Software Licensing
BSG's experience of providing Infrastructure Solutions, Application Solutions and Managed Services has led it to develop experience with the world's leading vendors of software products. In addition to guidance on the most effective licence options for your organisation, BSG can also provide a software asset management service.
Examples of software available from BSG include those provided by Citrix, IBM, Microsoft and Symantec.
On This Page
Citrix
Citrix MetaFrame is the world leader in application server software that now provides its comprehensive MetaFrame Access Suite - the ability to securely deliver any application or content to any device over any connection - wireless to web.
As a Citrix Silver Partner, BSG has worked with many clients over the past 5 years to deploy their mission critical applications and has established a focused Server-based Application Deployment Practice centred around Citrix's MetaFrame and Microsoft's Terminal Server solutions. Indeed BSG uses the same technology to facilitate remote access to data and applications for its own staff.
The MetaFrame Access Suite consists of several components:
- MetaFrame Secure Access Manager - Citrix MetaFrame Secure Access Manager provides secure, single-point access over the Web to any enterprise resource, including client/server, legacy, and Web applications, Internet and intranet sites, streaming media, documents, network file services, and Web services. With a powerful set of easy-to-use, wizard-driven configuration tools, IT administrators can enable browser-based access to the IT infrastructure - configured for each user's business needs, with secure connectivity over the Web.
- MetaFrame Password Manager - Designed to work seamlessly with all products in the MetaFrame Access Suite, Citrix® MetaFrame® Password Manager provides password security and enterprise single sign-on access to Windows, Web, and host-based applications - whether those applications are locally installed on the user's device or running in the Citrix MetaFrame Access Suite environment.
- MetaFrame Conferencing Manager - Citrix® MetaFrame® Conferencing Manager adds intuitive application conferencing to MetaFrame Presentation Server and eliminates the geographical distance between team members, increases the productivity of meetings, and allows easy collaboration. For the first time, teams can now share application sessions, work together on document editing, and conduct online training regardless of the location of individual team members or the access devices or network connections they're using.
- MetaFrame Presentation Server (formerly known as XP) - The foundation of the MetaFrame Access Suite, Citrix MetaFrame Presentation Server is the world's most widely deployed presentation server for centrally managing heterogeneous applications and delivering their functionality as a service to workers, wherever they may be.
The suite can be purchased as a bundle or each component can be purchased separately.
IBM
IBM software products deliver a range of scalable technologies to address specific requirements, from relational databases to infrastructure management software to portals, and BSG offers experience in providing Infrastructure Solutions, Application Solutions and Managed Services using these IBM software products. IBM software delivered through BSG provides you with strategic solutions to support your business, offering a more flexible, manageable, and cost effective IT environment that can grow alongside your business and adapt to changing demands.
IBM DB2 - information integration products
IBM's information integration product suite is based around the flagship DB2 Universal Database (UDB) product. DB2 UDB provides the ideal foundation for building data warehouses, transaction processing, web based solutions and also for backend packaged solutions such as ERP or CRM. IBM DB2 is built on and optimised for Linux, UNIX and Windows, enabling it to slot into existing environments, thus offering true integrated computing and the ability to advance towards the goal of true grid computing. The DB2 information integration products are categorised by solution area and offer a range of application products aimed at specific business needs and IT requirements. These include:
- Content Management - Enterprise infrastructure software to manage digital information in database environments.
- Data Analysis & BI - Including tools for data query, data warehousing and data analytics.
- Database Tools & Utilities - Administration tools used to load, reload, reorganise, recover or otherwise manage and optimise databases.
- Databases - Pre- and post-relational DBMS, relational DBMS and object-oriented DBMS & software to define and deploy databases.
Learn more - IBM DB2 product family page
IBM Lotus products
IBM Lotus products deliver software for collaboration and human productivity. The Lotus family offers ease of integration into existing environments and is developed using open standards and is optimised for Linux, UNIX and Windows environments. The Lotus family of products are categorised by solution area and offer a range of application products aimed at specific business needs and IT requirements. These include:
- Applications - Desktop & Enterprise - Packaged applications are designed to automate enterprise processes, increase personnel productivity and educate.
