White Papers

Learn how you can implement and provide user-centric computing to the general workforce.

Learn how you can automate application virtualization with one tool.

Many organizations use IBM software products to manage critical aspects of their business. In mid-sized to large enterprise organizations, IBM products often represent a significant portion of their overall software estate where licensing needs to be carefully managed to optimize spend. Learn how you can gain control of IBM software licenses in this white paper.

This report, prepared by Gartner, discusses how the use of embedded software to create efficiency, grow revenue and increase customer satisfaction has spread across the discrete manufacturing industries. Flexera Software is featured prominently in this report.

The 2011 Key Trends in Software Licensing and Pricing Survey, prepared with assistance from IDC, found that software vendors and their enterprise customers, increasingly challenged by the economy, are looking for better strategies to derive more value for their organizations through software licensing and pricing. While, not surprisingly, some of those strategies diverge between producers and consumers, many are complementary and serve to strengthen the positions of both.

Learn how you can implement and provide user-centric computing to the general workforce.

Learn how you can automate application virtualization with one tool.

Application virtualization is an application deployment solution that many organizations are considering or have already started implementing for improved application management. This white paper outlines five key considerations when implementing application virtualization. Also available in German.

Download this white paper to better understand the most common components of Windows 7 compatibility issues, and how you can leverage tools from Flexera Software and Microsoft to formulate a smart application compatibility game plan to test and fix applications. Aslo available in German and French.

This whitepaper from Flexera Software outlines the six key steps of an application migration project, illustrates the major tasks within each phase, and explains how the Flexera Software solution can reduce the risk and cost of your application migration projects by providing a consistent approach to continuous application readiness. Also available in German and French.

Just what is application virtualization? How does an organization get started with understanding the basics? How can existing technology be used to accelerate an application virtualization deployment? Learn the answers from Leslie Easter, Principal Consultant, Flexera Software Consulting Services, and author of Bulletproof Installs and The Orange Brain's Guide to AdminStudio.

The 2011 Key Trends in Software Licensing and Pricing Survey, prepared with assistance from IDC, found that software vendors and their enterprise customers, increasingly challenged by the economy, are looking for better strategies to derive more value for their organizations through software licensing and pricing. While, not surprisingly, some of those strategies diverge between producers and consumers, many are complementary and serve to strengthen the positions of both.

Many software vendors, intelligent device manufacturers and enterprises view software updates as an after-thought. Read this white paper for an in-depth look at what constitutes a best-in-class, strategic software update solution.

Learn how to increase software revenue using highly targeted direct messaging.

Thinking about building your own updating solutions? Read this white paper first! Aslo available in German and Japanese.

The 2011 Key Trends in Software Licensing and Pricing Survey, prepared with assistance from IDC, found that software vendors and their enterprise customers, increasingly challenged by the economy, are looking for better strategies to derive more value for their organizations through software licensing and pricing. While, not surprisingly, some of those strategies diverge between producers and consumers, many are complementary and serve to strengthen the positions of both.

Flexera Software understands that a secure data center architecture is the foundation of our on-demand service and of paramount importance to technology companies and their customers, and for our own operations. Find out more on the Flexera Software Data Center, which represents an investment of millions of dollars and more than 10 years of dedicated development to meet the demanding and continually evolving needs of our customers.

Electronic licensing is an increasingly popular and valuable tool for software publishers and high-tech manufacturers who want flexibility in the way they sell and license their software, while at the same time maintaining and enhancing control of their intellectual property. Learn how leveraging an on-demand service for your electronic software license delivery can help you increase your revenues and customers satisfaction while helping you better manage your costs.

U.S. export laws regulate exports of all software, not just software that contains encryption. That is why software producers and intelligent device manufacturers, especially those who are expanding into foreign markets, need an efficient and low cost way to deliver their computer software and updates, while staying current and complying with United States export laws and regulations. Find out more how leveraging an on-demand service can help simplify software export compliance. This white paper is also available in German and Japanese.

This report, prepared by Gartner, discusses how the use of embedded software to create efficiency, grow revenue and increase customer satisfaction has spread across the discrete manufacturing industries. Flexera Software is featured prominently in this report.

This report, prepared by IDC, shows how increasingly, software licensing is helping manufacturers generate value from embedded software by providing an additional, high-margin revenue stream, protecting intellectual property (IP) from misuse, simplifying product packaging while allowing for more flexible configurations and lowering inventory costs by decreasing the number of SKUs needed to satisfy unique customer demands.

Today's global technology marketplace is challenging, competitive, and dynamic. In response to these market conditions, technology vendors are re-thinking their business models and product strategies.

A practical guide to achieving profitable growth with innovative business and license models for intelligent device manufacturers.

This white paper, authored by Cris Wendt, a Strategy Principal Consultant with Flexera Software, explores the top 10 reasons why most software vendors and intelligent device manufactures choose to buy a COTS software licensing and entitlement management solution. Also availble in German.

This white paper provides five strategies for achieving customer intimacy and revenue growth. The white paper addresses the key channel management challenges and provides best practices and strategies for overcoming these challenges.

