Two clear ways to license Xentara.
Xentara is licensed per node and per edition. You decide whether you want to own your licenses with a one time fee (Perpetual) or subscribe on an annual basis with continuous updates included (Subscription). The sections below explain both models, the components, the volume logic and the support options, in plain language. Pricing is provided on request.
How licensing works at Xentara
Both licensing models share the same building blocks. Once you understand these concepts, reading the Perpetual or Subscription chapter becomes simple.
Edition
Choose Starter, Professional or Enterprise. The edition defines the technical capabilities of every node, for example datapoints, tracks, connectors and orchestration.
Per-node licensing
Xentara is licensed per running node. A node is one runtime instance of Xentara on a control PC, edge device, server or VM. You license the number of nodes you need.
Volume logic
The more nodes you license in one purchase, the better the per-node terms. Volume pricing is transparent and identical across both licensing models, and is quoted on request.
Add-on modules
Optional modules (vertical bundles, technology extensions, connectivity) extend a node beyond its edition. Add-ons are licensed per node, on top of the chosen edition.
Support & maintenance
Four support tiers (Community, Bronze, Silver, Gold) define response times and channels. In Perpetual it is an optional annual contract; in Subscription it is added to the annual term.
Professional services
Onboarding, training, custom skill development and integration support are quoted separately based on scope, on top of any license model.
Three editions, one Xentara.
The edition you choose defines the technical envelope of every Xentara node. Volume terms, add-ons and support apply on top and are quoted on request.
Perpetual Licensing
Pay once. Own the license. Maintain when you want updates and support.
What you get
A Perpetual license is a one time license fee per node. After the initial purchase, the license is yours indefinitely. The version of Xentara you bought continues to run on your hardware without any time-based expiry. This model is ideal for capital-budgeted projects, OEM machine builders shipping installed software with their products, and organisations that prefer a predictable, owned asset on the balance sheet.
- Indefinite right to use the licensed Xentara version
- All capabilities of the chosen edition included
- Volume terms applied based on node count
- Optional Maintenance & Support adds updates plus response SLAs
What is not included
- Major and minor version updates released after purchase (require active Maintenance & Support)
- Add-on modules, unless explicitly licensed
- Professional services, onboarding and custom development
- Defense / Infrastructure scenarios with regulated requirements (separate individual quote)
Editions available as Perpetual
One time license, valid for the lifetime of the licensed version. Pricing is provided on request.
| Edition | Description |
|---|
Volume terms
Volume terms improve the per-node basis as node count increases, and apply to all nodes in the order once the next threshold is reached. The same tiers apply to both Perpetual and Subscription. Pricing is provided on request.
| Nodes per order | Notes |
|---|
Maintenance & Support, Perpetual
Maintenance & Support is optional and offered as an annual contract per support tier. It includes product updates released during the contract year and the response times shown below. You can choose any tier independent of the chosen edition.
| Support tier | Response time | What is included |
|---|
Add-on pricing, Perpetual
Add-on modules extend a node beyond the capabilities of its edition. They are licensed per node, just like the edition itself, and are paid one time. See the add-on catalogue below; pricing is provided on request.
Subscription Licensing
Pay annually. Receive updates, support and continuous improvements. Cancel at term.
What you get
A Subscription license is an annual fee per node. As long as the subscription is active, you run on the latest Xentara release with all included support. Subscription is a fit for OPEX-funded projects, evolving deployments and customers who want continuous access to new features without a separate maintenance contract.
- Right to use Xentara for the contracted period (typically annual)
- All capabilities of the chosen edition included
- Continuous updates, including new major versions, included for the term
- Support response according to the chosen tier (Community is included by default)
- Volume terms applied based on node count
What is not included
- Continued usage rights after the subscription ends
- Add-on modules unless explicitly subscribed
- Professional services, onboarding and custom development
- Defense / Infrastructure scenarios with regulated requirements (separate individual quote)
Editions available as Subscription
Annual license, includes updates released during the active term. Pricing is provided on request.
| Edition | Description |
|---|
Volume terms
The same volume tiers apply to Subscription and to Perpetual. Terms improve as node count increases and apply to all nodes in the order once a threshold is reached. Pricing is provided on request.
| Nodes per order | Notes |
|---|
Support, Subscription
Support in Subscription is included by default at the Community level. Premium tiers (Bronze, Silver, Gold) are added to the annual term and follow the response times shown below.
| Support tier | Response time | What is included |
|---|
Add-on pricing, Subscription
Subscription add-ons follow the same catalogue as Perpetual, billed on an annual basis for the term. See the add-on catalogue below; pricing is provided on request.
