Why this assessment exists

IBM audits through Passport Advantage (Deloitte, KPMG, and IBM-internal teams) work to a specific playbook: entitlement request, deployment scan, PVU/RVU reconciliation, bundle analysis, cloud BYOL review, and user-metric audit. Enterprises that haven't pre-positioned evidence against each of these steps typically see findings in the seven to eight-figure range.

This assessment diagnoses your audit readiness across every step an IBM auditor will touch. It's built on 60+ IBM Passport Advantage audit engagements across financial services, pharmaceutical, manufacturing, and public sector.

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Question 1 of 8

Is your Passport Advantage entitlement database fully reconciled against IBM's records?

Entitlement disputes are the single highest-leverage line in any IBM audit. IBM-supplied entitlement records routinely disagree with customer records by 10–25%.

Question 2 of 8

Can you evidence correct PVU / RVU methodology for every deployment?

PVU and RVU calculations depend on processor type, cores, and workload — the IBM PVU table is the source of truth, and customer calculations often diverge.

Question 3 of 8

Are user-based metric products (AU, UVU, FU) audited for entitlement compliance?

Authorised User, Concurrent User, Floating User metrics each have specific counting rules — including for contractors, service accounts, and technical users.

Question 4 of 8

Is cloud BYOL (Bring Your Own License) posture documented and compliant?

Running IBM software in AWS/Azure/GCP under BYOL has specific contractual requirements, including licence-mobility rules that vary by product.

Question 5 of 8

Has your IBM master agreement been reviewed for audit clauses (notice, scope, dispute)?

IBM's standard audit clauses are negotiable — notice periods, auditor selection, scope limitations, and dispute procedures can all be improved at renewal.

Question 6 of 8

Are you retaining licence evidence (PoEs, invoices, deployment records) for 7+ years?

IBM can audit back to the original contract. 7-year retention is the minimum for defending historical entitlement.

Question 7 of 8

Do you have an audit communications playbook (who responds, what evidence is provided, who signs off)?

IBM auditors routinely exploit uncoordinated responses from enterprises. A documented playbook is the single biggest reduction in audit exposure outside the estate itself.

Question 8 of 8

Do you have independent IBM-specialist advisory engaged (or pre-selected) for audit defence?

Independent advisors, engaged at audit initiation rather than settlement, typically reduce final audit findings by 30–70% via entitlement disputes, bundle counter-evidence, and negotiated settlements.

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What happens next

When you click View your results, we'll ask for your name, work email, and company. We only accept corporate email addresses — no Gmail, Outlook.com, or other free providers — because this report is written for enterprise buyers and we use the domain to tailor the recommendations. Your email is never sold, shared, or used for anything other than delivering your report and (if you opt in) related IBM research.

Once you submit, you'll be redirected to a personalised report showing your overall score, risk band, the specific findings for each question where you scored 2 or higher, and the three most important actions to take before you sit down with IBM.

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