Microsoft offers Software Protection & Licensing services for Developers.

Microsoft is planning to release Software Licensing & Protection services (SLP) for developers in the October 07.

The main features of this SLP are protecting the Independent Software Vendors (ISV) intellectual property, easily creating the license for their product, track the product and flexibly integrate into backend business process.

The Microsfot SLP platform will be encompassed of three difference elements, which can be licensed individually with Microsoft. There are :

Code Protector SDK : The product using the new concept called the “transformation” which is entirely different from the encryption and simple complication. This toolkit is specifically designed to protect and fully transform managed code or .NET code. Version one of the will work with .NET code; a forthcoming version will be adopt for the Win32 code.

SLP Server : This server product will come with Standard and Enterprise editions. A product that will allow ISVs to host their own servers and create software licenses — machine-based, time-based (for software subscriptions and trials), user-based and/or feature-based — for their products

SLP Online Service : This service will allow the partners allows partners to do all of their license management without hosting their own servers. Microsoft is planning to deliver three levels of service (Basic, Standard and Enterprise) to partners on a yearly subscription basis. The company also plans to give free subscription to the SLP Online Service Basic edition for the members of MSDN premium subscriptions.