Perforce licensing is the set of terms under which Perforce Software, Inc. licenses its development, testing, data and infrastructure products. These include the P4 version control system (formerly Helix Core), Puppet infrastructure automation, BlazeMeter and Perfecto testing services, the JRebel Java tools and the Delphix data platform. A single document, the Perforce Master Terms and Conditions (MTaC), applies to products and services that Perforce provides “on behalf of itself and its Affiliates”. Together with the product Supplements and the Order Form, it forms the Agreement.[1] The scope of use is not fixed in the MTaC. It is set by the Entitlements in each Order Form, which may specify licence type, user counts and categories, geographic limits, resource allocations and usage thresholds.[1] The units differ by product: named users for P4 and JRebel, managed nodes for Puppet, virtual users and variable units for BlazeMeter, and device cradles for Perfecto. For the general models, see named user licensing and subscription and consumption licensing.
Editions
The MTaC lists thirteen Supplements available under it. They cover ALM, BlazeMeter, Delphix, Information Security, IPLM, JRebel and XRebel, Klocwork, P4, P4 One, P4 Plan, Perfecto, Puppet Enterprise and Puppet Enterprise Advanced, and QAC.[1] The Perforce legal page also publishes standalone licence agreements for other products. Examples include Puppet Core, the Helix Core click-through licence, TotalView, the IMSL libraries, Zend and OpenLogic support services.[2]
| Product family | Governing document | Licence unit (catalog row) |
|---|---|---|
| P4 (Helix Core), P4 Cloud | MTaC with P4 Supplemental Terms[3] | Named License, Bot User License, Git Only License; P4 Cloud user |
| Puppet Enterprise, Puppet Enterprise Advanced | MTaC with Puppet Enterprise Supplemental Terms[4] | Puppet Core Managed Node |
| Puppet Core | Puppet Core Software License Agreement[10] | Puppet Core Managed Node |
| BlazeMeter | MTaC with BlazeMeter Supplemental Terms[5] | Virtual User, Virtual User Hours, Concurrent Variable Unit |
| JRebel, JRebel Enterprise | MTaC with JRebel Supplemental Terms[6] | JRebel Seat |
| Perfecto | MTaC with Perfecto Supplemental Terms[7] | Perfecto Hardware (cradle) |
| Delphix | MTaC with Delphix Supplemental Terms[11] | Order Form Entitlements |
Product detail is in Perforce P4 licensing, Puppet licensing and Perforce BlazeMeter, Perfecto and JRebel licensing.
Metrics
The MTaC itself defines no metric. It grants use “solely in accordance with the Entitlements” (catalog rule).[1] The product Supplements define the units. The P4 Supplement counts any non-human device that can access P4 as an Authorized User.[3] The Puppet Enterprise Supplement counts every managed node, including nodes managed by open source Puppet.[4] The BlazeMeter Supplement converts each capability into normalized Variable Units.[5]
Counting / floors
Fees are based on the Entitlements bought, not on actual usage, and quantities cannot be decreased during a subscription term (catalog rule).[1] Excess use is paid at the then-current price within 30 days of invoice (catalog rule).[1] See true-up.
Verification
The customer must provide information that Perforce reasonably requests in writing to verify compliance. Perforce may verify no more than once in any 12-month period (catalog rule).[1] Use of installed on-premises software may be verified by a customer self-audit with Perforce’s inventory tools. If the customer cannot or will not use the tools, Perforce or its agents may perform the verification at the customer’s facilities during business hours.[1] Underpayments are payable at the then-current price per authorized user. If verification shows material non-compliance, or an underpayment of 10% or more, the customer also pays the cost of the verification (catalog rule).[1]
Product agreements add their own reporting duties. Under the Puppet Core licence, the customer must provide a signed report of its managed nodes within five business days of a request.[10] The 2024 Helix Core click-through licence allows Perforce to review use on ten days’ written notice.[9] For the audit process generally, see software license audit.
Virtualization & partitioning
The MTaC has no virtualization clause. Rules come from the product metrics. P4 Named Licenses are per user on “a single server, or on multiple servers”, so the number of hosts does not change the count.[3] Puppet, by contrast, counts every Virtual Node: a virtual machine, container or appliance. It also counts Infrastructure Platform Nodes such as cloud virtual machines and serverless instances (catalog rule).[4]
Cloud / BYOL
The MTaC covers both Cloud Services and On-Premises Software under the same grant. Cloud Services are Perforce-hosted solutions, which may be bundled with on-premises software.[1] Self-hosted P4 can run on premises or in a customer’s cloud. P4 Cloud is a separate managed and hosted option billed per user per month.[8] The customer may not use any Offering for the benefit of a third party without Perforce’s prior written consent (catalog rule).[1] The Delphix Supplement allows contractors to use the offering only for the customer’s benefit, under written protection terms (catalog rule).[11]
Programs
Auto-renewing subscriptions. Each Order Form renews automatically for terms of equal length. This happens unless the parties agree otherwise in writing, or one party gives written non-renewal notice at least 45 days before the term ends (catalog rule).[1] Fees are payable in advance within 30 days of invoice, and are non-cancelable and non-refundable unless stated otherwise.[1]
Evaluation licences. Evaluation use is limited to internal evaluation for the period Perforce designates, or 30 days if none is set. After that the customer must buy a licence or stop using the software and delete it (catalog rule).[1]
Free tiers. P4 is free for up to 5 users and 20 workspaces with no end date.[8] Puppet Core carries no subscription fee up to 25 managed nodes.[10]
Older licences. The 2024 Helix Core click-through licence granted licences that were “time-based or perpetual”, depending on the ordering document or invoice.[9] Estates with older perpetual Helix Core licences should check which agreement governs them. A signed licence agreement takes precedence over the click-through.[9]
Precedence and law. Conflicts are resolved in this order: amendment, then Order Form, then Supplement, then MTaC (catalog rule).[1] The MTaC is governed by Delaware law, with exclusive venue in Delaware courts.[1]
Out of scope
This article does not cover the standalone licence agreements for TotalView, IMSL, PV-Wave, SourcePro, HostAccess, Zend, Akana and the OpenLogic long-term support services listed on the legal page.[2] It also leaves out the Klocwork, QAC, ALM, IPLM and P4 Plan Supplements, and the support policies, which sit outside the cited documents.