Riverbed network performance management (NPM) is the group of Riverbed products that capture and analyze network packets, flows and device metrics. It includes AppResponse (packet capture and analysis), NetProfiler and Flow Gateway (flow collection), NetIM (infrastructure monitoring), the NPM+ cloud service and the Riverbed IQ automation platform.[1][2] Older desktop analysis tools, including Packet Analyzer, Transaction Analyzer and Riverbed Modeler, have their own sections in the Additional Use Rights.[2] Most NPM products are licensed by capacity. The Additional Use Rights name flow capacity and packet storage as capacity metrics. Each instance may be used “only up to the capacity purchased by Customer for that instance”.[2]
Editions
| Product | Forms in the retrieved documents | Licence exchange group |
|---|---|---|
| AppResponse | Appliances SCAN-2180/2190, 4180/4190, 8180/8190; virtual and cloud (VSCAN-5000, VSCAN-AWS, VSCAN-AZR) | FLEX-SM, FLEX-MD, FLEX-LG[1] |
| NetProfiler | Appliances 4280 and 4290; NetProfiler Virtual base (SCNP-VE-BASE) plus expansion modules (SCNP-VE-EXP) | NetProfiler Flex across 4280, 4290 and virtual or cloud[1] |
| Flow Gateway | Appliances 2280 and 2290; virtual | Flow Gateway Flex across 2280, 2290 and virtual or cloud[1] |
| NetIM | Manager, Worker and Data Manager virtual and cloud images, sized by devices and interfaces | n/a[1] |
| NPM+, Riverbed IQ | Cloud Services | Credits and Node executions[2] |
Catalog: AppResponse Flex license (FLEX-SM, FLEX-MD, FLEX-LG); NetProfiler Virtual base and expansion (SCNP-VE-BASE, SCNP-VE-EXP); NetIM Collectors subscription (NETIM-COLLECTSUB).
Metrics
| Riverbed term | Catalog row | Where it applies |
|---|---|---|
| Capacity (flow capacity, packet storage, throughput) | Capacity | AppResponse, NetProfiler, Flow Gateway, per instance[2] |
| De-duplicated flows per minute | De-duplicated flows per minute | NetProfiler and Flow Gateway sizing[1] |
| Devices, interfaces, polled interfaces | NetIM devices and polled interfaces | NetIM Manager sizing[1] |
| Node executions | Node execution | Riverbed IQ[2] |
| Credits | Cloud Services Credit | NPM+, NetProfiler 4290, AppResponse 8190 and 4190, NetIM Collectors[2] |
| Concurrent user, Licensed Device | Concurrent user or execution, Licensed Device | Packet Analyzer, Transaction Analyzer, Riverbed Modeler[2] |
Counting / floors
NPM xx80 appliances (Additional Use Rights s.3.1). An NPM xx80 Appliance is Base Hardware plus Embedded Software, normally bought at the same time. The Base Hardware “may not be used and will not function without a valid corresponding license to Embedded Software”. The Embedded Software can be perpetual or subscription. Perpetual licence fees do not include support. Subscription fees include support for the Embedded Software only, so a separate Base Hardware support plan is needed.[2] Software supplied with a hardware unit may be used only with that unit or its warranty replacement.[3] Catalog proof: SteelHead and NPM xx80 base hardware does not function without an embedded software licence; Software supplied with hardware may be used only on that hardware unit.
NetProfiler Virtual. A base system accepts up to 32 SCNP-VE-EXP expansion modules. Each one adds up to 1.5 million de-duplicated flows per minute (FPM), up to a maximum of 40 million. SCNP-DP-VE is required above 10 million FPM.[1] Flow capacity is counted after de-duplication, and the spec sheet gives a separate raw flow capacity for each tier.[1] Catalog: NetProfiler Virtual base and expansion (SCNP-VE-BASE, SCNP-VE-EXP).
NetIM. The NetIM Manager is sized in tiers of devices (up to 1K, then 2.5K through 30K), total interfaces (40K to 1.2M) and polled interfaces (20K to 600K).[1] When CoS metrics are polled, “each CoS definition applied to a polled interface counts as an additional logical interface, thereby increasing the overall polled interface count”.[1] Enabling CoS polling can therefore push a deployment into a higher tier without any new devices being added. Catalog proof: NetIM counts each CoS definition on a polled interface as an extra interface.
Packet Analyzer Plus (Additional Use Rights s.9). Packet Analyzer Plus records the installation, start and stop of every instance in usage logs. The customer may not delete, modify or disable those logs and must give copies to Riverbed on request. Excess use shown in the logs may be invoiced at the then-current list price and must be paid within ten days.[2] Riverbed may issue Companion Licences for Packet Analyzer Plus to existing Packet Analyzer customers at no cost. A Companion Licence must sit on the same device as a current Packet Analyzer licence. Companion Licences count “as part of, not in addition to” the concurrent-user licences purchased.[2] Catalog proof: Packet Analyzer Plus usage logs must be kept and excess use is invoiced at list price.
