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Welcome to the website of your Software Purchasing Advisor.
You are not sure which is the right software for your requirements? It is my aim to make life easier on you. With some information like product name or description, function of the software, industrial sector of the end user etc. I find the appropriate product.
My main focus:
• the purchase, not the application/technics
• concentration on special products
• short reaction times
• help with the search for products, licensing and sourcing
• discounts on most products
• long lasting experience as software purchaser for international software resellers
• Bachelor of Materials Procurement and Logistics (CCI)
Software represents in terms of purchasing, maintenance and administration a
considerable expense factor for your company. I advise you on the purchase or the
search for alternatives.
Questions? I’m glad to help.
Software Licensing
Software vendors offer different license models. Here's an overview:
Licensing is usually per single user (named user, client, node) or
per user in the appropriate volume discount level, while some vendors
accumulate existing licenses. These open volume license programs are
typically called Open License Program (OLP), Transactional License
Program (TLP), Volume License Program (VLP) etc. and are contrary
to the Contractual License Program (CLP), where the customer commits
to purchase a certain amount of licenses over a fixed period (mostly
two years).
Licensing per concurrent/floating user is also possible. Here all
users in a network have access to the software, but only a specific
number at the same time.
Another license model is licensing per dongle which allows the owner
of the dongle to use the software on any computer.
Licensing per server, CPU or points, regardless the number of users,
is common practice as well as Site or Company Licenses. Sometimes
you can choose between perpetual and annual licenses (subscriptions).
In this case however, one year maintenance is often required for perpetual
licenses, and there's no renewal for subscriptions - you'll have to
buy another subscription, while maintenance renewals for perpetual
licenses are being discounted.
Licensing can be per Host/Client (or Guest), Mailbox, IP-Address,
Domain etc., depending on what the software is used for. Some software
is modular, so you have to buy a base product before you can use other
products (modules). Some vendors license additional users per Extension
Pack (e.g. up to 99 user), which includes the Base Pack (e.g. 5 user)
etc.
Maintenance, mainly for one year, is either included or optional,
but often must be purchased with the software. The maintenance agreement
(contract) contains Minor Updates (V.1.1 => 1.2), sometimes Major
Updates (V.1.2 => 2.0) and is called e.g. Update Insurance. For a
Major Update the customer has to buy an Upgrade. For the maintenance
renewal some vendors charge a Reinstatement (Reinstallment) Fee retroactively
per month, in case the current maintenance has expired.
Maintenance normally doesn't include technical support. Here you differentiate
between eMail and tel. support, also availability (e.g. 5x8, 5 days a week, 8 hours
a day) and reaction time (e.g. three hours) can play a role. This is likely named Gold,
Silver and Bronze Support. Support is also licensed per incident as Incident Pack
(e.g. five support incidents per year).
Many vendors offer special conditions for schools and government agencies (EDU/GOV License). A Migration from a different product (Crossgrade), also of another vendor (Competitive Upgrade) is offered willingly, too.
Basically, inquiries on volume licenses should always be addressed to the vendor. The contact can be made through a reseller, whereas the reseller status varies by vendor. Software vendors are normally co-operative and fair, but may refer back to a reseller. The channel partners and the vendor find a solution for virtually any request or problem. In the case of existing licenses the contact to the vendor must of course be maintained, which can also be done by a reseller or distributor, but the customer as licensee (end user) should not ignore eMails from the vendor, could they possibly still contain important info about product and license such as license key, download instructions, login details etc. By the way, software is usually delivered per ESD (Electronic Software Delivery).
On to the search...