- Data and Information Management - Data & Information Management software provides storage, access and analysis of data in any environment.
- Learning Software - Learning software provides online classrooms for facilitated and interactive learning in live or self-paced modes.
- Messaging Applications - Messaging Applications provide integrated collaborative environments based on directories, email and group calendaring.
- Organisational Productivity & Collaboration - Productivity software provides instant messaging, web conferencing, collaborative portals and role-based environments.
- Software Development - Software development tools design and construct applications and support the development and deployment process.
- Wireless, Voice & Pervasive - Wireless, pervasive and voice software supports data exchange and voice interaction between wireless and mobile devices.
Learn more - IBM Lotus product family page
IBM Tivoli products
Tivoli products use multiple techniques to provide centralised, comprehensive management tools from any client platform via robust administrator capabilities. IBM Tivoli products, like most IBM products, are developed using open standards to allow integration with any environment.
- Security - Security software is used to protect confidentiality, integrity, privacy, and assurance of information systems.
- Storage Management - Storage software manages and assures the accessibility, availability, and performance of stored information.
- Systems Management - Systems management software is used to monitor, control and optimize computing resources.
Learn more - IBM Tivoli products page
IBM WebSphere products
As with other IBM software product groups, the IBM WebSphere products are categorised by solution area and offer a range of application products aimed at specific business needs and IT requirements. These include:
- Application Servers - Application servers provide a platform on which to run interoperable applications.
- Business integration - Integration servers provide a centralised infrastructure for application integration and business process automation.
- Commerce - Products in an integrated package providing basic marketing, sales and order processing functionality. These can be tailored to suit your needs.
- Data & Information Management - Data & Information Management software provides storage, access and analysis of data in any environment.
- Networking - Networking software provides integrated directory, connectivity and security between users and applications.
- Organisational Productivity & Collaboration - Productivity software provides instant messaging, web conferencing, collaborative portals and role-based environments.
- Software Development - Software development tools design and construct applications and support the development and deployment process.
- Systems Management - Systems management software is used to monitor, control and optimise computing resources.
- Wireless, Voice & Pervasive - Wireless, pervasive and voice software supports data exchange and voice interaction between wireless and mobile devices.
Learn more - IBM WebSphere products
Microsoft
For those new to Microsoft licensing it can appear a very complicated process to identify which is the best option for your organisation. As a Microsoft Gold Partner, BSG is best place to assist you through that process using its own and when required engaging a Microsoft licensing specialist to come into your organisation and provide the information you need to make the right decision.
In addition to boxed Fully Packaged Product (FPP) licensing for of the shelf Microsoft software and Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) licensing when buying a new PC with software, Microsoft also provides Volume Licensing for organisations:
Volume Licensing - Microsoft Volume Licensing programmes may be the right choice for your organisation if you need multiple copies of Microsoft software. Volume licensing is a flexible and economical way to acquire from five to thousands of licenses for software. Microsoft Volume Licensing programs provide potentially substantial savings, ease of deployment, flexible acquisition, numerous payment options, and other benefits such as Software Assurance.
Software Assurance Offering with Volume Licensing - Software Assurance is an offering available with Microsoft Volume Licensing programs that helps you get the most from your software by providing greater value, assistance, and manageability. With Software Assurance, you can access training and deployment resources that enable employees to work more efficiently than ever. Software Assurance also allows your organisation to acquire the right to use tomorrow's technology at today's prices, and allows you to spread payments annually instead of paying up front in one lump sum. Organisations with Software Assurance coverage are eligible to use new versions of the covered software that are made available during their term of coverage.