This white paper describes how you can use electronic licensing to protect and enhance your high-tech devices as well as how to distribute updates and upgrades to already deployed devices. Also available in German and Japanese.

Software represents one third of the typical IT budget and datacenter applications are usually the most expensive component of software spend. That's why datacenter license and maintenance fees offer the greatest potential for cost-savings in the software portfolio. Decreasing ongoing costs of multi-million dollar applications in the datacenter is a fundamental component of overall IT spend reduction. In this white paper, you will learn how to meet these datacenter license management challenges while reducing software costs:

• Heterogeneous / Multi-platform environments (Windows Server, UNIX, Linux)
• Complex License Models
• Virtualization
• Complex License Entitlements

This white paper discusses the key strategies used to maximize savings on software licenses and maintenance. It covers license reharvesting, recycling and the application of product use rights to optimize license consumption. Read this white paper to learn more. Also available in Japanese, German, Korean and Russian.

The 2010 Key Trends in Software Licensing and Pricing Survey, prepared with assistance from IDC, found that software vendors and their enterprise customers, increasingly challenged by the economy, are looking for better strategies to derive more value for their organizations through software licensing and pricing. While, not surprisingly, some of those strategies diverge between producers and consumers, many are complementary and serve to strengthen the positions of both.

A practical guide to Enterprise License Optimization. Also available in Korean, German and Japanese.

Maximizing the Return on Your Software Investment

Many organizations use IBM software products to manage critical aspects of their business. In mid-sized to large enterprise organizations, IBM products often represent a significant portion of their overall software estate where licensing needs to be carefully managed to optimize spend. Learn how you can gain control of IBM software licenses in this white paper.

Software represents one third of the typical IT budget and datacenter applications are usually the most expensive component of software spend. That's why datacenter license and maintenance fees offer the greatest potential for cost-savings in the software portfolio. Decreasing ongoing costs of multi-million dollar applications in the datacenter is a fundamental component of overall IT spend reduction. In this white paper, you will learn how to meet these datacenter license management challenges while reducing software costs:

• Heterogeneous / Multi-platform environments (Windows Server, UNIX, Linux)
• Complex License Models
• Virtualization
• Complex License Entitlements

This white paper discusses the key strategies used to maximize savings on software licenses and maintenance. It covers license reharvesting, recycling and the application of product use rights to optimize license consumption. Read this white paper to learn more. Also available in Japanese, German, Korean and Russian.

As with most enterprises, driving inefficiencies out of the organization is a key objective of senior management at the company. Inefficiencies in the software supply chain resulting from a lack of visibility into software usage can often lead to overspending or spending in the wrong areas. This white paper by IDC profiles a large consumer packaged goods manufacturer's strategy to improve visibility into software usage and optimize the company's software license spend.

A practical guide to Enterprise License Optimization. Also available in Korean, German and Japanese.

Learn how you can more efficiently manage the lifecycle of your SAP® Business Suite licenses and make more informed software planning and purchasing decisions. Available in English and German.

Software represents one third of the typical IT budget and datacenter applications are usually the most expensive component of software spend. That's why datacenter license and maintenance fees offer the greatest potential for cost-savings in the software portfolio. Decreasing ongoing costs of multi-million dollar applications in the datacenter is a fundamental component of overall IT spend reduction. In this white paper, you will learn how to meet these datacenter license management challenges while reducing software costs:

• Heterogeneous / Multi-platform environments (Windows Server, UNIX, Linux)
• Complex License Models
• Virtualization
• Complex License Entitlements

This white paper discusses the key strategies used to maximize savings on software licenses and maintenance. It covers license reharvesting, recycling and the application of product use rights to optimize license consumption. Read this white paper to learn more. Also available in Japanese, German, Korean and Russian.

Oracle has complex licensing rules which they enforce rigorously. This white paper presents a number of Oracle license management best practices to help you control software costs, maintain license compliance, and minimize software audit risks. Maximize the return on your Oracle software investment by implementing these best practices.

Software represents one third of the typical IT budget and datacenter applications are usually the most expensive component of software spend. That's why datacenter license and maintenance fees offer the greatest potential for cost-savings in the software portfolio. Decreasing ongoing costs of multi-million dollar applications in the datacenter is a fundamental component of overall IT spend reduction. In this white paper, you will learn how to meet these datacenter license management challenges while reducing software costs:

• Heterogeneous / Multi-platform environments (Windows Server, UNIX, Linux)
• Complex License Models
• Virtualization
• Complex License Entitlements

This Guideline will discuss some of the key challenges and pitfalls of Software Asset Management and examine some of the best practice processes than can be adopted to ensure an effective SAM strategy is implemented throughout the organization.

A practical guide to Enterprise License Optimization. Also available in Korean, German and Japanese.

Learn how to avoid costly fire drills and substantially improve software ROI by proactively managing your Oracle licenses.

The 2011 Key Trends in Software Licensing and Pricing Survey, prepared with assistance from IDC, found that software vendors and their enterprise customers, increasingly challenged by the economy, are looking for better strategies to derive more value for their organizations through software licensing and pricing. While, not surprisingly, some of those strategies diverge between producers and consumers, many are complementary and serve to strengthen the positions of both.

