IBM last week hoisted the US prices of all the key Systems Network Architecture programs in a move that will make networking significantly more expensive for most users, and will hit smaller users disproportionately hard because there is no graduation in SNA charging. The most significant program affected its ACF/NCP, the Advanced Communications Function Network Control Program, which runs on the 37XX series of communications processors, and increases are disproportionately high on the older versions. The initial charge on Version 4 rises 7% to $2,450 and the monthly licence rises 6.9% to $818. For ACF/NCP Version 3, the initial licence is up 11% at $3,115 and the montly licence thereafter is also up 11% at $571. Versions 1 and 2 each carry a new initial charge of $1,650 – up 14.8% and the monthly licence charges are up by the same amount to $324 and $363 respectively. There are similar increases in Distributed Systems Licence Option charges, and X25 NPSI is also up 15% at $975 upfront and $373 a month. IBM’s new software pricing regime – p2; IBM UK raises most prices – page 5.
