Asigra Introduces Unlimited Use Licensing for Managed Service Providers
Metered pay-per-use is not so great when usage keeps going up and rarely goes down. Cloud backup vendor Asigra has introduced license pricing that is fixed regardless of how much capacity, users, or machines increase over a term.
Asigra sells data protection software to managed service providers. Chances are if you use a cloud backup appliance in your data center, it runs Asigra software. Asigra’s new Unlimited Use Subscription License has the following components:
- The pricing is based on usage from the previous year plus “a jointly agreed upon growth commitment.”
- The subscription cost will not increase “regardless of how much the service provider’s usage (capacity, virtual machines, physical machines, sockets, users, etc.) rises during the term.”
- Asigra says this approach will limit the potential for oversubscription. With predictable licensing costs there is also potential to increase profit for the MSP.
Our Take
Together “Elasticity” and “Metered Costs” are benefits of cloud computing, but that assumes peaks and valleys of usage where you pay only for when you have to and save when you don’t. In data backup, usage and capacity growth are constant. Asigra’s scheme will help MSPs avoid runaway costs.