FlexNet Connect 2014 helps reduce hacker risk

MAIDENHEAD, UK: Flexera Software, the leading provider of Application Usage Management solutions for application producers and enterprises, announced the release of FlexNet Connect 2014, the component of FlexNet Producer Suite that enables software vendors and intelligent device manufacturers to electronically deliver software updates and obtain insights into product and application behaviour.

FlexNet Connect 2014 provides new communications, device management and update capabilities, enabling new product and service offerings and easier software updates, patches and bug fixes for Internet-connected devices.

"Internet-connected devices powered by software and controlled via licensing and entitlement management systems open up myriad new revenue opportunities. For instance, innovative companies can leverage data reported back by the device on its operational status and behavior to develop new product and service offerings," said Amy Konary, Research VP - Software Licensing & Provisioning at IDC.

"But Internet-connected devices also can open up potential exposure to hackers, so device manufacturers also need reliable methods to monitor for such risks and repair any vulnerabilities that may arise."

FlexNet Connect 2014 provides the communications and software delivery infrastructure allowing manufacturers to identify and deliver new product/service opportunities to their customers. A new Device Viewer provides advanced reporting on data coming from the device, giving the application producer the ability to perform remote diagnostics or deep product analysis.

Data such as device-specific profile information, applications updates or even event data picked up by sensors monitoring the device can be leveraged to trigger revenue-generating opportunities for product upgrades, add-ons or service calls - expanding the device manufacturer's relationship with its customer as well as its profits.

"In the old days, a manufacturer had a narrow window to identify customer needs and sell product - and that window wouldn't open again until the product wore out or needed replacement - oftentimes years later. Today that selling window is wide open all the time, and limited only by the device manufacturers' readiness to innovate," said Mathieu Baissac, Flexera Software's VP of Product Management.

"If a dishwasher reports back through FlexNet Connect 2014 of an impending breakdown, there's an opportunity to schedule a revenue-generating service call. If the software controlling security in a home automation system shows heavier use in high-income areas, this could identify an opportunity for the manufacturer to package more robust home security features into a separate add-on product. FlexNet Connect 2014 provides a mechanism for intelligent device manufacturers to collect vital device data and transform it into revenue-generating intelligence."