ソフトウェアに不具合が発生したら、Licensorはどのような対応をするかの規定で、非常に重要な規定ですね。Userに迷惑をかけたらLicenseeの信用問題に発展しますね。
ここで重要なことは、不具合は再現性がないと修復できないということですね。たまたまサーバーの電圧低下などで一回だけ生じたような不具合は、ソフトウェアの機能には影響がないですから、不具合処理の前提は、不具合に再現性がなければならないことですね。
また、ソフトウェアのVersionは、X.YZと表示されます。例えば、5.26というような表示がされますね。このVersion管理も重要ですね。Xを、4から５にするというのは、大幅な機能向上や基本的な設計の一部変更などですね。Yのレベルを１から２に上げるというのは、マイナーな機能向上や変更などですね。Zのレベルを５から６にするのは、bug-fixの事ですね。
ソフトウェアの不具合・機能障害には、当然重大な欠陥ですぐに修復しなければならないもの、少しは時間が待てるもの、殆ど影響が無い不具合を見つけたので、これを修復しようとする場合があります。メルカリのupdateなどは、このbug-fixですね。
もう一つ重要な点は、不具合が発生したら、「何時間以内に修復作業を開始します」とは約束しますが、「何時間以内に修復します」という約束はできないことですね。みずほ銀行のようなお客様に大迷惑をかける重大な障害でも、何時間以内に直しますということは当然言えません。銀行の場合は、当然バックアップシステムを持っていて、障害が生じたときはそれに切り替えるのですが、それもうまく切り替えられなかったということは、お粗末な会社ですね。銀行ほど公共性の高くない企業でも、やはりお客様に迷惑をかける障害が発生すると、信頼を失いますので、できるだけバックアップシステムを持つようにしないといけませんね。
では、具体的な文章を記載してみましょう。
Exhibit A - – Maintenance and Support
General Terms and Conditions for Maintenance and Support of the Software Packages.
This Exhibit sets forth the terms and conditions under which Licensor will provide maintenance and support (collectively called “Support”) to Licensee. All terms not otherwise defined herein have the meanings given them in the applicable license agreement.
1 Definitions
1.1 "Patch" shall mean a fix to a program Error.
1.2 “Error” shall mean a demonstrable instance of adverse and incorrect operation of the Software Packages that impacts Licensee’s ability to use a functionality described in the Documentation.
1.3 “Error Resolution” shall mean the following:
1.3.1 a solution has been generated in the form of a Patch, or a revised version of the Software Packages corrects the Error, neither of which create additional problems; or
1.3.2 the origin of the Error lies in the Documentation and the appropriate Documentation has been clarified.
2 Changes to Support Terms
Licensor can change, from time to time, its standard Support terms and conditions subject to the prior consent of Licensee. Any change to the Support terms and conditions will not materially reduce the level of Support set forth herein.
3 Description of Support
サポート業務の内容の一例です。広く普及しているソフトウェアの場合などは、もっと厳しいサポート内容になると思います。
3.1 Licensor will use commercially reasonable efforts to provide Error Resolution to Errors reported and submitted by Licensee, pursuant to the response times detailed below.
◎ Severity Level：Critical. The Error is having a critical impact on Licensee's ability to conduct business. This means that the Software Package is down, or not functioning, and no procedural workaround exists.
Licensor Response Time：１ hour, work commenced immediately
Status Updates：Once every day
◎ Severity Level: Severe. The Error is having a severe impact on Licensee's business in which Licensee's operations are disrupted, but there is a capacity to maintain necessary business operations.
Licensor Response Time: 6 hours, work commenced within the same business day
Status Updates: Once every other business day
◎ Severity Level：Minor. The Error is having a medium-to-low impact on Licensee's business that involves partial, non-critical functionality loss. Licensee's operations are impaired but functioning.
Licensor Response Time：1 day, work commenced within one business day
Status Updates：Once every 5 business days
3.2 General usage questions will be responded to within two business days and treated with a lower priority.
3.3 “Hours” and “days” are counted within regular operation hours for the Licensor support center to which Licensee has been assigned, excluding any holidays specified by Licensor and public holidays. If an Error is reported on a day that is a public holiday or on a Saturday or Sunday, the Response Times indicated above will commence as of the first business day that Licensor received the report of the Error. All critical requests should be confirmed by phone.
