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Licensing changes
Vendors are changing--mostly for the better--how they license their backup software features. For example, Symantec recently changed its licensing from a capacity-based model to a three-tier licensing model with its release of Veritas NetBackup 6.5. Under this licensing option, firms have access to all of Veritas NetBackup's data protection features for all of their servers based on what tier they subscribe to. Currently, Symantec offers the following tiering options:
- Standard Infrastructure tier. Provides support for physical tape, including library-based tape drives, the shared storage option for FC-SAN tape drives, Vault and the StorageTek Virtualization Option.
- Enterprise Infrastructure tier. Includes everything in the Standard Infrastructure tier plus disk-based backup, NDMP support, Open Storage Option, Advanced Disk Option and the VTL Option.
- Premium Infrastructure for PureDisk tier. Includes everything in the Enterprise Infrastructure tier plus support for NetBackup PureDisk deduplication.
However, users shouldn't assume that Symantec's or any vendor's licensing model is etched in stone, as vendors are still debating internally what features belong where and even which licensing model they should use. Symantec is on the fence as to whether to include its CDP option in its Enterprise or Premium tier. EMC is moving licensing for its Avamar and NetWorker product lines toward a capacity-based model and not charging customers for NetWorker's integration with Avamar; however, if users find capacity-based pricing unsuitable, EMC is willing to talk.
"We have worked some specific customer deals on a one-off basis," says EMC's Emsley.
CA also simplified its licensing model, reducing its licensing options to eight, although it's still following the more traditional server-based licensing model for now. For its ARCserve product line, CA licenses ARCserve and XOsoft product lines based on the total number of application, database, file and messaging servers they'll protect; servers require a separate ARCserve and XOsoft license if a user wishes to run both of these software products on a specific server.
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