Perpetual vs Subscription, at a glance
A quick reference for Procurement and Finance teams. Both models share the same editions, add-ons and volume logic.
| Dimension | Perpetual | Subscription |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing structure | One time license fee per node, plus optional annual maintenance. | Annual fee per node, billed yearly. Includes updates and Community support. |
| Updates | Included only while a Maintenance & Support contract is active. | Included for the entire active subscription term. |
| Ownership | You own the license. The licensed version remains usable indefinitely. | Right to use is tied to the active subscription period. |
| Support model | Optional. Annual contract per support tier, independent of node count. | Community support included. Premium tiers added to the annual term. |
| Add-on logic | Add-ons licensed per node, on top of the chosen edition; paid one time. | Add-ons licensed per node, on top of the chosen edition; billed annually. |
| Volume terms | Same volume logic, applied to the license fee. | Same volume logic, applied to the annual fee. |
| Cash profile | Higher initial spend, lower running cost. CAPEX friendly. | Predictable annual spend. OPEX friendly. |
| Cancellation | License remains usable at the version owned. Maintenance can lapse. | Right to use ends when the subscription is not renewed. |
| Best fit | OEM machine builders, capital-budgeted projects, long lifecycle assets. | Evolving deployments, OPEX-only budgets, projects valuing continuous updates. |
Add-ons extend a node beyond its edition.
Add-ons are licensed per node, on top of the chosen edition. The catalogue below shows what is available in each category. Pricing is provided on request.
Vertical bundles
Pre-packaged skill bundles for the most common application domains. Skills inside each bundle are listed below.
| Add-on | Skills included |
|---|
Technology extensions
Cross-cutting technology capabilities that augment any edition.
| Add-on |
|---|
Connectivity
Advanced connectivity beyond the standard connectors that ship with the editions.
| Add-on |
|---|
Onboarding, training and custom development.
Most customers combine a license model with one or more professional services engagements, delivered by Xentara experts and certified partners. Services are scoped and quoted individually based on your project. Below is an overview of typical engagements.
Architecture review, sizing, environment setup, first runtime in production, knowledge transfer to your team. Typically a fixed-scope engagement of two to eight weeks.
Quoted individually.
Standard, role-based curricula for engineers, integrators and architects. Available remote or on site. Custom curricula for OEMs and large rollouts on request.
Quoted individually.
Engineering of bespoke Xentara skills, drivers and connectors for proprietary protocols, devices or domain-specific logic. Delivered with documentation and tests.
Quoted individually.
Workshops to design IT/OT integration patterns, data flows and orchestration topologies aligned with your reference architecture.
Quoted individually.
Migration from legacy automation or middleware to Xentara, including risk assessment, parallel-run plan, cut-over and post-migration stabilisation.
Quoted individually.
Retainer-based engineering capacity for multi-year programmes, multi-site rollouts and OEM products that ship Xentara as a component.
Quoted individually.
Key concepts in one place.
A short reference for the terms used throughout this document.
- Edition
- The technical capability level of a Xentara node. Three editions: Starter, Professional, Enterprise. Defines datapoints, tracks, connectors and orchestration capabilities.
- Node
- One running Xentara runtime instance on a control PC, edge device, server or virtual machine. Licensed individually.
- Per-node basis
- The licensing unit for one Xentara node at a given edition, and the basis for add-on licensing. Pricing is provided on request.
- Volume terms
- Improved per-node terms that apply once a node count threshold is reached. The same logic applies to Perpetual and Subscription.
- Add-on module
- An optional skill bundle, technology extension or connectivity package that extends a node beyond its edition.
- Skill
- A self-contained unit of functionality inside Xentara, for example a driver, a control library or a connector. Skills are grouped into add-ons.
- Maintenance & Support (Perpetual)
- Optional annual contract on top of a Perpetual license that delivers updates and the response SLAs of the chosen support tier.
- Support tier
- One of Community, Bronze, Silver, Gold. Defines response time, channels, ticket volumes and named contacts.
- Annual contract value (ACV)
- The total annual fee paid under Subscription, made up of license, add-ons and the chosen support tier.
Answers to the questions we hear most often.
Can I switch from Perpetual to Subscription, or the other way around?
Yes. Customers regularly transition between the two models, for example moving from Perpetual to Subscription during a fleet upgrade, or consolidating Subscription deployments into Perpetual at the end of a project phase. Your sales contact will walk you through a transition plan that protects existing investment.
Are volume terms the same for Perpetual and Subscription?
Yes. The volume logic is identical for both models. Terms improve as node count increases and apply to all nodes in the order once a threshold is reached. Exact tiers are provided on request.
What exactly counts as a node?
A node is one running Xentara runtime instance. Whether it runs on a physical IPC, a virtual machine or an edge device, each runtime needs its own license. Development, test and staging nodes can typically be covered by a non-production allowance, see your contract for details.
Do Subscription updates cover major versions?
Yes. Subscription includes both minor and major versions released during the active term. Perpetual customers receive updates only while a Maintenance & Support contract is active.
Are Defense and critical Infrastructure use cases supported?
Yes, but they are not part of the standard catalogue. These engagements come with regulatory, certification and deployment requirements that warrant a dedicated assessment and an individual quote.
Are there free trials, evaluations or PoCs?
Yes. Most customers start with a Proof of Concept on the Starter or Professional edition. The PoC scope, support level and licensing duration are agreed upfront. Speak to your sales contact to set one up.
What are the payment terms and currencies?
Quotes are issued in EUR, exclusive of VAT, unless agreed otherwise. Standard payment terms are net 30 days from invoice date. Other currencies and terms are available on request.
Where can I get a binding quote?
Reach out to your Xentara sales contact with your intended edition, node count, target add-ons and preferred support tier. We typically return a complete written quote within two business days.
Ready for a binding quote?
Send your intended edition, node count, target add-ons and preferred support tier. We typically return a complete written quote within two business days.
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