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history |
technology-driven license offerings |
Technology changes have driven software vendors to use a variety of licensing practices that best support value-pricing their software. Over the decades the computing environment and licensing practices have evolved giving customers a legacy of varying licensing models. In the early 1980s, "tiered pricing" based on System-based Licensing was introduced when the VAX architecture was extended across a product family and pricing was based on the relative size of the system on which it was running.
In 1986, VAXcluster technology was introduced whereby multiple systems operated cooperatively as a single system. Flexible ClusterWide Licenses were introduced to enable purchase of a single license for use on a variable number of processors in a VAXcluster.
In the late 1980s, three things happened which changed the fundamental assumptions about system-based software licensing. Companies started buying and installing large numbers of personal computers, software became available to more and more end users, and distributed multivendor networks became the norm rather than the exception in larger companies.
To address this new computing environment, user-based licensing was introduced. Customers were given a choice of system-based licenses or user-based for the same software product. Personal Use Licenses were introduced for dedicated use by a named individual while Concurrent Use Licenses were introduced for multiple users who wished to share the same license. This new paradigm made low-usage products affordable even when used on large enterprise systems. System-based and user-based licenses are sold under HP Standard Terms and Conditions.
In 1994 system-based licensing was simplified. New Traditional Licenses, offered in three system classes, replaced ClusterWide licenses and tiered Traditional licenses. All VAX and Alpha systems were classified into the three system classes; enterprise, departmental, and workgroup. (See System Chart.) This simplification enabled customers to transfer software licenses across a broad range of Alpha and VAX computers within a system class, reduced customer transactions, and increased the value of previously purchased licenses.
Existing ClusterWide and tiered Traditional licenses remain subject to their original terms.
In 1988 the License Management Facility (LMF) was introduced as a utility in OpenVMS, later followed by Tru64 UNIX. LMF enabled the introduction of the innovative ClusterWide and user licenses while providing customers a means to manage their software licenses. LMF also supported the distribution of hundreds of software products, on CDROM. LMF keying technology enabled customers to unlock and use their licensed products shipped on the CDROM.
With the introduction of OpenVMS on Integrity servers, in 2005, HP introduced Per-Processor Core Licenses for OpenVMS, expanding licensing flexibility even more.
continuing software value |
The continuing value of your HP software license is defined by the combination of HP License Terms and Software License Policies.
When upgrading to a new software version, HP's Update License policy should be referenced. Also reference HP's policies regarding license trade-in and transfer when moving a software license.
VAX and Alpha License Trade-in
VAX and Alpha License Transfer
Integrity License Trade-in
Integrity License Transfer
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license management |
License management technology was introduced to support a range of licensing, packaging and software delivery practices identified by customers as important business practices. In addition, customers have requested better ways to manage software usage according to vendor license terms and to help treat software as a valued company asset.
License management technology has enabled the company to introduce the value-based licensing types described in the section above on Software Licensing. License management has also enabled HP to offer temporary software loans, multi-license software packages, and distribution of many software products on a single media (e.g. CDROM). For customers, license management has provided a means to track licensed software availability even as their computing environments change. Customers can also use license management data as the base information required to track intangible software assets.
The License Management Facility, hereafter called LMF, is a utility shipped with the OpenVMS and Tru64 UNIX operating systems. Upon purchase of an HP software product, a license key for the product, called a Product Authorization Key (PAK) is shipped to the customer. The PAK is usually a piece of paper with license information regarding the product and license type purchased. This information is entered into the LMF license database and is accessed when the product is executed. For a description of the PAK information, see PAK Data.
As an example, a customer who purchases a 10 Concurrent Use license for FORTRAN would record the PAK information into the LMF license database. As FORTRAN users execute the product, a count is maintained automatically by the LMF that enables up to 10 uses of FORTRAN at a given time. For other license types, the LMF performs different functions consistent with the Standard Terms and Conditions.
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