Note: This article is written by Embarcadero Developer Support. This is just the view point of a support engineer. Final terms and conditions for VARs need to negotiated with your Embarcadero Sales representative.
You've developed your killer application to use with InterBase, now you want to deploy it to your customers. How do you get InterBase into your customers hands? This document will give you some guidelines on what you can and cannot do.
The common mistake made is to purchase InterBase for your customer and resell it to your customer. This is a clear violation of your InterBase license. Here is the portion of the InterBase license.txt that covers this:
"... you may not transfer, rent, lease, lend, copy, modify, translate, sublicense, time-share or electronically transmit or receive the Software, media or documentation."
OK, you cannot purchase the software for the customer. So, you decide to give your customers the trial edition with the idea they will purchase the full product before the trial expires. Aside from the headache you might be putting on your customer, License.txt doesn't let you do this either. Here is what it says:
"... you may install the Product, as outlined below, on a temporary basis for trial, evaluation, non-commercial purposes only"
OK, so you decide you'll just tell the customer to purchase InterBase themselves and install it. That's OK. However, don't you want the install of your product to be seamless? Didn't you pick InterBase because the user doesn't need to know anything about InterBase? Do you maybe want control of the install, in either versioning or how InterBase is installed? Would like to be able to pass on some savings of purchasing InterBase to your customer? If any of this important to you, read on.
If any of this is important to you, you want to become an InterBase VAR. In the simplest of terms, becoming an InterBase VAR is simply a legal agreement between you and Embarcadero that allows you to redistribute InterBase. Other than this legal stipulation, there usually are other benefits you get as well. These are outlined below.
1. No registration and licensing headaches. VARs typically receive a .SLIP file which they deploy with their application. By simply copying it to the InterBase install directory it inhibits the need to register the InterBase server. VARs also typically receive a collection of user licenses they need with their applications. VARs deploy their SLIP file and user licenses as need be, then report back to Embarcadero quarterly what they have deployed and pay royalties on their deployments.
Because VARs can deploy slip files, they can also build silent installs. A silent install allows your customers to not even know InterBase is being installed. Your silent install can also configure InterBase to be configured the way you want it to be configured and using InterBase's multi-instance option you can virtual guarantee no other application will use your installation.
2. InterBase version control. You certify your product with the current version of InterBase. Customers can purchase this version of InterBase fine today. However, Embarcadero generally only sells the current versions of its software. Unless you plan to recertify your product every time Embarcadero comes out with a new version of InterBase, you need to be able to get to your customers the version of InterBase you certified on. Because you can redistribute InterBase, you can do this.
3. Volume discounts. If you deploy enough copies of InterBase you may be eligible for volume discounts. Volume discounts need to be discussed with your Embarcadero sales rep.
Customers interested in becoming an InterBase VAR need to contact Embarcadero sales. Information on contacting sales is available at www.embarcadero.com/company/contact-us
