Maintenance entitlement overview for Symantec on-premises products

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• Symantec Products

Issue/Introduction

 

Resolution

This article describes the entitlements associated with Maintenance for Symantec on-premises products, and the resources available when you renew your Maintenance.

Contents

• Deployment methods
• Licensing and renewal basics
• Compliance obligations
• Value of Maintenance and the importance of renewing
• How to renew
• Risks associated with not renewing

Deployment Methods

This article concerns the on-premises deployment of Symantec software products.

On-premises software (often abbreviated as on-prem software, and also called “on-premise” software) describes a software delivery model where the software product is installed and operated on the computer infrastructure that is entirely located at the premises of the organization using the software.

Off-premises software is commonly referred to as “software as a service” or “cloud computing”.

Licensing and renewal basics

Symantec software products for on-premises deployment are licensed and can be purchased according to the following license models:

Perpetual

Symantec software products are normally sold as bundles with a perpetual software license for the software product, and a Maintenance entitlement for a finite term (usually one to three years). For new customers, this means that Maintenance is included in the initial purchase price.

The bundle consists of:

• The perpetual software license that entitles you to use the core features and functionality delivered by the purchased version of your product indefinitely, for a specified quantity based on the Use Level that is stated in the End User License Agreement (EULA).

• Your maintenance entitlement provides you access to the following benefits for the duration of your Maintenance term:
  • Critical security content updates for products with security features.
  • Version upgrades (Major Releases) at no extra cost. A Major Release incorporates the last Minor Release (if one has occurred) and may include architectural changes, major feature changes, new platform support and new operating system support. It typically requires a new installation.
  • Product updates (Minor Releases). A Minor Release incorporates all previous Maintenance Packs and Fixes since the prior Major Release. It is tied to the preceding Major Release and may contain new features, new platform support, new operating system support, and the latest maintenance updates. It typically requires a new installation.
  • Break fixes, patches and enhancements (Maintenance Pack). A Maintenance Pack provides cumulative bug fixes for a particular Major Release or Minor Release of Licensed Software, but contains no new features or functionality. It is generally installed as an overlay - also known as a patch.
  • 24x7 Technical Support (Essential Support)
  • Various online support and learning options.

Learn how Maintenance price is determined for perpetually licensed software products.

Renewal: Your entitlement to access Maintenance benefits expires at the end of the Maintenance term. Prior to the expiry date, Maintenance must be renewed for continued access to benefits that sustain and maximize the original software investment, including access to critical security content, the latest product versions and technical support. To remain compliant, the Maintenance quantity being renewed must equal the aggregate software license quantity.

Subscription

In some instances, Symantec sells both the software license and Maintenance entitlement together for a finite term as a subscription.

A Symantec software product on-premises subscription entitles you to use the product and access Maintenance benefits for a specified quantity based on the Use Level that is stated in the End User License Agreement (EULA) and for a specified term.

For the duration of the subscription term, an on-premise subscription provides access to:

• The software features and functionality delivered by the purchased version of your product
• Maintenance benefits:
  • Critical security content updates for products with security features.
  • Version upgrades (Major Releases) at no extra cost. A Major Release incorporates the last Minor Release (if one has occurred) and may include architectural changes, major feature changes, new platform support and new operating system support. It typically requires a new installation.
  • Product updates (Minor Releases). A Minor Release incorporates all previous Maintenance Packs and Fixes since the prior Major Release. It is tied to the preceding Major Release and may contain new features, new platform support, new operating system support, and the latest maintenance updates. It typically requires a new installation.
  • Break fixes, patches and enhancements (Maintenance Pack). A Maintenance Pack provides cumulative bug fixes for a particular Major Release or Minor Release of Licensed Software, but contains no new features or functionality. It is generally installed as an overlay - also known as a patch.
  • 24x7 Technical Support (Essential Support)
  • Various online support and learning options.

Renewal: Your entitlement to use the software product and access Maintenance benefits expires after the subscription term. To ensure continued access to the software product and to Maintenance benefits, you must renew your subscription prior to the end of the subscription term.

Compliance Obligations

You are responsible for managing your Symantec software licenses and corresponding Maintenance entitlements on an ongoing basis as follows:

• Perpetual: Maintenance for perpetually licensed software products is purchased and renewed on a per license basis. To ensure full and continued access to your Maintenance benefits, the Maintenance quantity must always match the aggregate quantity of your software licenses (original purchased quantity plus any additional software licenses purchased subsequently).

• Subscription: Where the software is licensed by subscription, your rights to use the software and access Maintenance benefits, end on the subscription term end-date.

