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 on this page include a Base Command Manager license. The offerings differ in whether they include NVIDIA Enterprise Support and additional software or platform capabilities.

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 NVIDIA 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 on the number of servers, nodes, or systems in the cluster.
The license can be used to manage both GPU-accelerated and CPU-based clusters.

The default term for this license is one year from the date the entitlement is issued. The free license can be renewed annually by request, and annual renewal remains available while the free-to-use license program is offered.

Eligibility and Disclaimers#

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

The free-to-use license does not include NVIDIA Enterprise Support, service-level agreements, or email/phone support. Customers can seek community assistance 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#

NVIDIA Mission Control streamlines AI factory operations—from workload orchestration and power optimization to monitoring and autonomous recovery—to improve operational efficiency and infrastructure resiliency. In addition to including support for Base Command Manager, it also includes Run:ai, UFM, NetQ, and additional NVIDIA Mission Control capabilities that are not included with those products alone.

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

Enterprise Support#

NVIDIA Enterprise Support is available for enterprise customers of designated NVIDIA-branded solutions purchased with an active support entitlement through 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: End-to-end 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 receive an entitlement email within two business days.

To help avoid delays:

Use a corporate or business email address.
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 their own internal purposes. The free-to-use license is not available for organizations building products or services with Base Command Manager for resale to third parties.

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.
Obtain Base Command Manager through an offering that includes 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. Use 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. Use this product key 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.

Downloading 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.