Mainframe software pricing is so onerous for the user that it has become a key determinant driving downsizing to open systems, so software vendors from the mainframe world cannot hope to survive if they retain their mainframe pricing culture among their baggage when they introduce Unix versions of their products. Legent Corp is the latest company to face up to this uncomfortable fact, and it has introduced what it calls Flexplan, claiming that it makes it easier for data processing managers to manage their software expenditures as they move from the mainframe to client-server computing. The Herndon, Virginia company describes Flexplan as a five-year programme for both new and existing Legent customers that provides flexibility, price predictability and investment protection, regardless of whether they expand their mainframe usage or move off the host to a client-server environment. The company is also making it possible for its users to earn credits towards client-server software when downsizing or eliminating their MVS systems. Under Flexplan, customers pay a one-time premium, and for that Legent provides budget protection against significant future increases by giving customers wide latitude to install larger CPUs without an associated increase in licence costs; maintenance costs are also defined for five years. Flexplan also offers more flexibility in transferring products between CPUs. Flexplan attaches to individual MVS product licences, but is only interesting for those that expect change in their information processing strategy, whether that change involves a migration to client-server, upgrades of CPUs, or reduction in host processing. Flexplan customers will be issued non-CPU-specific authorisation codes to reduce their licence management administration. Credits for those moving to client-server computing or otherwise downsizing are given towards Legent’s XPE family of client-server systems management products, and are based on a formula tied to a product’s current list price and the year in which the downgrade or cancellation occurs. Legent already offers a MIPS-based site licence agreement, which allows customers to license products on a site basis tied to either a maximum number of CPUs or a total capacity measured in MIPS, and this is being expanded and added to Flexplan.
