Trimble’s Licensing Evolution
You’re probably familiar with the adage, “If you want something done right, do it yourself”. While that may hold true in certain situations, it’s not necessarily the case in business. Homegrown licensing solutions can be complicated to set up and costly to maintain, which is why more and more companies are choosing to leave their software licensing and entitlement management needs to the pros. This is a smart move considering that a company’s time and money are best invested in its core competencies. We asked the Director of Marketing at Trimble Navigation, Bill Graber, why the leading maker of precision GPS tools chose Gemalto Sentinel to support its growing subscription base.
LEAP: What was wrong with Trimble’s previous license management system that caused you to move over to Sentinel?
BG: The simple answer is that it had grown too complex to meet our customer’s needs. We currently have close to half a million assets, so it made sense for us to migrate to a more sophisticated solution. We chose to implement Sentinel LDK with EMS because they support a broad range of license and connectivity options and make it simple for machine operators to obtain the production data they require. Having these capabilities enables us to keep up with new technology and adapt our offerings wherever necessary.
LEAP: What are some of the practical challenges you face when delivering licenses on large-scale machines?
BG: We’re dealing with some very large construction equipment such as the bucket wheel loader, which stands 315 feet tall – the same height as London’s Big Ben! Needless to say, it would take a head for heights and nerves of steel to manually deliver a license onto one of those bad boys. Machines located in hostile environments present an even greater challenge. Can you imagine sending a guy out to an alligator-infested part of the Amazon to insert a thumb drive license on a hydraulic generator? It might seem like an extreme example, but that’s kind of equipment we’re dealing with.
LEAP: Sounds like a job for MacGyver! Surely there must be a less heroic alternative to manual license delivery in those situations?
BG: There is. We use an over-the-air (OTA) installation, which, besides being a safer option, is much more cost-effective in the long run as it doesn’t require human input. Having said that, the initial outlay for a typical homegrown system can set you back millions of dollars, once you’ve factored in the code generator and hosting or OTA delivery.
LEAP: Given the number of companies Trimble has acquired over the years, how does it manage multiple disparate licensing systems?
BG: Had you asked me that question prior to us introducing Sentinel EMS to our back office, I would’ve said “With great difficulty”. Fortunately, we’ve come a long way since the days of running 20-30 different licensing systems, each with multiple iterations. We now have a much more efficient way to generate, report on, and manage user entitlements, all from a centralized platform. And because Sentinel EMS automates every aspect of our proactive marketing and sales operations lifecycle, we can do so with more accuracy and less expense.
LEAP: How confident are you in your implementation with regards to security?
BG: In the past, our experiences with theft have been limited to image duplication of virtual machines, activation codes being cracked, and – in our pre-Gemalto days – protection key duplication. These violations have set us back millions of dollars, which is why we’re relying on Sentinel solutions to protect us from illegal activity in the future. We wouldn’t have picked them if we didn’t think they were up to the task.
LEAP: Any parting thoughts about the value Sentinel brings to your business?
BG: We are really appreciative of the fact that Sentinel enables us to go after large-scale construction projects with customized, best-of-breed license delivery platforms. I don’t think we’d feel nearly as confident playing in the big leagues without Gemalto helping us maintain our competitive edge.
