What’s the Real Purpose of Software License Management? Software licensing is often equated with the prevention of software piracy, but that notion misses the point. Here are the best reasons to use a software license management solution.

What’s the Real Purpose of Software License Management? Software licensing is often equated with the prevention of software piracy, but that notion misses the point. Here are the best reasons to use a software license management solution.
Is software piracy always bad? Is there any amount of piracy that you should tolerate, or even embrace? What determines how much, if any? Software publishers view and handle piracy and overuse in a variety of ways. These diverse viewpoints and approaches weigh several factors in the decision-making process.
Incorporating a license manager, gives publishers the ability to give users a license that allows them to remain in compliance with their software license terms after they’ve disconnected their laptop from the corporate intranet. Whether it be for a few hours, a few days, or a few weeks, “roaming” license policies are very powerful.
As more Independent Software Vendors (ISVs) adopt Reprise License Manager™ (RLM) in increasing numbers, we decided to provide advice on how to optimize the process and ensure a smooth transition from another technology to RLM.
For software vendors, the most valuable aspect of using a license manager is the freedom to define exactly how your customers buy and use your software products. You can match the attributes of your licenses to the precise needs of your customers and markets. Equally valuable is the ability to address unusual opportunity-specific requirements from your biggest and most important customers or new technology partners.
Using a license manager can and should be the foundation of a successful sales/business model. Software demo functionality can maximize control and flexibility by including limited functionality for software evals and demos that are not yet activated. You can also up-sell marginal users, disable features and more.
The ability to easily create eval/trial/demo versions of your packaged software is arguably one of the most powerful advantages to using a license manager. Using an electronic license with an expiration date, and possibly a demo flag, makes your product accessible to would-be buyers. Since electronic licenses can also be easily turned into full, purchased licenses, a trial version of your product is the logical first step in a successful sales process.
There are a few basic guidelines that should be followed when integrating licensing into you software application. Adherence to these guidelines, while not strictly mandatory, will be greatly appreciated by your end-users who will see more consistent implementations from ISV to ISV.
If this title intrigued you at all, chances are you work for a company that sells software it creates, what many call an Independent Software Vendor (ISV). Most ISVs are pretty good at writing software, so when the time comes to consider adding a license manager to their software some ISVs feel it best that they just write the license manager part themselves and be done with it. Here are six things to consider before you build your own license manager.
Independent software vendors who see the need for a software license manager face the universal question of whether to build or buy. Here are a few things to consider before making your decision.