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Your Partner in SoftwareAsset Management
Increased risk for software users.Low commitment for vendors.
Increased value for software users.Enhanced customer relationship for vendors.
Traditional Vendor-Client Models(Fixed Access : named user, shared license, time
limited)
Classification Models(Variable Access)
Pay-Per-Use Models(Rented Access)
Remix Models(Flexible Access)
Technology Partnerships(Unlimited Access)
Usage Analysis Enabled
Licensing Models
IntroductionSoftware continues to play an increasinglycritical role in business. In an effort to enhancecustomer satisfaction and value, softwarevendors have adapted to changes insurrounding technology and are offering awider array of licensing options to theircustomers.
Traditional vendor-client models, includingsingle user-single license, multiple users-shared license, and temporary or fixed periodlicenses, are well understood and widely used.Although traditional models have evolved withtechnology innovations, they do not fullysatisfy the business issues faced by today’senterprises; issues such as balancingproductivity and efficiency, estimating softwareneeds, adjusting to changing needs, and
dealing with new requirements late in a fiscalyear.
Detailed analysis of actual software usage,using tools such as License Tracker, hasproven to be an enabling technology for manynew licensing models which do address theseissues. As shown in the diagram below, thesemodels range from user classification throughpay-per-use and product family remixing totechnology partnerships, and provideincreasing value to technology consumerswith a corresponding increase in commitmentto the software vendors.
This paper provides an overview of the variouslicensing options, their respective benefits,and the importance of understanding usage.
The Evolution of SoftwareLicensing Models
Traditional Vendor-Client Models Single User LicensesIn the traditional vendor-client model, thesoftware consumer purchases a license foreach user that needs access to the software.These licenses may be either assigned to anamed user or node-locked to a particularcomputer.
The single node perpetual license isconceptually quite simple from both thevendor and client perspective, and is easy tomanage.
For the manager making software purchasingdecisions the process is easy for low costsoftware; buy one copy for each employeethat needs to use the software. The processbecomes far more complicated for expensivesoftware where fewer licenses and systemsharing (possibly through shift work) becomeconsiderations to maximize value for softwaredollars. The situation becomes even morecomplicated with larger companies where thebusiness needs of their various groupschange from time to time.
Multi-User Shared LicensesIn the late 1980s, the introduction of networksgave rise to new licensing technologiesallowing companies to share licenses betweenemployees.
This model gave managers a means to shareexpensive software without having to sharephysical computers. Although multi-userlicenses are typically more expensive thansingle user licenses, the enhanced value tothe consumer justifies the difference.
Concurrent user licensing is fundamental tomost of the new usage analysis enabledmodels. By itself however, it does not addressthe reality of ever changing business needswithin the enterprise.
Time Limited LicensesThe "demo license" has become a standardtool for allowing potential customers toevaluate software prior to making a purchase.
The extension of this technique to provide fullyfunctioning software for a set period of time(normally one, three or twelve months)provides a mechanism for managers to dealwith short-term and variable requirements.These short-term licenses work very wellwhen:
- the client needs extra capacity in specifictimes of the year
- the client is unsure of the need for thesoftware and wants to test internaldemand
- the client wants to expense their softwareusage, deferring the expenditure overtime, rather than capitalize the purchase
Again, the consumer has seen an increase inthe relative cost of software (most often thecost of only a few short-term licenses isequivalent to a single perpetual license) butthey have also seen a corresponding increasein value to the expenditure of their softwaredollars.
These licenses have also been used by somevendors for peak demand satisfaction with 1week license periods.
"In order to maximize the value of yoursoftware expenditures you need to have theright licensing arrangement with your vendors,including having the correct number andoptimum type of licenses.A proper understanding of how you arecurrently using your software is a prerequisiteto having such discussions."
Maximizing Value byUnderstanding Usage
Motivation for New ModelsFor Software UsersSoftware managers are tasked with balancingthe conflicting goals of productivity andefficiency. Denial of access to core softwarecan have a negative impact on productivity;however, purchasing an expensive softwarelicense that may only be used 1 or 2% of theyear is highly inefficient. Access to a shortterm temporary license can deal with theinefficiency, but productivity can still beimpacted by the delay between detection ofneed and availability of the temporary license.
Predicting future usage requirements at thetime of making a purchase can be difficult,especially when dealing with a new vendoroffering unfamiliar products. Flexible accessduring evaluation and assessment periodsallows high software availability for unknownloads without pre-purchasing unneededcopies.
At the start of the fiscal year capitalexpenditure budgets tend to be firmly defined.New licensing models facilitate the mid-yearacquisition of new software through operatingbudgets.
For Software VendorsThe issues discussed above representopportunities for vendors.
