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Corporate Network Managers now have a simple, effective means of tracking and enforcing compliance - and staying legal - with software license agreements. License Broker™ is state-of-the-art in Software Asset Management tool that actively monitors and reports application usage in real-time, ensuring your organization both complies with software license agreements (thereby avoiding litigation) and is not paying for unused, often expensive licenses. We've designed License Broker™ for organizations who want to take control of their software assets without the added technical complications, administrative overhead or financial burden. If you are merely interested in a static, on-demand IT audit tool and are not interested in on-going real-time compliance with software vendor license agreements, check out System Integrators' Integrated Auditor™ (What is license metering?). License Broker™ comes bundled with both Component License Broker™ and Integrated Auditor™, so we recommend customers buy License Broker™ to meet both their PC audit and real-time software metering (both applications and DLL / OCX) requirements in one integrated software suite. |
How does it work? |
By tracking the launch of every application in the system, License Broker™ is able to both actively enforce license policies and passively detect the use of unlicensed or pirated software, whilst reporting usage statistics for software cost control. Inbuilt reports show who is using what, when, to help you get the most from your software dollars by redistributing unused licenses and purchasing upgrades for only the software you actually use. You can also use License Broker™ to restrict access to unauthorized software (e.g. games) and/or reserve licenses for key personnel to minimize lost employee productivity. License Broker™ is proactive and can alert you to major events via email such as low licenses and violated access attempts. End-users' day remains interruption-free as License Broker™ runs transparently in the background. |
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Track PC hardware and configuration information over the web |
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Eliminate the risks of license non-compliance for your entire system |
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Save on software costs |
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Keep your network safe from the use of pirated or unlicensed software |
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Get a handle on run-away or cpu intensive applications and inactive applications |
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Enhance employee productivity through application access control |
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Reclaim network resources by eliminating unused applications |
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> Gain quick, easy access to real-time, system-wide software usage information |
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> Have the ability to make upgrade decisions based on actual software usage needs |
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> Quickly review PC landscape by OS, physical memory installed and schedule audits on PCs |
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> Integrated Hardware Audit Report shows a subset of hardware inventory collected - over 40 pieces of hardware + PC configuration information can be collected |
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> Integrated Software Audit Report shows software inventory listed by vendor |
License Broker™ is Client-Server technology that uses Web (TCP/IP) protocols to instantaneously transmit secure, small bytes of license usage information across your intranet. The simple, smart event-driven design uses minimal network bandwidth and system resources to deliver a stable, uninterrupted detection service. |
| ü | Meter CPU time to analyze every application use and make informed decisions about often expensive license upgrades |
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| ü | With the included Component License Broker™, monitor the use of every screen saver (SCR files) in the system and prevent potentially unsafe screen savers |
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| ü | Scalable to grow with your environment. No new hardware usually required |
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| ü | Monitor the launch of every application in the system, including offline metering of laptops, for system-wide detection |
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| ü | With the included Component License Broker™, monitor the use of every COM and ActiveX DLL / OCX files in the system |
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| ü | Efficient processing of data ensures optimized, real-time license distribution and enforcement (cached data from offline laptops and network downtime are transmitted upon server reconnection) |
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| ü | Comprehensive licensing information is provided at point-of-need, helping you make more informed decisions about your licensing policies |
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| ü | Report drill-downs provide for intuitive investigation paths and the painless data entry of new license policies (licensing details automatically load) |
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| ü | Intelligent detection of renamed executables for spock-proof detection |
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| ü | Ability to easily define license policies for multiple versions of an application (no need to define each application path) |
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| ü | Administration is web-based, secure, easy-to-use and accessible from anywhere |
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| ü | Easy to configure and distribute (via SMS, NT Server or Netware® login scripts). Unlike other tools, License Broker™ does not use wrapper technology (which adds another step to the distribution process and can cause conflicts with virus software) |
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| ü | Ability to share real-time usage data with third-party XML enabled tools, such as Microsoft SQL Server 2000 |
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| ü | Reports are recognized by the SIIA (Software Information Industry Association, formerly SPA) |
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| ü | Support for a host of licensing models, including: |
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| ü | Ability to release and re-use seat licenses from retired PCs |
