Software Maintenance is designed to keep customers always up-to-date with the latest updates and new features. And assures that the product has the latest requirements of Cyber-Security, and system compatibility with the latest web clients.
General Software Maintenance Guidelines
Software Maintenance is a key to keeping the FIN software up-to-date with our latest innovation and assures that the product is following the latest requirements of Cyber-Security, system stability and system compatibility with latest OS.
Customers that have their entire license under Software Maintenance get access to:
- Platform Releases: Yes
- Extensions Packs: Yes
- Service Packs: Yes
Customers that do not have Software Maintenance get access to:
- Platform Releases: No
- Extensions Packs: No
- Service Packs: No
Platform Releases, Extension Packs and Service Packs are provided via secure download. OEMs / Distributors are informed by Sales about new releases and new builds being provided via E-Mail.
In short, Active Software Maintenance is required for the following:
- New Software Release deployment (software released outside of the "active' maintenenace timeframe will not work with the lapsed license).
- Edge2Cloud connectivity (Active maintneance is needed to enable the server to continue connection to E2C)
- Weather application functionality
Software Maintenance purchases for FIN Framework are different, depending on the deployment:
-
Deployed on a server or industrial PC: Generally, circa 18% of the then current product license price, exact price can be taken from the then current price list
-
Deployed on OEM’s own controls hardware (see above for further information): Software Maintenance is included at zero cost provided that the customer has an active Distribution contract - in this case, Software Maintenance is only provided through the original supplier of the custom hardware product. Over the course of the coming years, the price for Software Maintenance might be subject to change, i.e. J2 will start charging. In the case of Golden License, IoT based charging mechanisms would need to be implemented to achieve this (as Golden Licenses do not allow for Host-ID based Software Maintenance license provisioning).
Software Maintenance is included for the initial 12 months after a FIN product was licensed. After this date, Software Maintenance needs to be purchased. In order to get access to Software Maintenance for an instance, all products that the license consists of need to be under Software Maintenance.
Note: for licenses that contain multiple bundles / line items purchased at different dates, the Software Maintenance for the overall license will always take on the earliest Software Maintenance due date from amongst all of the line items pertaining to the license.
Software Maintenance Pro Rata Concept
Pro Rata Concept: In order to simplify Software Maintenance logistics, the Software Maintenance renewal dates for all licensed products are synchronized to have unified renewal date of February 1st. The Renewal date for licenses purchased in the current year are rounded up to the first of the following month and are prorated on their first unified anniversary date. Through this, the process effort of renewal is reduced for our OEMs / distributors and their System Integrators / Installers.
Example: Customer purchases a licensed product in October (any day), their license renewal date is November 1st for calculation purposes. For the period from November 1st to January 31st, 3/12th of the Software Maintenance are due for the next year (pro rata for Nov/Dec/Jan, effectively providing credit for 9/12th months free Software Maintenance)
After this date, Software Maintenance renewal is due every year before the February 1 renewal date (Software Maintenance expiration date), paid forward for a minimum of 1 year to remain current. (If the Software Maintenance is not paid on the initial unified renewal date, the Software Maintenance renewal date (expiration date) remains 12 months after the rounded-up purchase month)
Platform Support Guideline
Our platform differentiates between platform releases, extension packs and service packs.
Platform releases would happen every 18-24 months depending on content changes and market
requirements. Within this time frame, several Extension Packs and Service Packs are provided.
Overview shown in the diagram below.
Platform Releases are a new release of the Licensed Software with significant changes. It is shown as change in the digit(s) to the left of the decimal point in the Licensed Software number [(x).xx].
Generally, Platform Releases:
- Backward compatibility: Should be assured with previous versions. However, Platform Releases might come along with significant API changes and API additions that would require refactoring of applications built against these APIs
- Migration efforts in the field: Platform Releases trigger potentially migration efforts in the field from the previous to the current version
Service Packs are a new release of the Licensed Software that incorporates bug fixes and minor changes. It is shown as a change in the second digit to the right of the decimal point in the applicable Licensed Software number [x.x (x)].
Generally, Service Packs:
- Backward compatibility: Full backward compatibility with previous version
- Migration efforts in the field: Updates from the previous version should trigger no migration requirements in the field (exceptions may occur)
Extension Packs are a new release of Licensed Software with enhancements and functional improvements. It is shown as a change in the first digit to the right of the decimal point in the applicable Licensed Software number [x. (x) x].
Generally, Extension Packs:
- Backward compatibility: Full backward compatibility with previous version
- Migration efforts in the field: Updates from the previous version should trigger no migration requirements in the field (exceptions may occur); new functionality might trigger new engineering efforts but only to enable that functionality
J2 Innovations provides support for its current and partly for previous versions of FIN Framework:
- Current platform version [x]: Extension Packs and Service Packs
- Previous platform version [x-1]: Service Packs with focus on Cyber Security and major bug fixes and other optimizations
- Older platform version [x-2FF]: No support
Exceptionally, with FIN 5, we will not provide further support of FIN 4.5 through Service Packs.