HCLSoftware Support Update: Important Policies

HCLSoftware would like to take this opportunity to highlight our policies for offering Support Subscription and access to updates and downloads for HCLSoftware Programs.

Licensees of other software vendors’ products will recognize similar policies.

HCLSoftware’s Master License Agreement incorporates by reference HCLSoftware’s Support Guide and the Program specific License Information Documents, the terms of which together comprise the full agreement and are binding upon the Licensee.

Licensee must maintain a uniform, supported environment:

1. Programs are deployed with the appropriate operating systems, container platforms and/or hardware levels and other environmental components for proper functioning.
2. Deployed Program versions and releases are within the range of Licensee’s entitlements.
3. All deployed Program entitlements and/or instances in Licensee’s organization have uniform Support subscriptions; there can be no partial renewal of Support for the Programs deployed.
4. Licensee must maintain a Support subscription for any Program, where download of the actual code and/or any updates are needed.

Consequently, HCLSoftware mandates:

1. Active Support subscription for all deployed Programs is required to enable access to the HCL License & Download portal.
2. HCLSoftware requires that Support is renewed for all Programs deployed and partial renewals are not permitted.
3. For some older license models, client-side and server-side were provided as separate products – although both are needed for a production environment. As Programs have evolved and are packaged, they are mutually dependent and one-sided renewal of such client-specific or server-specific entitlements would be considered a partial renewal and is not permitted.
4. If Licensee desires any change in a Supported volume, a report that verifies current Program usage and installation volume is required for the renewal of Support. The renewal must follow the guidelines laid out here.

So, if you own a Perpetual entitlement:

• Licensee is enrolled for Support permitting access to technical support and any updates or new versions or releases of the specific Program for the first 12 months after purchase.
• The Support subscription must be renewed annually for continued access and must be for the full licensed capacity; HCLSoftware will not permit only some users out of a larger volume, or some percentage of a server being supported.Deployed volume and Supported volume must be identical.
• For the HCL Domino family of products, Licensee must pay attention to some Programs being the primary Program for a particular product as well as also being a supporting program for other products. The requirement for all Programs to be under support applies to the individual Programs. E.g. HCL Notes Program entitled via HCL Enterprise Client Access or HCL Complete Collaboration Business Edition.
• If Licensee allows a Support subscription to expire, there will no longer be any access to the Program on the HCL License and Download portal.
  • However, if no other restrictions have been imposed by previous contracts and as entitlement is perpetual, Licensee may revert to the Program level and volume when Support was last active.
  • All other versions and updates must be uninstalled.
  • Licensee may negotiate a restart with HCLSoftware in order to obtain Support and access to further GA versions again.
• If Licensee wants to increase the entitled volume (e.g. add more users) via Perpetual entitlements, this is only permitted if all current Perpetual entitlements are on active Support to prevent an indirect partial renewal.

If using Term licensing:

• A Fixed Term License, is essentially a “lease agreement” where the license entitlement and access to Support is combined and valid for a specific finite term.
• Renewing a fixed term license in a lesser quantity than the previous term also mandates customer providing a report that verifies current Program usage and installation volume.
• Contrary to perpetual entitlements, if a term license is not renewed, Licensee has no entitlement to the Program and must delete/uninstall all material for the Program. And Licensee will no longer have access to the HCLSoftware License and Download portal or Support.
• If Licensee wants to acquire term licenses for a product, and already owns perpetual licenses for the same, the entire volume of deployed entitlements must be established as term licensing replacing the perpetual licenses for continued uniformity.

Ensuring continuity:

• For continued access to Support benefits, renewal orders must be placed prior to the expiration date for the current term – both for Support subscriptions and term licensing.
• All renewals completed after the expiration date will be back-dated to the date of lapse. Renewals completed after the expiration date are exceptions and are at the sole discretion of HCLSoftware.
• For any renewal or restart, Licensee must provide a report that verifies current Program usage and installation volume.

If you have any questions about this blog post or have any licensing questions, please contact your HCLSoftware sales specialist or HCL Software Business Partner. All renewal questions should be addressed to your HCLSoftware Customer Success Manager or other HCLSoftware sales specialist directly. If you do not know your sales contact, you may contact customersuccess@hcl.com and we will connect you with the right team members.

Useful links:

• HCL Software License Information Documents
• HCL Support Portal and link to current HCL Support Guide
• HCL Master License Agreement
• HCL Software Renewal Statements
• What is the HCL Software License & Download Portal ?

Disclaimer – This statement is subject to change or withdrawal without notice at HCLSoftware’s sole discretion.