The Commvault Master Terms and Conditions are the standard contract for Commvault software and software-as-a-service. They have three parts: general terms, SaaS Solution terms and Software terms. Commvault states that the current Master Terms “shall replace and consolidate any prior terms” under an end user licence agreement or terms of service that a customer may have with Commvault. The web version was last updated on 2026-06-29.[1] The agreement is between the customer, on behalf of the affiliates and subsidiaries named in the order forms, and Commvault Systems, Inc. Where the Terms conflict with ordering documents, other customer documents or earlier agreements, the Terms prevail. Preprinted purchase order terms have no effect.[1] For the general practice, see software license audit and license compliance.
Editions
The Master Terms make no distinction between products or editions. The same general terms apply to on-premises Software and to the SaaS Solution, and separate sections add terms for each delivery model.[1] Managed services follow a separate Remote Managed Services description, and regulated customers also accept Data Agreements, a Business Associate Agreement or an EU Data Act Addendum as applicable.[1]
Metrics
The Master Terms do not define licence metrics. Metrics come from the order form and the License Program Guide. The Terms do recognise capacity-based Software, unlimited capacity Software, and “allotment of storage capacity or end users”.[1] The Guide’s metric definitions are linked from Commvault licensing.
Counting / floors
Licence grant. Software is licensed, not sold. The licence is limited, non-exclusive, non-sublicensable and non-transferable, runs for the Solution Term and covers use “solely for its internal data center operations”. A software licence acquired with hardware is limited to that hardware. All sales are final, and acceptance occurs on delivery.[1] The customer may be asked to reapply licence keys during the term.[1] Catalog: Software licence is for internal data center operations and tied to original hardware.
Capacity reporting and excess use. The customer “shall activate and maintain the reporting features of any capacity-based Software” and must provide usage reports on request. If use exceeds capacity, the customer must pay for all excess usage, directly or through its reseller. Capacity-based Software may stop working once capacity is exceeded.[1] Disabling reporting is therefore itself a breach, separate from any shortfall in licences. Catalog: Capacity-based Software must keep reporting active; Excess capacity use must be paid and may stop the Software.
Unlimited capacity. Affiliates and subsidiaries may use unlimited capacity Software only in the territory named in the order forms, and the customer is liable for them. If the customer is acquired, the unlimited licence ends. A limited licence then remains for the Software already deployed, for the rest of the Solution Term.[1] Catalog: Unlimited capacity licence ends on acquisition of the customer.
Acquisitions. A customer’s right to use the Solutions, “including any allotment of storage capacity or end users”, does not extend to entities it acquires or to new entities created by an acquisition. In that case the order form fees are adjusted.[1] Catalog: Entitlements do not extend to acquired entities.
Virtualization & partitioning
The Master Terms contain no virtualization clauses. VM, socket and operating instance rules are in the License Program Guide, which applies the Master Terms when usage is not hard enforced. In those cases the customer is responsible for compliance and “may be subject to periodic review and reconciliation of licensing”.[2] See Commvault software capacity and workload licensing.
Cloud / BYOL
The SaaS Solution terms add several obligations. The customer must use the most current SaaS version, is responsible for retention settings, and pays any cloud provider replication and egress fees. The SaaS agent licence is co-terminous with SaaS access.[1] Uptime is at least 99.9% a month. Service credits are 10% below 99.9% and 25% below 99%. Claims must be made within 30 days, and service providers are not eligible.[1]
Programs
Term and renewal. The Solution Term starts on the Activation Date, which is the date Commvault receives a valid purchase order and delivers the Software or grants SaaS access. Unless the order form designates a perpetual Software licence, the term renews for an equal term at Commvault’s then-current rates unless either party gives written notice 60 days before renewal. If access is suspended for non-payment, a 5% reactivation fee may apply.[1] Catalog: Non-perpetual terms renew automatically unless 60 days notice.
Maintenance and support. Customers who buy support must buy it for all Software in their environment. Support is co-terminous with the Solution Term and renews with it.[1] The Guide adds what happens when support stops. Expired subscriptions receive support only per incident, with no further releases. A perpetual licence keeps rights to the version current when maintenance lapsed.[2] Catalog: Support must cover all Software in the environment; Lapsed maintenance freezes perpetual rights at the current version.
Trials. A 30-day free Trial for non-production use is provided as is. At expiry the customer must uninstall the Solution or return it. Trial hardware not returned within the Trial or the five-day Return Period is deemed accepted and is invoiced.[1]
Audits and compliance
Section 13.10 sets the audit right:[1]
| Element | Term |
|---|---|
| Scope | Customer’s installation and use of the Solutions, against the Terms and the order form |
| Notice | 45 days |
| Frequency | No more than once every 12 months |
| Customer duties | Cooperate; provide reasonable assistance and access to information reasonably requested |
| Confidentiality | Audit performance, findings and non-public data obtained are confidential information |
| Remedy | Remedy non-compliance within 30 days of written notice, which may include paying for additional Solutions |
| Costs | Commvault is not responsible for the customer’s costs of cooperating |
The clause sets no underpayment threshold and no cost-shifting rule for audit fees. It does make the customer bear its own costs.[1] Catalog: Audit on 45 days notice, once every 12 months; Audit non-compliance must be remedied within 30 days.
Commvault also collects Diagnostic Data, including reports and surveys about the customer’s use of the Solutions. The customer can disable this Reporting from the dashboard at any time.[1] Disabling it does not remove the separate duty to keep the reporting features of capacity-based Software active.
Suspension and termination. Commvault may suspend or terminate access if the customer materially breaches the Terms or pays more than 15 days late. Either party may terminate for a material breach left uncured for 30 days.[1] On termination all licences end and the customer uninstalls the Solution. SaaS data stays restorable for 30 days. After that the customer may use only a limited recovery version of the Software, and only to recover Customer Data.[1] Catalog: After termination only a limited recovery version may be used.
Self-assessment reports
Commvault documents several reports that a customer can use to check its own licence position before an audit:
- The License Summary Report, viewable only by CommCell administrators, shows current usage, purchased quantities and the percentage consumed for each licence type.[3]
- The Subclient Peak Usage Report shows the monthly total, including entities removed later in the month. It replaced the Peak Capacity Usage Growth Report from version 11.30.[4] Service providers must bill from it, because the License Summary Report shows only a point-in-time snapshot.[6]
- The License Server Usage Summary Report covers every CommServe in a multi-CommCell environment that uses a licensing server. It shows no job details, so per-CommServe reports are needed for those.[5]
Purchased licences upload automatically to the CommServe. Administrators can view the applied licences and convert term licences to permanent ones in the Command Center.[7] To build an effective license position, compare the order forms and conversion confirmations with the peak-usage figures. Then adjust for the counting rules that the reports do not apply, for example heartbeat licensing or soft-enforced mailbox counts.
Out of scope
- Signed master agreements, reseller terms and public-sector contracts.
- The Security Terms, Data Agreements and EU Data Act Addendum, which deal with data protection rather than licence use.
- Remote Managed Services and Professional Services terms beyond what affects licence entitlement.