| What is this major new benefit that has been added to the Aras subscription package? | Back to Top |
Aras subscription packages now include the services to performed remote upgrades of your company's entire Aras Innovator enterprise software solution suite, even customizations your company has made and custom solutions your business has created.
From now on, your subscription package will keep your company's Aras enterprise system current with the latest security updates, advanced performance optimizations, new features, capabilities, and more.
Are you kidding? For the first time ever an enterprise software solution provider is going to upgrade your company's system... with customizations... that's right, not just give you access to the next release, but actually perform the upgrade on the application code tree and database schema for both Service Packs and Major Releases.
That's unheard of... try negotiating that as a fixed price component of your maintenance contract with Oracle, SAP, PTC, or any of the other major enterprise PLM systems providers. Don't take it personally if they laugh.
It's the magic of advanced technology. No really, it's because of the power of the Aras model-based service-oriented architecture (or model-based SOA) which separates the XML models which define the enterprise applications from the underlying compiled code in the SOA thereby enabling fast and easy upgrades due to the... ah never mind... it's a bunch of techno-babble. Aras is so much more advanced than any other enterprise software system on the market that even heavily customized systems take only a few man days to upgrade. That's how.
| Does my company have to have a subscription package with Aras? | Back to Top |
"No" everything is optional at Aras. Now, if you want to receive the upgrade services (along with all the other numerous subscriber-only benefits), then "Yes" your company is going to need a subscription, and that subscription package will need to remain active and current each time you go through an upgrade process.
| Will Aras perform upgrade services on any version of the Aras Innovator enterprise solution suite? | Back to Top |
"Yes" you can always have your Aras system upgraded. As for the subscription package upgrade services, that benefit only applies to Aras Innovator Version 9.1 or greater. Companies running previous versions of the Aras Innovator suite should contact Aras Consulting or their preferred Aras partner to find out about options.
| Will Aras upgrade all of the different Aras Innovator installations at my company? | Back to Top |
"Yes" if you have a separate subscription agreement for each installation. Aras upgrade services apply to the single production instance environment that is governed by each individual subscription package.
| What if we have downloaded a bunch of the Aras open source community solutions and they are running in our production environment? Will they get upgraded as well? | Back to Top |
"Yes" because your entire production system database including customizations and community solutions openly available from the Aras web site are getting upgraded. Now, if you have exterior programs running like integrations or custom HTML pages somewhere that hook into your Aras system, those will need to be handled separately of course. We're obviously not offering to take over your whole company's IT duties. Just a huge portion as they relate to Aras.
| What about third party commercial solutions? Will these be upgraded as well? | Back to Top |
Third party commercial solutions are separate and upgrades of these solutions are not part of the subscription package upgrade services.
| Will these upgrade services be offered for every service pack and release? | Back to Top |
"Yes" your company has the option to take advantage of the subscription package upgrade services for each service pack and subscriber release Aras makes.
| What if we don't upgrade very often and get several releases back? | Back to Top |
In order to take advantage of the upgrade services in the subscription package you can't get more than one (1) revision behind. If you do get several releases behind, we can do an upgrade for you at standard consulting rates, no problem.
| If I've got a bunch of solution enhancements that we really need as well, are those included? | Back to Top |
We can do them at the same time, however, standard consulting rates will apply for the solution enhancements.
| Do we have to do anything or do upgrades just magically happen? | Back to Top |
There are a few things that will be necessary. Your system administrator will need to provide a snapshot of the latest database and you'll of course need to test the upgrade to make sure everything is working properly. Then, simply coordinate scheduling for the production system cut-over.
| What if we want someone to come on-site to perform the upgrade? | Back to Top |
If you're dying to see us and really want us to come out instead of performing the upgrade at the Aras Development Center, then travel and expenses will be necessary.
| Is there anything else our company is responsible for? | Back to Top |
"Yes" upgrades may rely on specific software or hardware infrastructure like designated versions of the operating system, database, web server, or browser for example. You will need to make sure that your environment is up to date in order to take advantage of an upgrade.
| Who should I contact to start an upgrade process? | Back to Top |
Contact your Certified Aras Partner or Aras Support directly.
