This issues raised in *this* thread are now out-of-date and inaccurate. Please read the detailed blog on this issue by DS Product Manager David Evans, which superscedes my post.
This blog also contains a link to a comprensive, updated licensing FAQ. This covers most Altiris/GSS customer licensing scenarios. In summary, processes are in place to allow consumers of the Altiris 6.9 technology to transition to GSS3 (whether it be at renewal or in advance of it) Kind Regards, Ian./
We've been caught out by this, so I thought I'd share.
Please note that maintenance paying DS6.9 customers will be automatically switched over to Deployment Server 7.6 on license renewal. If you want to continue using the DS6.9 codebase (which is now rebranded as Ghost Solution Suite 3) you must contact your sales representative or account manager.
The relevant extract from the GSS3.0 licensing FAQ (many thanks Andy) is this,
Q. We are current on maintenance for Deployment Solution. Are we entitled to Ghost Solution Suite 3.0? A. Not automatically. However, through pre-approved discounting you can buy Ghost Solution Suite 3.0 licenses at the same cost as your Deployment Solution renewal, effectively trading over your Deployment Solution licenses to Ghost Solution Suite. The only issue with this is that you would need to wait until your Deployment Solution renewal is up for this to be 100% cost effective. If you have a lot of maintenance left on your Deployment Solution licenses but want to begin using Ghost Solution Suite 3.0 right away, please contact your sales rep to see if we can help.
My personal feeling on this is that the decision to migrate DS6.9 licenses automatically to DS7.5 is illogical. They are completely different products, and target different use-case scenarios. This decision to uplift customers straight to 7.6 without any dialog poses the risk of customer attrition. All DS6.9 customers may not necessarily be aware that,
This means they might try 7.6, find it unsuited to their specific use-case, and then abandon the brand. If you are a Symantec partner, please do all you can to discuss the options with your customers before their license renewal date.
Update:
I've got the licencing history here muddled -apologies to any Symantec licensing bods who have been scratching their heads on this one! In my ignorance of licensing here, I've been a bit harsh.
I've been thinking about this from DS6.9 license viewpoint which hasn't technically existed for quite some time. My licenses were not automatically switched to DS7.6 on this renewal... they actually switched several years ago on paper when DS6.9 was originally marked for EOL. I hadn't noticed (or forgot) as all I was interested in was the DS6.9 license files which still trickled in.
So, this is why DS6.9 customers can't be automatically moved to GSS3... Symantec have not explicitly been selling DS6.9 for years, but instead have been selling DS7.x (and throwing in DS6.9 licenses 'for free'). So there is no way that Symantec could know if a 7.x license purchase if for a DS6.9 site or not.
That's why we're all in a bit of a mess right now. So, if you are a DS6.9 customer and want to stay on the 6.9 codebase path, don't assume (like I did) that Symantec will know. Contact your sales rep and get those licenses transformed to GSS3 for your next renewal!
Hi Steve,
It's the 'On Demand' aspect that's a concern -customers have to know that they need to ask for this. I didn't... and in many organisations the licensing people are divorced from the technical people... so those doing the renewals (from the Symantec end) might need explain carefully that the maintenance upgrade to 7.6 might not be what they think it is....
I'm sure it will work out in the wash... eventually.... ;-)
Kind Regards, Ian./
Last-minute-Edit: Ideally, the process for renewal should involve a chat to DS6.9 customers, explaining the two options for DS. Have the customer choose, rather than have any automatic process take control??
My understanding from the UK 7.6 partner launch event in March was that DS 6.9 standalone customers would get GSS 3.0 but CMS customers would no longer get DS6.9/GSS 3 licenses but would continue to get DS 7.X licenses. However the discussions led me to believe product management were sensitive to the fact that a lot of CMS customers continue to use DS 6.9 and understood why, and that they didn't want this to become a stumbling block so had instigated a process that would enable customers to continue to use DS 6.9 GSS 3.0 'on demand'.
Also discussed were the main issues around DS 7.X which continue to hold customers back from using it. These seemed to be understood, though only time will tell if these get addressed effectively.
I totally agree with you Ian, that DS 6.x & 7.x are two totally different products, both in features, functionality and hardware requirements.
I do not belueve that DS 7.6 has fully caught up with DS 6.x's capabilities, especially around thin client management.