The initial wave of software-as-a-service (SaaS) was characterized by "one-size-fits-all" pricing. This was largely because SaaS vendors were out to pioneer a new market—and simplicity was a cornerstone of their pitch to early adopters. The offer of extremely simple and economical pricing helped these vendors overcome whatever resistance they may have encountered to a new and unproven model for software delivery.

A practical guide to achieving profitable growth with innovative business and license models for intelligent device manufacturers.

This white paper, authored by Cris Wendt, a Strategy Principal Consultant with Flexera Software, explores the top 10 reasons why most software vendors and intelligent device manufactures choose to buy a COTS software licensing and entitlement management solution. Also availble in German.

This white paper provides five strategies for achieving customer intimacy and revenue growth. The white paper addresses the key channel management challenges and provides best practices and strategies for overcoming these challenges.

What makes up a licensing and entitlement management system? Why software producers and intelligent device manufacturers should consider an end-to-end system? Read how companies are approaching the issues of licensing and entitlement management and experiencing dramatic results. This white paper is also available in Japanese.

Software licensing has evolved from simple licensing into Entitlement and Compliance Management. This white paper describes how the core concept of software license management is changing from value-exchange model based on one-off transactions to an integrated model built on an ongoing relationship between a software publisher and the customer.

The 2011 Key Trends in Software Licensing and Pricing Survey, prepared with assistance from IDC, found that software vendors and their enterprise customers, increasingly challenged by the economy, are looking for better strategies to derive more value for their organizations through software licensing and pricing. While, not surprisingly, some of those strategies diverge between producers and consumers, many are complementary and serve to strengthen the positions of both.

The initial wave of software-as-a-service (SaaS) was characterized by "one-size-fits-all" pricing. This was largely because SaaS vendors were out to pioneer a new market—and simplicity was a cornerstone of their pitch to early adopters. The offer of extremely simple and economical pricing helped these vendors overcome whatever resistance they may have encountered to a new and unproven model for software delivery.

Machine virtualization has swept through enterprises, big and small - creating significant issues for both software producers and enterprise customers - and a wide "vendor-customer gap" in customer desires and application vendors' practices. Learn how application vendors traditionally have placed the burden on customers to close this gap; and how today it is shifting back to them and the steps needed to close the gaps.

This white paper, authored by Cris Wendt, a Strategy Principal Consultant with Flexera Software, explores the top 10 reasons why most software vendors and intelligent device manufactures choose to buy a COTS software licensing and entitlement management solution. Also availble in German.

Virtualization technologies are posing new challenges for software vendors to enforce their software license agreements using traditional software licensing models. Learn how FlexNet Publisher will enable software vendors to embrace virtualization by providing various means to enforce licensing on virtual machines. Also available in French and German.

Software licensing has evolved from simple licensing into Entitlement and Compliance Management. This white paper describes how the core concept of software license management is changing from value-exchange model based on one-off transactions to an integrated model built on an ongoing relationship between a software publisher and the customer.

This white paper discusses the benefits of Merge Modules and the different Merge Module types.

Learn how to build customized uninstallers to control the removal of products and features.

Learn best practices for building installers in console mode (for command-line-driven installations) and silent installations (for working with limited or no user interaction).

This white paper discusses the fundamentals of installation planning and how to manage installation projects according to proven best practices.

Learn about the difficulties with attempting to develop UNIX installations using shell scripts, and how Java is being used as a successful alternative to shell scripting.

Learn about how installation development is increasingly integrated into agile development practices. Agile processes are characterized by multiple iterations and frequent delivery of working software to users, who provide rapid and almost continuous feedback on the scope and direction of the application.

Download this white paper to learn about Microsoft App-V and how it is impacting software installation development.

The debugging techniques described in this white paper include investigating Windows Installer error codes, generating and interpreting Windows Installer log files, and using the InstallShield MSI Debugger.

This white paper discusses different types of validation, including build warnings and errors, Internal Consistency Evaluator (ICE) validation, and update and patch validation.

Learn about Windows Installer sequences and the built-in actions that make up a typical MSI installation program. Also available in Japanese.

Learn expert tips for how to design an MSI setup to best prepare it for future upgrades.

Learn about the changes you make to a Windows Installer (MSI) installation package for it to behave as the desired type of update or patch. Also available in Japanese.

This white paper describes the rules for validating MSI updates and patches and how to address any validation warnings or errors that occur.

Learn about several techniques and design issues to always consider when working with different parts of the Windows Installer (MSI) technology. Also available in Japanese.

Learn about the types of custom actions supported by Windows Installer, including launching executables, calling DLL or script functions, setting Property-table properties and Directory-table properties, and error actions.

Written by David Cole, Senior Software Engineer at IBM, this white paper describes using chained .msi packages in InstallShield and MSI 4.5 to componentize a setup. You will learn how to include other .msi packages within your own so that the result may be installed with the appearance of being a single product.