For further information on Microsoft Volume Licensing and Software Assurance, please visit Microsoft's Volume Licensing Page
Service Provider Licence Agreement (SPLA) - Only launched in the last couple of years and available from Microsoft Hosting Providers like BSG, SPLA is designed for organisations who wish to access Microsoft software as a service through for a hosting provider like BSG and pay for accessing that software on a per user per month basis. SPLA has no upfront cost and requires monthly payment for the software you use, with Software Assurance included. If you host your web and inward facing Microsoft application with BSG such as Microsoft Exchange and SharePoint you no longer have to be concerned with licensing as a capital expenditure or coordinating renewing the licensing.
Visit BSG's Microsoft Infrastructure Solutions page
Visit BSG's Microsoft Applications solution page
Symantec
Symantec Software ranks among the top 10 software companies in the world, and offers a wide range of products for the smallest to the largest enterprises, covering High Availability, Data Protection, Storage and Server Management and Application Service Management.
BSG specialises in a sub-set of the products offered by Symantec, specifically around High Availability and Data Protection. In these areas BSG leverages internal expertise, along with that of our partners to ensure that the client has a positive experience from discussions prior to purchase through to the implementation of the solution.
High Availability - Cluster Server
Symantec Cluster Server, the industry's leading open systems clustering solution, is ideal for reducing planned and unplanned downtime, facilitating server consolidation, and effectively managing a wide range of applications in heterogeneous environments. With support for up to 32 node clusters in SAN, Symantec Cluster Server features the power and flexibility to protect everything from a single critical database instance, to the largest, globally dispersed, multi-application clusters. Increasing automation, providing features to test production disaster recovery plans without disruption, and offering intelligent workload management allow cluster administrators to maximise resources by moving beyond reactive recovery to proactive management of application availability.
Data Protection - Backup and Recovery
Symantec backup solutions protect your critical data, simplify the management of data backup and recovery, and provide consistent, reliable data protection. There are three solutions available, Symantec NetBackup Enterprise Server, Symantec NetBackup Server, and Symantec Backup Exec.
While Symantec NetBackup Enterprise Server and Symantec NetBackup Server provide a solution proven across a variety of server operating systems, it is recognised that for smaller networks a simpler backup solution may be more appropriate. Symantec Backup Exec provides a comprehensive backup solution where less data requires backing up.
- Symantec NetBackup Enterprise Server - delivers high performance data protection for the largest UNIX, Windows, Linux and NetWare environments. NetBackup software helps organisations take advantage of both tape and disk storage through advances in disk and snapshot backups, off-site tape management, and automated server recovery. To reduce the impact on business critical systems, NetBackup software enables granular backup and recovery of online databases and applications. Offering complete protection from desktop to data centre to vault, NetBackup software provides one tool for total control and visibility into all backup and recovery operations.
- Symantec NetBackup Server - this is a cost-effective heterogeneous backup and recovery solution designed for mid-size organisations, workgroups, and remote offices. NetBackup software helps organisations take advantage of both tape and disk storage through advances in disk backups, off-site tape management, and automated server recovery. To reduce the impact on business critical systems, NetBackup software enables granular backup and recovery of online databases and applications. Offering complete protection from desktop to server to vault, NetBackup software provides one tool for total control and visibility into all backup and recovery operations.
- Symantec Backup Exec - A backup and restore solution providing comprehensive, cost effective protection for Microsoft Windows and Netware server environments. A web-based administration console and intuitive graphical user interface with easy-to-use wizards simplify installation and enhance manageability. High performance agents and options deliver flexibility to quickly protect desktop, laptop and server data.
Archiving - Symantec Enterprise Vault
Symantec Enterprise Vault provides a flexible, software-based archiving framework to enable the discovery of content held within Microsoft Exchange, SharePoint Portal Server, IM and file server environments, while reducing storage costs and simplifying management. Enterprise Vault manages content via automated, policy-controlled archiving to online stores for active retention and seamless retrieval of information. The built-in powerful search and discovery capabilities of Enterprise Vault are complemented by specialized client applications for compliance and legal protection.