FlexNet Publisher

Virtualization

Virtualization technologies have changed the software landscape by making it easier to create multiple machines on a single physical machine. While the advantages of machine virtualization are obvious and enticing for the enterprise customer, virtualization technology poses challenges for software producers using traditional license enforcement.

As a software producer, are you asking yourself:

• Have we defined a virtualization policy and has this policy been communicated to our customers? Can we use the same policy as we do for the physical hardware environment?
• How many of our customers are using virtualization today? Is there a compliance problem and can it be quantified? What virtual platforms are our customers using and in combination with what OS platforms?
• Are there new markets available because of virtualization such as time rental via SaaS?
• What specific problem do we want to solve: piracy, compliance, or both? Are we concerned with intentional vs. unintentional overuse?
• Should pricing be based on physical or virtual resources (sub-capacity pricing)?
• Should alternate pricing models be defined to license in virtual environments? Should we charge more based upon the additional virtualization test matrix involved? Is there a market to charge less for limited capability?

If you are like most software producers, chances are you have asked yourself these questions already but are paralyzed by the size and complexity that machine virtualization presents.

Flexera Software can help! Over the past several years, Flexera Software has been collaborating with many virtualization vendors about license enforcement challenges and approaches to mitigate risks by establishing a virtualization license enforcement strategy.

Now, FlexNet Publisher Virtualization Option allows you to detect the presence of virtualization platforms and offer the ability to make the business decision whether to operate or not in the virtualized environment and to establish a licensing and pricing strategy around machine virtualization.

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

FlexNet Activation

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

FlexNet Activation delivers an easy, flexible licensing experience, allowing individuals to deactivate, 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 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 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.

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 Licensing 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 FLEX-enabled application. For additional information or to order dongles, please contact flexid@flexerasoftware.com.