Competition between software vendorsrequires continual efforts to enhance customerrelationships while seeking to increase marketshare by establishing oneself as thecustomers’ first choice.
Early adoption of innovative licensingapproaches can be an attractive differentiator.Late adoption of new licensing models canresult in a reputation as a laggard anddiminished customer relationships.
Software Usage AnalysisEnabling the New ModelsThe advent of multi-user shared licensesbrought with it the notion of usage logging.Most concurrent use license managersprovide usage logs with varying degrees ofinformation; these logs almost always includedetails of who used what software, for howlong, as well as details of any denials ofaccess.
The existence of this usage data has led to thedevelopment of a new breed of software toolsto analyze the usage data. Many of these toolsare custom in-house developed scripts whileothers are fully supported commercialproducts like License Tracker.
Analysis of the usage data provides softwarecustomers with the ability to perform capacityplanning, optimization of existing softwarelicense counts and usage, and departmentalchargebacks, cost splitting and budgeting.
The analysis also provides software vendorswith the ability to support new licensingmodels, and facilitates their customers’monitoring of the costs associated with thesenew models.
Classification ModelsThe EssentialsUser classification is an extension of the wellunderstood named user licensing model.
In this model, users are placed into categoriesdefined by usage rights and restrictionsincluding:
- which features can be (and/or can’t be)used
- the duration for which certain features maybe used
- how many sessions of particular featurescan be active in any given period (day/week/month)
Your Partner in SoftwareAsset Management
Software users purchase named user licensesfor the various categories defined by thesoftware vendor. Frequently vendors willdefine custom categories for specificcustomers during contract negotiations.
Analysis of usage data is needed to monitorthe actual category that all users fall into, andto determine if the enterprise is compliant withits agreement or if a "true-up" is required.
Pay-Per-Use Rental ModelsThe EssentialsThe pay-per-use model entails the softwarevendor providing the customer with morelicenses than those which the customer haspurchased.
Use of all software, both owned and rented, isrecorded in the usage logfile. Once per billing
cycle the logfile is sent to the vendor foranalysis.
Post analysis of the license usage patternsallows the vendor to determine how much useof these extra licenses was actually made,and a pay-per-use invoice can be generated.
Time Based Pay-Per-UseIn a time based pay-per-use arrangement,technology consumers are charged for theamount of time that they used non-ownedcopies of the software.
Immediate availability of the rented softwareprovides on demand access such that endusers never know if they have owned orrented copies.
Maximizing Value byUnderstanding Usage
Pay-per-use Example : Oil and GasA major oil and gas company (OilCo) usesvarious products from a software vendor(SoftCo). The seismic analysis group at OilCohas experienced many occasions where attemptsto start ProductX from SoftCo are denied by thelicense management system as all existinglicenses are in use.
OilCo has the following options:
- purchase additional licenses of ProductX
- purchase short-term licenses for ProductX incase this is a temporary phenomenon
- enter into pay-per-use licensing arrangementwith SoftCo
Merely knowing that there are instances ofapplication startup being denied does not provideOilCo with enough information to make a properlong-term decision. So, OilCo enters into a short-term pay-per-use arrangement with SoftCo andpurchases License Tracker to perform ananalysis of the log files generated by the use ofProductX.
The analysis shows that OilCo consistently uses2 licenses more than they own and occasionally4 or 5 more.
Accordingly, OilCo enters into a long-termagreement with SoftCo, purchasing 2 morelicenses and having 3 more available on a pay-per-use basis.
Ongoing analysis by OilCo using License Trackerwill help them determine if and when itappropriate for them to increase their paid versusrented license count.
License Tracker Support for the Remix ModelThe License Efficiency report provides details of:
- number of licenses owned - number of denials
- peak actual concurrent licenses used - number of rented licenses
- number of unused licenses (owned - peak)) - total rental costs
This information is provided for each licensed software application that is tracked.
A license analyst, after reviewing this report, can make informed decisions about which licenses toremove from the mix, and which licenses to add to the mix, for the upcoming period.
A detailed discussion of the contractual andoperational considerations of pay-per-use canbe found in the whitepaper, "The Mechanics ofPay-Per-Use Licensing".
Transaction Based Pay-Per-UseIn a transaction based pay-per-usearrangement, usage charges occur because asoftware module has been used. The durationof use is irrelevant.
This model is most applicable to situationswhere individual user functions take aconsistent amount of time. The number oftimes each module or function is used willdetermine the invoice amount.
Remix License ModelsThe EssentialsThe problem with all previous models is thatthey do not consider the changing needs ofbusiness. As the market conditions change, sodo the needs of business and the technologythey want to access.
