The IBM i Software Value Index
A normalized scoring model comparing cost per user, cost per core, and license value retention across IBM i software tier and licensing configurations.
The Software Value Index is built by AS/400 Software Pricing. It is not an official IBM metric, and it is not endorsed by IBM.
IBM publishes a bundle price and a claimed bundle value for the P20 Standard Edition and P30 Enterprise Edition subscription tiers. That gives us one real, sourced signal: a value ratio of claimed entitlement value divided by price paid. We normalize that ratio to a 0-100 scale across every tier where the underlying figures exist, and mark tiers without a published value figure as not applicable rather than guessing.
Value Index scores
Software Value Index by configuration
| Configuration | Annual Cost | Claimed Bundle Value | Value Ratio | Value Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| P20 Standard Edition bundle, unlimited users | $16,000/core/yr | $19,000/core/yr | 1.19x | 56 |
| P20, IBM i-only subscription (unbundled) | $14,500/core/yr | not published | n/a | n/a |
| P30 Enterprise Edition bundle, unlimited users | $24,500/core/yr | $52,000/core/yr | 2.12x | 100 |
| P30, IBM i-only subscription (unbundled) | $21,900/core/yr | not published | n/a | n/a |
| P50, priced as P30 bundle | $24,500/core/yr | $52,000/core/yr | 2.12x | 100 |
| P05, subscription (per-user, 25 users) | not published | not published | n/a | n/a |
| P10, subscription (per-user, 75 users) | not published | n/a | n/a | n/a |
Value Score is normalized against the highest observed value_ratio in this dataset (P30/P50 at 2.12x = 100). See the full Software Value Index Dataset for methodology and per-entry notes.
How to read this
The P30/P50 bundle scores highest not because it's the cheapest option in absolute dollars -- it's the most expensive tier in this dataset -- but because IBM's own claimed entitlement value grows faster than the bundle premium as you move up from P20 to P30. If your workload genuinely needs Enterprise Edition capabilities, the bundle math favors taking it over staying unbundled at a lower tier and buying entitlements piecemeal.
What this index does not capture
IBM's claimed value is a vendor figure
The $19,000 and $52,000 bundle-value numbers come from IBM, not an independent appraisal. Treat the ratio as directional, not gospel.
Your actual entitlement usage
A bundle scores well on paper but delivers real value only if your shop actually uses the bundled entitlements. Audit usage before assuming the bundle math applies to you.
HA/DR and third-party costs excluded
This index only covers IBM's own tier/bundle pricing. See the HA/DR Cost Comparison and Full Stack Software TCO pages for the rest of the stack.