NVIDIA Base Command Manager Licensing Information#

Base Command Manager License Offerings#

Below is a description of the various offerings of the Base Command Manager license. All offerings include an entitlement to the Base Command Manager license. The main differences are whether NVIDIA Enterprise Support is included and what additional software or platform capabilities come with each offering.

Offering	Includes NVIDIA Enterprise Support?	What is included
Free-to-use Base Command Manager	No	Base Command Manager license only
Base Command Manager with standalone support	Yes	Base Command Manager license and Enterprise Support
NVIDIA AI Enterprise	Yes	Base Command Manager license, Enterprise Support, GPU Operator, Network Operator, vGPU, and AI and data science software
NVIDIA Mission Control	Yes	Base Command Manager license, Enterprise Support, Run:ai, UFM, NetQ, and additional Mission Control capabilities

Free-to-use Base Command Manager License#

NVIDIA Base Command Manager is available as a free-to-use offering for customers who want Base Command Manager functionality without Enterprise Support.

What It Includes#

For each server, node, or system within the cluster, the free license is available for up to eight accelerators.
There is no limit to how many servers, nodes, or systems can be in the cluster.
The license can be used to manage both GPU-based and CPU-based clusters.

The default term for this license is one year from the date the entitlement is issued. It can be renewed annually by requesting the license again, and enterprises can continue to extend the free license as long as the program exists.

Eligibility and Disclaimers#

The free-to-use license is only available to organizations for their own use. It is not available to organizations building products or services with Base Command Manager for resale.

The free-to-use license does not include Enterprise Support, service-level agreements, or email or phone support. However, community support is available through the NVIDIA community forums.

The free-to-use license is subject to change.

Standalone Base Command Manager Support#

This offering is for customers who want the Base Command Manager license along with Enterprise Support for Base Command Manager, but do not need the broader software stack that comes with NVIDIA AI Enterprise or NVIDIA Mission Control.

Use this option if you want support for Base Command Manager only.

NVIDIA AI Enterprise#

NVIDIA AI Enterprise includes support for Base Command Manager, GPU Operator, Network Operator, and vGPU. It also includes a catalog of AI and data science microservices, libraries, and toolkits.

Use this option if you want Base Command Manager plus broader AI software and support coverage.

NVIDIA Mission Control#

With NVIDIA Mission Control, you can run models and automate essential operations. In addition to support for Base Command Manager, NVIDIA Mission Control includes Run:ai, UFM, NetQ, and additional Mission Control capabilities.

Use this option if you want Base Command Manager as part of a larger platform for AI factory operations.

Enterprise Support#

NVIDIA Enterprise Support provides support for enterprise customers of designated NVIDIA-branded solutions when purchased from NVIDIA or an NVIDIA authorized reseller.

Free-to-use versus supported license:#

The following offerings include NVIDIA Enterprise Support: Base Command Manager with standalone support, NVIDIA AI Enterprise, and NVIDIA Mission Control.

The free-to-use Base Command Manager offering does not include NVIDIA Enterprise Support.

Moving from a free-to-use license to a license that includes support#

If a customer starts with the free-to-use Base Command Manager offering and later requires NVIDIA Enterprise Support, they must obtain one of the offerings that includes Enterprise Support and apply the new license on the cluster head node.

Support Levels#

Enterprise support is available in two levels:

Enterprise Business Standard Support: Foundational NVIDIA enterprise support for designated NVIDIA-branded solutions, including service-level agreements and live-agent access through web and phone during local business hours.
Enterprise Business Critical Support: Premium support for mission-critical deployments. Includes Business Standard Support, 24/7 support, and a one-hour response time for Severity 1 cases.

How to Get a License#

Getting a Free-to-use License#

To receive an entitlement for the free-to-use Base Command Manager license, go to the NVIDIA Enterprise Account Registration page and register.

After you submit your request, you should typically receive an entitlement email within two business days.

To help avoid delays:

Use a corporate or business email address.
Try to ensure that the company name matches your email domain. Deviations must be manually approved by the product team.
Confirm that the request is for an organization using Base Command Manager for its own use. The free-to-use license is not available for organizations building products or services with Base Command Manager for resale.

If you do not receive a response:

Check your spam or junk folders.
Contact bcm-product@nvidia.com for help.

Getting a License That Includes Support#

Customers who want a Base Command Manager license that includes NVIDIA Enterprise Support have the following options:

Purchase Base Command Manager with standalone support through an NVIDIA enterprise partner or reseller.
Use an offering that already includes Base Command Manager with support. NVIDIA AI Enterprise and NVIDIA Mission Control both include Base Command Manager with Enterprise Support.

If a customer is not sure which partner or reseller to contact, they can email bcm-product@nvidia.com for guidance.

How to Get a Product Key#

Generating Your Product Key#

After your Base Command Manager license entitlement is issued, you will receive an entitlement email. Then, go to the NVIDIA Licensing Portal to generate your Base Command Manager product key.

In the NVIDIA Licensing Portal, go to Entitlements and select Base Command Manager in the left navigation pane.

Find the appropriate entitlement row, click the three vertical dots in the Actions column, and select Generate key. This key is used to activate your license.

If you are unable to find your entitlement or generate your key in the NVIDIA Licensing Portal, contact bcm-product@nvidia.com.

Download the Base Command Manager Software#

After you generate your product key, download your Base Command Manager ISO from the Base Command Manager download site.

You will need to provide the following details:

Product key
Linux version
Base Command Manager version, if you are not using the most current version

Install Base Command Manager#

Follow the steps in the Base Command Manager Installation Manual to install Base Command Manager and activate your license on the head node.