The remix model brings a tighter businessrelationship between the vendor and theconsumer. In this model, the softwareconsumer makes an investment in thevendor’s technology in general, not in specificlicenses. The consumer is permitted to accessa wide range of software products from thevendor with the ability to adjust the number oflicenses (i.e. a remix) to balance the software
Your Partner in SoftwareAsset Management
accessed to the needs of the company withinthe aggregate value of the technology pool.
Remix works well when the customer islooking for long-term value from the vendorrather than lowest immediate cost.
Static RemixingStatic remixing can be done withoutmodification to either the software applicationsor the license manager.
In such an arrangement, the technologyconsumer assesses their usage patterns andanticipated upcoming needs and selects anew license mix periodically (every 3 or 6months).
Usage analysis provides the historicalinformation needed to make informed remixdecisions.
Continuous Real-time RemixingThis model is also known as token basedlicensing. Instead of purchasing licenses forindividual features in a vendor’s productfamily, the consumer purchases licenses for ageneric token feature. Each of the actualsoftware features are assigned a relativevalue in terms of tokens.
When the actual features are checked out, thecorresponding number of tokens are checkedout.
Pay-per-use can readily be added to thismodel by providing access to non-ownedlicenses of the token feature and processingthe logfile as described earlier.
In order to move an existing product family tothis model requires either:
- modification of the applications to addcheckouts and checkins of the tokenfeature, or
- use of a license manager with support fortoken licensing
Technology PartnershipsThe EssentialsTechnology partnership arrangements providethe consumer with unlimited access to thevendor’s technology; they are sometimesreferred to as "buffet" or "all-you-can-eat"deals.
This model can be most rewarding as it alignsthe interests of both the vendor and theconsumer. As the business needs of theconsumer change, the vendor provides thetechnology to meet those needs. The clientderives significantly more value from thevendor, while the vendor gets both a level ofguaranteed revenues as well as improvedtechnology adoption within the client resultingin improved revenues.
Agreements for this model are multi-yearcontracts where the consumer pays a fixedannual fee for unlimited access to thevendor’s technology (or a defined portionthereof).
The annual fee for each year is adjustedbased on a pay-per-use analysis of actualusage in the previous year and an agreedformula (i.e. minimum amount fee for theupcoming year will be based on averageusage for the last x quarters of the previousyear).
Other ConsiderationsEnd User Cost MonitoringWhereas vendors only require access tousage data once per billing cycle for invoicing,end-users must continually monitor usagepatterns and their corresponding costs.
"License Tracker has been invaluable inmanaging our exploration licenses.By understanding how we are using ourconcurrent licenses we can more effectivelybudget, negotiate with vendors, and provideour users with optimal licensing."
B. PeersTeam Leader, Applications Support
Exploration TechnologyTalisman Energy Inc.
Maximizing Value byUnderstanding Usage
1.Traditional licensing models do not adequatelyaddress the needs of end-users and therefore of software vendors.
3. Classification models provide the simple pricingmodel of named users with discounts for restricted user access.
4. Pay-per-use models provide on-demand access forpeak periods, requirement assessments, or in support of ASPs.
5. Remix models meet changing userneeds while protecting overall investment.
6. Technology partnerships providemaximum value for long-term commitments.
2. Usage analysis enables license models thataddress these needs in a win:win relationship.
7. Usage data characteristics andthe capabilities of the analysistools must be consideredwhen drafting contractterms.
8. Monitoring of costsmust be done by endusers to maintainthe win:winscenario.
Regular monitoring of usage and costs canallows consumers to:
- ensure actual costs are not exceedingbudgets
- detect and correct improper license use- make mid-period purchases if rental usage
is higher than expected
Usage Data IssuesThe usage data to support these newerlicensing models is typically generated by thelicense manager. It is also possible for usagedata to be generated directly by theapplication software.
Contracts for new licensing models mustconsider these usage data issues:
- existence : generating logfiles issometimes an option that must be turnedon; improper file management can resultsin logfiles being overwritten or deleted
- access : how and when is the logfile sentto the vendor by the customer
- privacy : privacy restrictions may requireusage logs to be scrubbed before beingsent to vendors
Maximizing the Value of Your Software ExpendituresSuccess in business requires that wemaximize value for the dollars we spend. Atsome times this can mean minimizingimmediate costs, while at others it meansincreasing long-term effectiveness.
The needs for each company are unique. Therequirement to understand how your softwareassets are being used is necessary for properdecision making.
New tools (like License Tracker) are enablingsoftware companies to provide a wide range oflicensing options to their customers, therebyhelping them to maximize the value receivedfor their software investments.
Your Partner in SoftwareAsset Management