Kaspersky Next is Kaspersky’s tiered business security platform, ranging from endpoint protection with root-cause analysis to an open extended detection and response (XDR) platform.[15] Its cloud editions are managed from the Kaspersky Next Management Console. Licences are bought and renewed on Kaspersky Business Hub or through partners.[6] Kaspersky Next uses per-user licensing, with the user count derived from the devices it protects.[1] A licence is a time-limited right to use Kaspersky Next under the End User License Agreement, which the administrator accepts when connecting to the service.[2][18] This page covers the editions, the user metric, the licence lifecycle and what happens at expiry. For the vendor overview, see Kaspersky licensing.
Editions
Kaspersky’s product page lists six Kaspersky Next tiers:[15]
| Tier | Positioning on the product page | How it is sold |
|---|---|---|
| Next EDR Foundations | Advanced endpoint protection, essential security controls, root cause analysis | Online or through partners |
| Next EDR Optimum | Essential EDR, cloud security, enterprise-grade controls | Online or through partners |
| Next XDR Optimum | Essential XDR plus EDR and cloud security | Contact process |
| Next MXDR Optimum | Managed protection with 24/7 monitoring | Contact process |
| Next EDR Expert | Threat hunting, forensic investigation, incident response | Contact process |
| Next XDR Expert | Case management, playbooks, hybrid cloud and email protection | Contact process |
The product page says that only EDR Foundations and EDR Optimum can be bought online; the other tiers are handled through a contact form.[15] The cloud console offers three editions: EDR Foundations, EDR Optimum and XDR Expert. Features such as Endpoint Detection and Response, Data Discovery, patch management, encryption management and Microsoft 365 protection differ between them.[4] The Cloud Agreement says functionality depends on the type of licence in the License Certificate. With some licence types the workspace may need to be migrated to another product, and some functions are then no longer available.[16] On-premises, the XDR Expert licence extends a Kaspersky EDR Expert licence with advanced response and case management.[19]
Moving between editions is done by entering a new activation code. The console shows whether the change is an upgrade, a downgrade or a plain replacement before the administrator confirms it.[9]
Metrics
Kaspersky Next has one metric, the User. For each user, Kaspersky Next can protect one desktop, laptop or file server and up to two Android, iOS or iPadOS mobile devices.[1] Kaspersky stresses that a user as a licensing unit is not the same as a user added to the Management Console. A real person may own more devices than one licensing user covers, and some devices may have no owner at all; both kinds of device are protected.[1] Catalog: Each Kaspersky Next user covers one computer and two mobile devices; A licensing user is not a console user account.
Counting / floors
Formula. The number of users consumed is whichever is larger: the total of protected desktops, laptops and file servers, or half the total of protected Android, iOS and iPadOS devices.[1] Kaspersky gives two worked examples:[1]
| Computers and file servers | Mobile devices | Users counted |
|---|---|---|
| 10 | 12 | 10 (computer count is larger) |
| 10 | 32 | 16 (half of the mobile devices) |
The formula has a practical consequence. Mobile devices are “free” only up to two per computer. An estate with many shared tablets or ruggedised handhelds and few laptops is counted on the mobile half. Catalog: Licensed users are the larger of computers or half of mobile devices.
Where to read the count. The licensed count is shown in the Kaspersky Next Management Console and on Kaspersky Business Hub.[1] The console’s License tab shows the user limit, the actual number of users and the days remaining. Subscription data refreshes every 24 hours by default.[12] Business Hub can export a CSV licence report. It lists each licence’s ID, limit and the number of protected users, computers, mobile devices and mailboxes.[13]
Increasing the limit. There is no mid-term add-on quantity. Increasing a licence limit means buying a new licence for the required number of users and entering its activation code. If the current licence is far from expiry, Kaspersky suggests asking the seller whether the unused period can be reimbursed.[7] Catalog: Raising the Kaspersky Next user limit means buying a new licence. See true-up for the general concept.