Transaction Analyzer (Additional Use Rights s.10). Transaction Analyzer Plus is a Transaction Analyzer Enterprise instance bundled with a companion Packet Analyzer Plus instance. Both must be installed on the same device and “may not be decoupled”. Use is limited to the Licensed Devices or concurrent users paid for. Each Distributed Agent Controller Module licence may run on only one synthetic transaction generator at a time.[2] Catalog proof: Transaction Analyzer Plus components may not be split.
Riverbed Modeler (Additional Use Rights s.11). Modeler and the Modeler Development Kit may be used for modelling and consulting services for third parties, provided those third parties do not get access to the software. Restricted Derivative Files may go only to holders of a current Modeler licence. The Enterprise License Feature extends access to workstations on up to 101 networks. It “increases only the number of authorized electronic locations, and not the number of authorized concurrent users”.[2] Catalog proof: Riverbed Modeler Enterprise License Feature extends locations to 101 networks, not users.
Floors. The retrieved documents give no minimum purchase. The smallest NetProfiler Virtual sizing tier is up to 10,000 de-duplicated FPM, and the smallest NetIM tier is up to 1K devices.[1]
Virtualization & partitioning
NPM virtual editions are licensed per instance by capacity. The capacity bought for one instance cannot be pooled with another.[2] The NetIM spec sheet says VMotion should be disabled for all NetIM VMs. This is a technical requirement rather than a licence term.[1] Server-based NPM software licensed per Licensed Server may also be installed on one backup server or cluster that is used only if the primary fails.[2]
Service providers. If a NetProfiler Virtual Edition, Flow Gateway Virtual Edition or NetExpress Virtual Edition captures traffic from devices used to deliver a managed service, it may not be resold or transferred to end customers. Each instance may manage Riverbed devices for only one end customer.[2] Catalog proof: NetProfiler virtual solutions used for managed services serve one end customer per instance.
Cloud / BYOL
AppResponse Cloud and NetProfiler Virtual run on AWS and Azure. NetIM images also support Google Cloud.[1] Flex licences move between physical and cloud models only within their exchange group. AppResponse Flex licences can move across xx80, xx90 and virtual or cloud models, and “FLEX-MD licenses can be freely exchanged between SCAN-4180 and SCAN-4190 models”. FLEX-SM covers the virtual and cloud images and the 2180 and 2190 appliances, and FLEX-LG covers the 8180 and 8190.[1] The Additional Use Rights add that only one variant may be in use at a time and that moves between product families are not permitted.[2] Catalog proof: NPM Flex licences are exchangeable only within stated model groups; Flex licences may move between hardware, virtual and cloud within one product family, one variant at a time.
Programs
Flex Software License. The NPM Flex licences follow the general Flex rules in the Additional Use Rights. Upgrades replace the original subscription, and the customer must certify that the old copies were removed. Downgrades and cancellation are not allowed during the term, and hardware is sold separately.[2] See SteelHead and Flex licensing for the full Flex terms.
Cloud Services Credits. NPM products receive monthly credit allocations:[2]
| Product | Credits per month |
|---|---|
| NPM+ | 10 per endpoint |
| NetProfiler 4290 | 500 per 100,000 NetProfiler flows |
| AppResponse 8190 | 20,000 |
| AppResponse 4190 | 8,000 |
| NETIM-COLLECTSUB (NetIM Collectors) | 1,000 |
Credits expire at the end of each month. No more than 60% may be used on AI services, and they have no monetary value.[2] Catalog proof: Cloud Services Credits are monthly, non-transferable and capped at 60% for AI services.
Riverbed IQ (Additional Use Rights s.8). Riverbed IQ was formerly Alluvio IQ. It is measured by Node executions per month, and each Node has an execution value set in the documentation or the order. Riverbed may change a Node’s execution value no more than once every twelve months, with sixty days’ notice.[2] Use above the monthly limit may be invoiced after two excess-usage notices, once 30 days have passed since the first, or the customer may move to a higher usage tier. Unused executions expire each month.[2] Catalog proof: Remediations and Runbook nodes are counted as monthly Node executions.
Licence keys
The Riverbed License portal redeems licences for hardware and software products. It can download or email licence files and extend trial licences. For Cascade-era appliances, the serial number is shown under Help > About.[4] AppResponse virtual appliances below version 11 can be activated only through the Opnet Software Licenses page.[4] The Riverbed End of Life Policy does not apply to software or hardware products previously offered by OPNET Technologies, even if Riverbed sold them after acquiring OPNET.[5]
Out of scope
- NPM hardware specifications, packet-capture performance claims and storage units beyond their use as licence sizing.
- Portal and NPM+ agent terms beyond the Cloud Services Exhibit and the credits rules.
- Legacy products listed on the support site, such as AppMapper, NetCollector, NetPlanner and UCExpert, for which no licensing terms were retrieved.
- Benchmark publication, which the Software Exhibit prohibits for all Solutions.[6]