| Separating Licensing from Software Development | | | | and Protection Services (SLPS) offerings. The solution |
| When customers acquire software, what they are | | | | enables simple charting of classes, methods, and |
| really purchasing are features. Once upon a time you | | | | functions into real end-user features, and this lets the |
| had to settle for an off-the-shelf product with no | | | | developer focus on perfecting the main functions of |
| customization options. However, nowadays customers | | | | the product, instead of wasting valuable time creating a |
| expect to pay only for what they use, and to get | | | | licensing infrastructure. |
| exactly what they want. So from this perspective | | | | Using the Software Licensing and Protection Services |
| software development has become more complex, as | | | | web-based Licensing Control Portal, the marketing |
| the needs of different types of customer have to be | | | | department is able to compile a complete list of |
| taken into consideration. This can be a challenging task | | | | features, and create software packages for |
| for the independent software developer, because | | | | customers with various requirements. The Licensing |
| developing new software products is labor intensive | | | | Control Portal also enables the software vendor to |
| and time consuming, and it's hard to know in advance | | | | define different types of license, such as a subscription, |
| how to package the products for the various types of | | | | a free trial license, and an upgrade license. |
| end-users. Wouldn't it be beneficial if there was an | | | | Furthermore, SLPS also lets the software vendor |
| application that would help ease the transition between | | | | monitor the way in which the product is being used by |
| product development and licensing? | | | | the customer, and this can provide valuable information |
| A New Approach to Managing Product Features | | | | for future product development, and for offering |
| To enable an easy switch from software | | | | upgrades to end-users. |
| development to packaging and licensing, Microsoft has | | | | The SLP 2008 Server |
| come up with a very clever solution. The main idea is | | | | The main Software Licensing and Protection Services |
| to separate the development work from the more | | | | product is the SLP 2008. It is installed at the software |
| marketing oriented task of creating different types of | | | | vendor's site. There is also an online version of SLP |
| product licenses for various types of end-user. Other | | | | 2008 server, the SLP online service. It has all the |
| benefits of this approach include a better | | | | functionality of the SLP 2008 Server. |
| understanding of the product's advantages and | | | | Additional Information |
| disadvantages, and more knowledge of the | | | | For additional information about Microsoft's SLPS |
| competitors' territory. | | | | offerings, visit the Microsoft website. |
| The solution is part of Microsoft's Software Licensing | | | | |