To ensure your IBM Software Subscription and Support (S&S) upgrade and support benefits remain in effect, you must renew at the end of each coverage term. Use the links below to understand why, when and how to  renew.

Why renew

Maintaining active S&S is one of the most cost-effective ways to protect your software investment.

It helps you take advantage of new features and enhanced functionality to improve the usability, performance and security of your current entitled software. It puts you in a better position to deploy new capabilities and it ensures you have uninterrupted access to:

  1. Upgrades from Passport Advantage Online (PAO) and fixes (including defect corrections, restrictions and bypasses) from Fix Central
  2. IBM support for answers to your routine installation, deployment, migration and usage questions and 24x7 assistance for Severity 1 issues 7 days a week, 52 weeks a year. Simply, open a case from the web , via chat or by phone. Go to IBM Support and explore the IBM Support Guide to learn more.

Renewal timeline

Renewal due dates

  • For Passport Advantage Sites, renewals take place on the same date (referred to as an ‘Anniversary’ date) each year.
  • For Passport Advantage Express, renewals dates are driven by transaction dates. This means your IBM Software Subscription and Support begins on the date of acquisition and ends on the last day of the corresponding month in the following year, unless the date of acquisition is the first day of the month, in which case coverage ends on the last day of the month.

Note: If you have multiple PAE transactions, you may want to enroll in Passport Advantage and transfer your entitlements to take advantage of a single annual anniversary date. Learn how

Renewal notifications

Your Passport Advantage Primary will receive a contact verification request @120 days before each renewal is due. Note: It’s important that your Site Primary Contact review, add, or delete contacts, assign or revise user roles and update access privileges to ensure that upcoming renewal quotes flow to the right person.

Renewal quotes are relayed to your Primary, Renewal or Administrative Contact (depending on your preferences) on or about the 17th of the month or approximately 105 days before your IBM Software Subscription and Support anniversary date*.

Renewal email reminders are sent at 60, 45, 30 and 15 days (prior to your renewal date) or until your renewal is complete.

Renewal Process

Review your renewal quote immediately and choose from the following renewal options

  • Contact an authorized IBM Business Partner for final pricing and fulfillment
  • Contact your IBM Renewal Rep for assistance
  • Sign in to Passport Advantage Online for Customers to complete your renewal online*

*Note: Passport Advantage Online renewal and ordering is available in most, but not all, countries. If you choose to purchase directly from IBM, you can choose the payment method you prefer. Payment options include invoicing, billing with your purchase number, or credit card (subject to availability in your country)

Expand to View step by step instructions for renewing via PAO

  1. When you receive your renewal quote, click on Passport Advantage Online
  2. Sign in with your IBM ID and PW. You will directed automatically to the renewal quote screen. There you will see your renewal information with your renewal quote number. You will also see two additional tabs
    1. The Account Information tab provides information on your account including your IBM customer number and the due date for your renewal.
    2. The Sales Representative tab provides contact information for your IBM Sales representative.
  3. To renew, click on the “Add to shopping cart.”
  4. From the shopping cart screen, you will see all of the lines items for your Software Subscription and Support renewal. Notice that he “Pricing” step,” completes automatically. You have the option at this point to
    • Delete line items*
    • Make edits*
    • Check out
  5. To place your order, click ’Check out’
    1. You are now on the “Checkout – Billing and shipping screen.”
    2. Read the terms and conditions and click, “I agree.”
    3. Click on the “continue” button.
  6. You are now on the Review and submit order page.
    1. Select your Preferred Payment Method (PPM) – Pay be credit card is the default. You also have the option to pay by purchase order. Note Payment methods may vary by country.
    2. To pay by credit card
      1. Type in your credit card number
      2. Select the expiration month of your credit card
      3. Select the expiration year of your credit card
      4. Enter the security code.
        1. For most cards look for a 3-digit number printed on the back of your card. It appears after and to the right of your card number.
        2. For American Express cards Look for a 4-digit number printed on the front of your card. It appears above and either before or after your card number.
    3. When you are ready, click on “Submit” button.
  7. You are now at the Order Confirmation and information screen. This screen shows your order reference number for the Software Subscription and Support renewal you just submitted.
    1. Please print this screen to save for your records as it contains your order reference number, information about your method of payment and description of items in your order.

Automatic or Continuous Renewal

IBM Software Subscription and Support automatically renews at then current charges, unless Client provides written notice of termination prior to expiration of the term.

Automatic (or Continuous) Renewal [where available] protects you from unintentional lapses in your IBM Software Subscription and Support and extends your right to use Fixed Term Licenses.

Here’s how it works.

If you do nothing when you receive your renewal quote and e-mail renewal reminders, your Software Subscription and Support [and Fixed Term Licenses] will renew automatically and you will be invoiced based on your current quotation for Software Subscription and Support or FTL renewal.

Opting not to renew

We recommend that you renew IBM Software Subscription and Support on all eligible software products to ensure continued access to product upgrades and 24x7 support. But, if you choose NOT to renew your Software Subscription and Support, you must notify IBM of your intent NOT to renew before your renewal date. You may do so either online or in writing.

If at a later date, you wish to reinstate your Software Subscription and Support, you may do so, however, the cost of “Software Subscription and Support Reinstatement” is far greater than your annual renewal rate.

Per the terms of your Passport Advantage Agreement

“Client shall not use IBM Software Subscription and Support benefits for IBM Programs for which Client has not fully paid for IBM Software Subscription and Support. If Client does, Client must acquire IBM Software Subscription and Support Reinstatement sufficient to cover all such unauthorized use at then current IBM prices.”