このサポート内容は、ソフトウェアがBtoBの業務用を前提にしているので、このような緩い条件になっているのですね。土日休日も使用されるソフトウェアの場合は、サポートセンターの稼働も、24/7ですね。当然サポートfeeは高くなります。
3.4 New Versions
Licensor will make each New Version of the Software Packages that Licensor releases available to Licensee.
"Version" means that release identification scheme generally in the form of X.Y, where X represents a major release or a change of base level, and Y represents a minor release level. A version can have several maintenance releases identified by a third digit such as Z in X.YZ ("Maintenance Release").
X = A major release or a change of base level: New features and/or new functionality is added to prior version and customer can identify the improvement easily.
Y = A minor release level: Minor improvement, modification of existing features and functionality.
Z = Maintenance Release: Error Resolution, issuance of Patch
“New Version” shall mean that new release of the Software Packages. Examples: if v6.3 replaced v6.2, then v6.3 is the New Version; if v6.0 replaced v5.0, then v6.0 is the New Version. This does not include Maintenance Releases.
4 Exclusions
4.1 Support does not cover resolution of Errors which result from (i) any non-Licensor modification to the Software Packages, or (ii) unless otherwise approved by Licensor in writing, use of the Software Packages by Licensee which is not in accordance with the Documentation.
4.2 Support does not cover modifications to the Software Packages, except for bug-fix and provision of patch, to work around the dysfunction or limitation of third party software or hardware.
4.3 Support does not cover source code supplied by Licensor to Licensee as part of a consulting engagement.
4.4 Support includes troubleshooting or determination of the origin of whether the Error is attributable to the Software Packages.
5 Additional Services
5.1 Training and on-site support are additional free-services and can be made available to Licensee upon request of Licensee, provided that such training is no more than one time in any half-year period. The terms for all such services shall be subject to mutual agreement of Parties.
6 Escalation
Either Party may initiate escalation procedures if the normal avenues for Error resolution have been exhausted.
7 Other Terms
All other terms of the applicable license agreement, including but not limited to the sections related to the license grants, title and general contractual provisions, are hereby incorporated herein by reference. In the event of any inconsistency between the terms of the applicable license agreement and the terms of this Support Agreement, the terms of this Support Agreement shall control only with respect to determining Licensor’s obligations with respect to providing Support. In all other cases, the applicable license agreement shall prevail.
ここで重要なことは、不具合は再現性がないと修復できないということですね。たまたまサーバーの電圧低下などで一回だけ生じたような不具合は、ソフトウェアの機能には影響がないですから、不具合処理の前提は、不具合に再現性がなければならないことですね。
また、ソフトウェアのVersionは、X.YZと表示されます。例えば、5.26というような表示がされますね。このVersion管理も重要ですね。Xを、4から５にするというのは、大幅な機能向上や基本的な設計の一部変更などですね。Yのレベルを１から２に上げるというのは、マイナーな機能向上や変更などですね。Zのレベルを５から６にするのは、bug-fixの事ですね。
ソフトウェアの不具合・機能障害には、当然重大な欠陥ですぐに修復しなければならないもの、少しは時間が待てるもの、殆ど影響が無い不具合を見つけたので、これを修復しようとする場合があります。メルカリのupdateなどは、このbug-fixですね。
もう一つ重要な点は、不具合が発生したら、「何時間以内に修復作業を開始します」とは約束しますが、「何時間以内に修復します」という約束はできないことですね。みずほ銀行のようなお客様に大迷惑をかける重大な障害でも、何時間以内に直しますということは当然言えません。銀行の場合は、当然バックアップシステムを持っていて、障害が生じたときはそれに切り替えるのですが、それもうまく切り替えられなかったということは、お粗末な会社ですね。銀行ほど公共性の高くない企業でも、やはりお客様に迷惑をかける障害が発生すると、信頼を失いますので、できるだけバックアップシステムを持つようにしないといけませんね。
では、具体的な文章を記載してみましょう。
Exhibit A - – Maintenance and Support
General Terms and Conditions for Maintenance and Support of the Software Packages.
This Exhibit sets forth the terms and conditions under which Licensor will provide maintenance and support (collectively called “Support”) to Licensee. All terms not otherwise defined herein have the meanings given them in the applicable license agreement.
1 Definitions
1.1 "Patch" shall mean a fix to a program Error.
1.2 “Error” shall mean a demonstrable instance of adverse and incorrect operation of the Software Packages that impacts Licensee’s ability to use a functionality described in the Documentation.
