Technical Verification Software & Deposit Verification

Increase the value of your Software Escrow

What Does Technical Verification Mean & Why Verification Matters

Even with the best intentions, software vendors are human and as such are prone to error. Because of this, escrows materials can contain files or components that are corrupted, incomplete, password protected, difficult to use, or contain viruses.

To help resolve these issues EscrowTech offers different levels of verification to help our customers meet the level of protection they need.

Verification levels

Standard Verification

Standard verification is the most basic level of verification and is included for free. Every time EscrowTech receives the escrow materials the following is conducted by a trained escrow technician:

  • Readability check – There are many ways a file can become corrupted. Because of this, a trained escrow technician will verify the materials are readable before storing them in a long-term vault.
  • Password and encryption check – Escrow materials can be mistakenly password protected or encrypted. If the password or encryption key is not included in the escrow this can cause severe problems for the licensee.
  • Virus scan – Escrow materials should be clean and free of any viruses before entering long-term storage.

If any of these tests fail, EscrowTech will reach out to the software vendor and remedy the problem.

Level 1 – File Listing Verification

A File Listing Verification generates a directory listing of the escrow materials. This report is often valuable to the licensee as it can perform further due diligence relating to that specific software product.

With a File Listing Verification an escrow technician will generate a full directory listing report containing:

  • File name
  • File size
  • File type
  • Cryptographic hash (MD5 and SHA1)

A File Listing Verification is a great solution for clients with a lower budget who want to increase the value of their software escrow.

A File Listing Verification costs $295 per file listing or $595 a year.

Level 2 – Deposit Analysis Verification

In addition to the File Listing Verification a trained software engineer will conduct the following:

  • Documentation analysis
  • Source code check
  • 3rd party dependency review

Upon completion, the trained software developer will provide a detailed report outlining what may be missing or incomplete and provide suggestions on how to improve the escrow materials.

A Deposit Analysis Verification is a great solution for clients with a lower budget who want to increase the value of their software escrow. A Deposit Analysis Verification costs $1095 per deposit analysis.

Level 3 – Build Verification

A Build Verification is used for software projects that are in a compiled language and is designed to test that the escrow materials can be successfully built and easily used.

During a Build Verification a trained software developer will create an executable from the source code in the escrow materials. He or she will do this by following the build instructions and configuration information provided by the software vendor. The steps the software developer will follow include but are not limited to:

  • Setup and configure a build environment
  • Compile sources
  • Execute tests
  • Package executables

If at any time during the verification it is discovered that there is any insufficient documentation, missing source code, or missing 3rd party dependencies the software developer will document and report the situation.

At the end of the verification, a detailed report will be delivered to the software vendor and licensee that outlines any discovered issues and may include suggestions on how to improve the escrow materials.

Because every software project varies in size and complexity the Build Verification’s price will vary. Prices start at $2995 however this can vary depending on the project’s complexity.

Level 4 – Binary Comparison Verification

A Binary Comparison Verification includes the Build Verification with the addition of comparing the produced executables with the executables currently being used by the licensee.

Level 5 – Test Plan Verification

A Test Plan Verification is a great solution for software projects written in interpreted languages.

A trained software engineer and a trained server architect will work together to perform the following steps:

  • Setup and configure a production environment
  • Load and configure source code
  • Perform smoke test provided by the licensee
  • If desired, open up additional testing for the licensee to perform

If at any time during the verification there are insufficient documentation, missing source code or missing 3rd party dependencies the software engineer will document and remedy the situation.

At the end of the verification, a detailed report will be delivered to the software vendor and licensee which outlines any issues and includes suggestions on how to improve the escrow.

This is a great solution for a licensee who needs to perform their own tests and verify that the escrow materials are complete and easily useable in the event of a release.

Because every software project varies in size and complexity the Build Verification’s price will vary. Please give us a call for a quote on a Test Plan Verification.