RACF cost vs. ACF2 cost

Andrew Gill · Posted: Tue Aug 01, 2023 11:50 pm

Trying to understand licensing cost difference between Broadcom ACF2 and "native" IBM RACF. When you buy z/OS is RACF a bundled/included service/product? If separate what is licensing model? Has anyone done any cost comparison between ACF2 and RACF?

Needless to say, internet searching for a posting on this, I wasn't able to find anything of value. Perhaps I didn't use the right syntax, or perhaps mainframe cost discussions only occur in the dark reaches of the internet, inaccessible to search engines...

Pedro · Posted: Wed Aug 02, 2023 3:12 am

My recollection is that RACF was part of the operating system. I do not think you can get z/OS without RACF!

When you install another security product, the security router calls that product's modules instead of RACF modules, as appropriate.

Andrew Gill · Posted: Wed Aug 02, 2023 7:22 pm

I've been told by someone from IBM who should know that RACF is priced just like z/OS, "MLC", and based on CPU size. He said it traditionally is cheaper than ACF2. The internet tells me that "MLC" means "monthly license charge" but don't know exact pricing specific to RACF itself.

If anyone can share any cost comparison data (non-proprietary - even % difference would be useful) between ACF2 and RACF that would be useful. I do understand the products may not be apples to apples, and that if you convert from one to the other, it is an undertaking (probably resource intensive) as well.

Thanks.