The licenses for the PC/TCP and OnNet software distributed by the NIH Computer Center have recently been transferred to the technical LAN coordinators (TLC)s of the LANs that hold the copies.

Until September 1996, this network software was provided by the NIH Computer Center free of charge to registered users of the central facility. DCRT’s Computing Facilities Branch (CFB) originally purchased the licenses from FTP Software Inc. to enable users to get high-speed access to the IBM/MVS facility of the Computer Center. CFB also purchased maintenance to provide upgrades to new versions, patches for bugs, and help-desk support from FTP Software, Inc. Even after September 1996, when free distribution of the software ended, CFB continued to purchase annual maintenance for the copies already distributed to NIH users. The current maintenance license purchased by CFB expires on March 27, 1998.

The Clock Is Running Out

This is a reminder to each TLC now responsible for this software that—in order to continue to receive new versions, patches, and FTP Software support—you need to purchase maintenance for copies transferred to you. Maintenance for transferred copies must be purchased within 90 days of the March 27 expiration date—that is, prior to June 25, 1998—to be considered a renewal instead of a new purchase.

To obtain maintenance, contact an FTP Software reseller who will transfer your copies from the CFB license to a new license and then procure the maintenance for these copies. (A list of FTP Software resellers is available at http:/silk.nih.gov/silk/ftpsw.) Without renewed maintenance, the copies of PC/TCP and OnNet assigned to the LAN may continue to be used "as is" or can be replaced with the 32-bit software that is available as an upgrade from the CFB maintenance license. (See the article, "OnNet Upgrade—A 32-bit Upgrade To Be Available Soon" in this issue.)

The clock is running out for maintenance renewal so don’t delay.

Questions About the Transfer

These license and maintenance transfers were announced at the Technical LAN Coordinators meeting on February 6, 1998, and were also explained in e-mail sent to each TLC who has LAN users with registered copies of PC/TCP or OnNet. Because many LANs and people have moved, this e-mail may not have reached the appropriate person. If you are a TLC using copies of this software obtained from the Computer Center and you did not receive the e-mail, or if you have some questions about what copies are assigned to your LAN, please let us know by contacting TASC.