XDR Expert overage. For Kaspersky Next XDR Expert the customer chooses the number of users when buying. The limit can be exceeded by no more than 5%. Beyond that, extra devices and accounts are put on a Restricted assets list, where response actions and playbooks cannot run.[17] Catalog: Kaspersky Next XDR Expert tolerates 5% overage.
Floors. The cited help pages set no minimum number of users.
Virtualization & partitioning
The per-user metric counts protected desktops, laptops and file servers without distinguishing physical from virtual machines.[1] The Kaspersky Next help pages cited here contain no separate virtualization rule. Virtual desktop and server estates managed on-premises can instead be licensed through Kaspersky Hybrid Cloud Security; see Kaspersky license keys, activation and Hybrid Cloud Security.
Cloud / BYOL
Kaspersky Next is a service. To use it the customer creates an account on cloud.kaspersky.com and connects the security software on its devices.[8] Each workspace is an instance Kaspersky creates and configures for one company.[5] The service sends Kaspersky licence data for product improvement: licence type, device limit, number of connected devices, order number and the partner that sold the licence.[8] No bring-your-own-licence model applies to the cloud console.
Programs
- Trial license. A new workspace starts with a 30-day trial licence embedded in it; afterwards a commercial licence or subscription is needed.[3] A trial licence can be used for only one trial period.[2]
- Commercial licence. A paid licence bought on the Kaspersky website or from a partner. When it expires, another licence must be bought.[2]
- Subscription. A paid licence sold only by Kaspersky partners. It can renew automatically, and some partners let customers suspend and resume it.[2] A subscription may have a grace period after expiry. Whether it does, and for how long, is decided by the partner.[2] Catalog: Subscription grace periods are set by the partner.
- Online purchase and renewal on Business Hub. Online purchase is available to trial users and to customers who previously bought online, and not in every country.[14] Online renewal is possible only when fewer than 30 days remain and only for licences bought on the Kaspersky website. Renewing early extends the new term by the days remaining.[6] Prices depend on the country set for the workspace and may include temporary offers.[6] Catalog: Online renewal only in the last 30 days and only for web purchases.
Activation and entitlement records
Each purchase produces an activation code and a License Certificate. The activation code is a unique sequence of 20 letters and numbers, emailed to the address given at purchase. Activating with it requires internet access to Kaspersky activation servers.[10] If the code is lost, the customer must contact the partner who sold the licence.[10] The certificate records the licence ID, the licensee, the application, the limit on licensing units, the start date, the expiry date or term, and the licence type.[11] A licence manager should keep the certificate as the primary entitlement record.
When a new code is applied in the console, licences on Windows, Android, iOS and iPadOS devices are replaced automatically. On macOS and Linux the new licence is only registered, and takes effect when the previous one expires unless it is activated manually.[9] Catalog: A replacement licence is pushed to managed devices automatically.
Expiry
As soon as a licence expires, all Kaspersky Next features are disabled.[2] The Management Console still opens but no changes can be made. Managed devices stop synchronising and receiving database and application updates. MDM profile settings are removed from iOS and iPadOS devices.[5] Encrypted devices stay encrypted, and Kaspersky advises decrypting them through the operating system while recovery keys are still available.[5] Workspace data is deleted one month after a trial licence expires and three months after a commercial licence or subscription expires.[8] Catalog: Kaspersky Next features stop when the licence expires; Workspace data is deleted three months after a paid licence expires.
Out of scope
- Prices and partner discounts.
- The managed service terms of Kaspersky Next MXDR Optimum and Kaspersky MDR, which are not described in the cited help pages.
- Expert View and Kaspersky Security Center management of Kaspersky Next licences, covered in Kaspersky license keys, activation and Hybrid Cloud Security.
- Contract terms of the Kaspersky Endpoint Security Cloud Agreement, covered in Kaspersky EULA and cloud agreement.