Local Sybase users to benefit from international software escrow agreement

Sybase users in SA stand to benefit from an international software escrow agreement designed to safeguard their business continuity and minimise their operational risk.

This agreement is part of the professional service initiative that sees Sybase Inc taking proactive steps to promote the interests of its user community. Licensed users of Sybase products throughout the world are entitled to subscribe as beneficiaries to this agreement.

According to Sybase SA Chief Executive Officer, Alan Cowley, Sybase`s objectives for offering the escrow arrangement are rooted in its quality assurance policy and drive for promoting good ICT governance in its user community.

He said the escrow arrangement with Escrow Europe takes cognisance of several facts:

* Software suppliers worldwide are increasingly recognising that escrow is a stamp of quality.
* Clients` requests for escrow are perfectly legitimate as it often concerns mission-critical software that requires additional continuity of use warranties.
* The need for escrow is growing in order to comply with current and upcoming ICT governance policies. This way, registered Sybase customers can be proactive in complying with ICT governance imperatives (for example: King II, COSOII; Sarbanes-Oxley, ISO 17799, etc).
* Failure to comply with good governance practices can result in legal action against the senior executives of the companies concerned (Section 424 of the Companies Act of 1973 applies).

Escrow Europe director, Andrew Stekhoven, said local Sybase licensees who elect not to subscribe to the agreement as beneficiaries forego an opportunity to safeguard their business continuity and comply with current operational risk best practices with respect to mission-critical software that they are licensed to use but do not own.

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He argued that, in today`s technology-driven society, companies are increasingly dependent on licensed software systems that do not `lock, stock and barrel` belong to them. Software escrow provides for the deposit of the source code (and critical technical documentation) of a vital software product with an independent and neutral trusted third-party. This third-party, in this instance Escrow Europe, is authorised by Sybase to release the source code material to the end-user under conditions as set out in the escrow agreement.

All that is required of a Sybase licensee seeking the protection of the existing agreement is the completion and submission of a one-page registration/subscription form.

Fortunately, registration is cost-effective - thanks to international economies of scale. The subscription fee that Sybase has negotiated on behalf of its customer base is a minimal 1 200 euro a year. In addition, to launch this international escrow agreement to the local Sybase community, Sybase SA has negotiated a discount of 50% for southern African Sybase users that subscribe by the end of April 2005. Using R8 to the euro, this translates to a first year fee of R4 800 (VAT excluded) instead of the full fee for the first and ensuing years of R9 600 (VAT excluded).

Find out more about escrow and its benefits to business at www.escroweurope.com.

If you are a Sybase customer and would like to register as a beneficiary, e-mail cathy.vanzyl@escroweurope.com for the necessary documentation or Andrew Stekhoven on andrew.stekhoven@escroweurope.com.