FlexNet Publisher

Virtualization

Virtual machine technologies have transformed enterprises allowing them to greatly reduce costs, provide stronger governance, and support green corporate initiatives. Leading application vendors have recognized the gap virtual machine technology has created between how application vendors are building, licensing, and supporting their software compared to how IT organizations are installing, provisioning and using the application.

As an application vendor:

• Have you defined a virtualization policy and has this policy been communicated to your customers? Can we you use the same policy as we you do for the physical hardware environment?
• Do you understand how many of your customers are using virtualization today? Is there a compliance problem and can it be quantified? What virtual platforms are your customers using and in combination with what OS platforms?
• Is there a specific problem to solve: piracy, compliance, or both? Are you concerned with intentional vs. unintentional overuse?
• Do you believe pricing should be based on physical or virtual resources (sub-capacity pricing)?
• Should you define alternate pricing models for applications running in virtual environments? Should the charge be based upon the additional virtualization test matrix involved? Is there a market to charge less for limited capability?

Many application vendors are asking these questions and are trying to evaluate the impact that machine virtualization has on their business.

Flexera Software can help! Flexera Software has collaborated with various virtualization platform manufacturers along with application vendors like you about license enforcement challenges in a virtual machine environment. Application vendors using Flexera Software are able to mitigate risks by establishing a license enforcement strategy that incorporates machine virtualization.

The FlexNet Publisher Virtualization Option allows application vendors to detect the presence of virtualization platforms and to enforce the licensing details. Based upon the product, geographic market, channel or customer you can:

• Operate normally but include both the virtual and the physical environment in the license reporting.
• Operate in a virtual environment but require the application to be bound to physical machine characteristics rather than the virtual elements (referred to as bare-metal binding).
• Operate in a virtual environment but require the application to be bound to the Universal Unique ID (UUID) of the virtual machine.
• Not operate at all in a virtualized environment.

FlexNet Publisher Virtualization Option enables you to apply the appropriate enforcement strategy needed for a given customer based upon the level of trust you have with them and establish a licensing and pricing strategy around machine virtualization that best fits your needs.

Flexera Software offers a wealth of information on Virtualization. Please visit our virtualization resource center today and download our latest virtualization white paper.

For additional information or to try our Virtualization Option, please contact us at publisher@flexerasoftware.com or visit Next Steps!

Activation

FlexNet Publisher Activation enables individuals to activate and manage licenses easily, minimizing customer support costs.

FlexNet Publisher Activation delivers an easy, flexible software licensing experience, allowing individuals to deactivate, license return, transfer, upgrade, or renew licenses without any assistance from customer support. Trusted Storage technology helps reduce revenue loss due to unauthorized access and use. Using FlexNet Publisher Activation, companies can:

Reduce Support Costs and Enhance the Licensing Experience

• Licenses can be activated, deactivated, renewed, transferred, or upgraded with a single step process.
• Remote or disconnected individuals can easily detach and borrow licenses.
• Required information about a user’s environment is automatically captured, simplifying installation and eliminating user error
• Templates enable installation via the Internet, file exchange, or phone.

Streamline and Secure License Activation Changes

• Licenses can be easily exchanged to activate a different product or version.
• Compliance is ensured when licenses are modified or transferred.
• Licenses are turned off during deactivation, transfers or upgrades to prevent abuse.

Increase Potential Sales and Subscriptions with Product Trials

• Trial and subscription versions are easily created without assistance from developers.
• Paid-for copies automatically convert to a free trial mode when shared on the Internet, promoting viral marketing.
• Products can be transformed into subscription or rental models to create an annuity revenue stream.
• Sophisticated security technology blocks unauthorized extension of trials.

For additional information or to try FlexNet Publisher Activation, please contact publisher@flexerasoftware.com or visit Next Steps!

FlexNet ID

The FlexNet ID dongle enables you to limit or lock software access to your system.

FlexNet ID dongle works in conjunction with FlexNet Publisher to enhance security as a form of hostid. The dongle is a serialized hardware key that attaches to a parallel or USB port on a computer. A FlexNet ID dongle is automatically supported as a valid hostid by any FlexEnabled application. For additional information or to order dongles, please contact flexid@flexerasoftware.com.