To avail of Maintenance benefits for software licenses not under Maintenance would be considered a breach of Symantec’s EULA. You are also reminded that use of a perpetually licensed Symantec product above the specified quantity would be considered over-deployment and a breach of your license grant.

Visit Licensing Information to learn about licensing basics, license compliance and find resources to assist you. For assistance with all your non-technical licensing queries, contact Customer Support.

Value of Maintenance and the importance of renewing

Maintenance continuously upholds and maximizes the value of your Symantec software investment.

Maintenance Benefits

Current* Maintenance entitles you to access a wide range of benefits:

• For products with security features: Continuous protection with security content updates
  Automatic delivery of critical security content updates, daily, that proactively respond to threats and sustain your security posture. Content updates vary by product but typically include: anti-virus and anti-spyware definitions; anti-spam rules; firewall rules, vulnerability signatures; policy compliance updates; authenticated web page lists; URL lists; intrusion detection data etc. Without current Maintenance, your protection becomes outdated and your systems become vulnerable.
   
• Continuous product innovation, optimization and adaptability with product updates
  Access to important software updates, enhancements, bug fixes and patches that enable your product to work optimally, adapt to technology and operating system changes and ensure ongoing product stability. The more up-to-date your product is, the better it will function, evolve and adapt. Without current Maintenance, you are no longer entitled to important product updates.
   
• New features & functionality with Version Upgrades
  Access to the latest Version Upgrades that deliver major changes to the product’s feature set and underlying architecture.
  • Cutting-edge features, platform flexibility and automation innovations are typical of Symantec’s R&D efforts designed to boost product performance, control and also ultimately lower the cost of ownership.
  • Running the latest product version ensures uninterrupted security protection; ongoing supportability; adherence to the latest regulatory compliance protocols, and optimization of your software investment.
  • Upgrade at no extra cost during the Maintenance term and realize the long-term cost savings by never having to buy a new version again.

Without current Maintenance, you won’t have ongoing access to the latest software versions. Along with the potential security risk this poses to your organization, you also risk encountering higher costs and technical difficulties associated with future migrations.

• Rapid response and resolution from Technical Support, 365 days a year (Essential Support)
  Symantec’s skilled Technical Support Engineers are available around the clock, every day of the year to help with your technical questions and resolve product issues.
  • Published Service Level Agreements by issue severity.
  • Global reach with 1,200 technical support professionals in 13 centers (English primarily, with commercially reasonable efforts to provide non-English language support during regional business hours, subject to our having available resources) and the safety net of Symantec security engineers, threat analysts and researchers available to lend their unparalleled expertise.
  • Continuous support for Severity 1 cases using a follow-the-sun model.
  • Case creation using the MySymantec or by phone.
  • No limit on the number of technical support calls or cases created.
  • Up to 6 designated contacts.
  • Prioritized handling of suspicious files by Symantec’s Security Response Team & personalized report.

• Various self-help options to problem-solve and assist
  • Product Documentation with user guides and reference documentation.
  • Knowledge Base with technical notes, how-tos, tips and more.
  • Symantec Connect forum to engage online with other customers and Symantec technicians.
  • Symantec Blog with latest cyber security news, recommendations, opinion and analysis.
  • SymDiag diagnostic and security analysis utility that provides self-help support for technical issues and best practice recommendations; gathers data for support-assisted troubleshooting as well as licensing and Maintenance status.
  • Symantec’s eLibrary with access to over 1500 on-demand, online training modules

* Maintenance is considered “current” when both term (start and end dates of the Maintenance term) and quantity (Maintenance quantity should match software license quantity of the product being supported) criteria are met. Customers with expired Maintenance lose their entitlements to Maintenance benefits.

How to renew

On-time renewal of Maintenance is essential to safeguard the value of your Symantec software investment.

You should contact your reseller to arrange your renewal. For more information, consult our Renewals FAQ.
Once renewed you will need to update your software product in order to activate the new Maintenance term. Visit Getting Started for information about how to activate your renewal. Need help? Contact Symantec Customer Care.

Risks associated with not renewing

If you fail to renew your Maintenance, you will no longer be entitled to access the benefits of Maintenance previously outlined.

Critically, you will not be entitled to receive important product and security content updates that keep your product current and performing optimally. This means that your software installation and your organization become vulnerable and exposed to unknown risks.

Additionally, if you choose to upgrade to a future version of the product, you will be required to repurchase your software license at a higher cost to establish your right to the latest version.

Finally, you will be denied access to technical support and you will no longer be able to log technical support cases online via MySymantec.