 61 (Process CPU/Memory): Measures system resource utilization by Honeywell applications
Type 81 (Web Application Usage): For Honeywell Forge and other web-based tools, tracks specific pages and functions accessed
Type 91 (Project Time): Associates Honeywell software usage with specific projects or tasks
Key metrics include:
Feature usage frequency and duration
Module utilization within complex applications
Application foreground time vs. background time
System resource utilization during active sessions
Application for Honeywell: For modular systems like UniSim Design Suite or Honeywell Forge, this report can reveal which premium features are actually being used, potentially allowing organizations to downgrade to less expensive editions if advanced features go unutilized.
Sample Implementations for Level 3 (Degree 5)
Level 3 capabilities address the fifth degree of awareness—what's actually needed—by actively optimizing license usage based on real utilization patterns. The following implementations are particularly valuable for Honeywell software:
Automated License Harvesting for Honeywell Engineering Tools
For expensive Honeywell design tools with floating licenses, Open iT can implement automated idle-time detection and license recovery:
# Idle Time Harvesting Configuration for UniSim Design
# Estimated annual savings: $45,000 (3 recovered licenses)
[Detection Settings]
ApplicationMatch=unisim*.exe
IdleThreshold=45
WarningTime=40
GracePeriod=5
[User Experience]
WarningMessage=Your UniSim Design license has been idle for 40 minutes. The license will be released in 5 minutes unless you resume activity.
AllowDeferral=Once
DeferralTime=30
[Advanced Settings]
ExcludeOvernight=Yes
ProcessSaveBeforeClose=Yes
LogToDatabase=YesThis configuration typically recovers 15-25% of license capacity by addressing the inefficiency revealed in Work Ratio reports. For a company with 20 UniSim Design licenses, this often translates to 3-5 licenses that can be released, representing $45,000-$75,000 in annual savings.
Usage Forecasting and Optimization
For strategic Honeywell license planning, Open iT can analyze historical trends to predict future needs with remarkable accuracy:
# Strategic License Forecasting for Honeywell Forge
# Recommended configuration for quarterly reviews
[Analysis Parameters]
HistoricalMonths=15
ForecastPeriod=12
ConfidenceLevel=95%
IncludeSeasonalAdjustment=Yes
[Growth Factors]
UserGrowthRate=Custom
ProjectPhasesIncluded=Yes
DepartmentalBreakdown=Yes
[Output Options]
GenerateQuantileAnalysis=Yes
IncludeCostProjections=Yes
CompareToCurrentInventory=YesThis configuration typically identifies 15-20% license optimization opportunities by capturing seasonal variations and project-based demand fluctuations that are invisible in basic inventory reports. Organizations using this approach have avoided hundreds of thousands in unnecessary license purchases by accurately predicting actual needs.
License Checkout Optimization
For mission-critical Honeywell systems where licenses must be available to the right users at the right time, Open iT can implement intelligent checkout management:
# Priority-Based License Management for Experion PKS
# Optimizes license availability for operational users
[Queue Configuration]
EnableQueueManagement=Yes
QueueTimeout=30
NotifyOnQueue=Yes
[Priority Settings]
Group1=ControlRoomOperators,Supervisors
Group1Priority=1
Group2=ProcessEngineers
Group2Priority=2
Group3=TrainingSystems,Contractors
Group3Priority=3
[License Reservations]
ReservationEnabled=Yes
MinimumReservedForGroup1=2
PeakHoursDefinition=7:00-19:00This implementation ensures that critical operational staff always have priority access to Experion licenses during peak hours, while still allowing efficient sharing during off-hours. Organizations implementing this approach typically see a 50-70% reduction in denial events for critical users while maintaining or reducing total license counts.
By progressively implementing reports and optimizations that address all five degrees of license awareness, organizations with significant Honeywell software investments can typically achieve 20-30% cost reductions while improving license availability for users who truly need these systems. This approach transforms license management from a passive administrative function into a strategic advantage that directly impacts operational efficiency and the bottom line.
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