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| ü | Ability to detect PCs that lack critical applications such as anti-virus software |
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| ü | Ability to detect PCs where License Broker™ Client software is disabled or uninstalled to ensure tamper-proof monitoring |
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| ü | Ability to customize engaging messages to end users related to application use |
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| ü | Assistance with OS migration issues by identifying current OS version and memory capacity of each PC |
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| ü | Track serial number and warranty / service for both hardware and software |
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| ü | Native support for Windows 2003 Server IIS 6.0 Worker Process Isolation mode |
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| ü | Ability to customize reports through use of XML filters |
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| ü | Audit reports can be exported as a csv file for further analysis in EXCEL |
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| ü | Ability to control what is scanned - .exe, .ocx, .dll etc. |
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| ü | Collect hardware and PC configuration information |
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| ü | Conduct audit over the web by simply pointing the browser to your intranet site |
| ü | Supports all Windows environments, excluding embedded Windows OSs such as WinCE. Also supports Citrix® MetaFrame™ |
| ü | Network operating system independent - runs on Microsoft Windows NT Domain / 2000 Active Directory based networks as well as Novell® Netware® networks |
| ü | The License Server uses your corporate intranet server for secure administration (Internet Information Server 4.0/5.0/6.0) |
| ü | No dependence on external databases. Alternatively, interface License Broker™ with any DBMS from vendors such as Microsoft, Oracle® and MySQL |
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Any Windows Platform |
Windows NT Server 4.0 or Windows 2000 Server or Windows 2003 Server or Small Business Server |
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Running |
Internet Information Server 4.0/5.0/6.0 |
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Optional - Mail Service |
Microsoft Exchange Server 5.5 or any other
Internet Mail Service |
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Optional - ODBC Database |
Any DBMS via ODBC (tested with Microsoft SQL Server 6.5,
7.0, 2000; Oracle 7.2, 8i; Microsoft Access 97, 2000; MySQL 4.1) |
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Hard disk space- Fixed |
15 MB |
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Hard disk space- Variable |
The 'Stat' database table maintains a running statistics of all application activity by end users and drives the bulk of the variable disk space requirements. Each record in Stat table is 20 bytes long (refer 'Quick Start and Setup Guide' for table definitions). For a large site with 5000 users and each user running 50 applications a day, the disk space requirement per day will be 4.8 MB. |
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Memory- Fixed |
503 KB |
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Memory- Variable |
For each licensed application 518 bytes
Note: 'Licensed application' or 'app's' above refers to those applications on which license policy is being enforced. A typical site would enforce licensing on some 50 applications. The scenarios assume that all clients are running at least one of the licensed applications and all applications are in use at any given time. Further the scenario assumes floating/concurrent license policy. For seat/user/group policies, add 196 bytes for each authorized/unauthorized seat/user/group policy definition for each licensed application. Unlicensed applications i.e. those for which a license policy is not defined, do not contribute to memory requirements - they simply contribute to hard disk space requirements in Stat table referenced above. The above memory requirements represent those of License Server only and are over and above IIS memory requirements. For example when a client runs an application IIS must receive the license request and may allocate additional memory of 1 KB for each request, thus if 5000 users run applications simultaneously, IIS would allocate an additional 5 MB variable memory to process these requests! Administrator access is required for the system on which License Server is installed. Access to a web browser is required for License Server administration (either Microsoft Internet Explorer or Netscape Navigator). |
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Any Windows Operating System |
- Windows 95/98/Me, or |
Hard disk space |
- Windows 95/98/Me = 2 MB |
Memory |
- Windows 95/98/Me = 186 KB |
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Each application launched by end users results in a HTTP license request frame approximately 64-96 bytes long from License Client to License Server and a HTTP response frame 1 byte long from License Server to License Client. The information transmitted comprises of the application information including its version, bitness and vendor information as well as login userid and machine name of client. Assuming a worst case scenario of a corporation with 5000 users and 50 application launches each day by every user, this results in a network bandwidth of 25 MB each day. |
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> License Broker is Client-Server technology that uses Web (TCP/IP) protocols to instantaneously transmit secure, small bytes of license usage information across your intranet. We have a License Client for each flavor of Windows. |
Every day we are working towards building a solution that has more functionality, environment support and enhanced usability than our customers could ever want - here's a look at what's on the drawing board for upcoming releases: |
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Support for Tivoli®, CA®, HP® and other vendors' Enterprise Management framework |
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International language support |
Our customers span a cross section of industry from small to large businesses to educational
and government sectors. Here is what customers had to say about License
Broker™: |
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* represents repeat orders |
Contact us to discuss your compliance requirements or simply to get pricing details. We price based on the number of PCs (in case of Terminal Server / Citrix MetaFrame, based on number of users). We offer a worldwide Education discount of 15%. |
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