1.3 “Error Resolution” shall mean the following:
1.3.1 a solution has been generated in the form of a Patch, or a revised version of the Software Packages corrects the Error, neither of which create additional problems; or
1.3.2 the origin of the Error lies in the Documentation and the appropriate Documentation has been clarified.
2 Changes to Support Terms
Licensor can change, from time to time, its standard Support terms and conditions subject to the prior consent of Licensee. Any change to the Support terms and conditions will not materially reduce the level of Support set forth herein.
3 Description of Support
サポート業務の内容の一例です。広く普及しているソフトウェアの場合などは、もっと厳しいサポート内容になると思います。
3.1 Licensor will use commercially reasonable efforts to provide Error Resolution to Errors reported and submitted by Licensee, pursuant to the response times detailed below.
◎ Severity Level：Critical. The Error is having a critical impact on Licensee's ability to conduct business. This means that the Software Package is down, or not functioning, and no procedural workaround exists.
Licensor Response Time：１ hour, work commenced immediately
Status Updates：Once every day
◎ Severity Level: Severe. The Error is having a severe impact on Licensee's business in which Licensee's operations are disrupted, but there is a capacity to maintain necessary business operations.
Licensor Response Time: 6 hours, work commenced within the same business day
Status Updates: Once every other business day
◎ Severity Level：Minor. The Error is having a medium-to-low impact on Licensee's business that involves partial, non-critical functionality loss. Licensee's operations are impaired but functioning.
Licensor Response Time：1 day, work commenced within one business day
Status Updates：Once every 5 business days
3.2 General usage questions will be responded to within two business days and treated with a lower priority.
3.3 “Hours” and “days” are counted within regular operation hours for the Licensor support center to which Licensee has been assigned, excluding any holidays specified by Licensor and public holidays. If an Error is reported on a day that is a public holiday or on a Saturday or Sunday, the Response Times indicated above will commence as of the first business day that Licensor received the report of the Error. All critical requests should be confirmed by phone.
このサポート内容は、ソフトウェアがBtoBの業務用を前提にしているので、このような緩い条件になっているのですね。土日休日も使用されるソフトウェアの場合は、サポートセンターの稼働も、24/7ですね。当然サポートfeeは高くなります。
3.4 New Versions
Licensor will make each New Version of the Software Packages that Licensor releases available to Licensee.
"Version" means that release identification scheme generally in the form of X.Y, where X represents a major release or a change of base level, and Y represents a minor release level. A version can have several maintenance releases identified by a third digit such as Z in X.YZ ("Maintenance Release").
X = A major release or a change of base level: New features and/or new functionality is added to prior version and customer can identify the improvement easily.
Y = A minor release level: Minor improvement, modification of existing features and functionality.
Z = Maintenance Release: Error Resolution, issuance of Patch
“New Version” shall mean that new release of the Software Packages. Examples: if v6.3 replaced v6.2, then v6.3 is the New Version; if v6.0 replaced v5.0, then v6.0 is the New Version. This does not include Maintenance Releases.
4 Exclusions
4.1 Support does not cover resolution of Errors which result from (i) any non-Licensor modification to the Software Packages, or (ii) unless otherwise approved by Licensor in writing, use of the Software Packages by Licensee which is not in accordance with the Documentation.
4.2 Support does not cover modifications to the Software Packages, except for bug-fix and provision of patch, to work around the dysfunction or limitation of third party software or hardware.
4.3 Support does not cover source code supplied by Licensor to Licensee as part of a consulting engagement.
4.4 Support includes troubleshooting or determination of the origin of whether the Error is attributable to the Software Packages.
5 Additional Services
5.1 Training and on-site support are additional free-services and can be made available to Licensee upon request of Licensee, provided that such training is no more than one time in any half-year period. The terms for all such services shall be subject to mutual agreement of Parties.
6 Escalation
Either Party may initiate escalation procedures if the normal avenues for Error resolution have been exhausted.
7 Other Terms
All other terms of the applicable license agreement, including but not limited to the sections related to the license grants, title and general contractual provisions, are hereby incorporated herein by reference. In the event of any inconsistency between the terms of the applicable license agreement and the terms of this Support Agreement, the terms of this Support Agreement shall control only with respect to determining Licensor’s obligations with respect to providing Support. In all other cases, the applicable license agreement shall prevail.
