For existing end users of the SCATS® Adaptive Urban Traffic Management system, an investment would have been made in the past without further addition.
SCATS® like many other systems are becoming more complex when new features and capabilities are being requested by many of the 130+ end users of SCATS® around the world.
Features are being added to SCATS® annually right across the suite of applications, being both client software such as Traffic Reporter and server software such as Unusual Congestion Server/Monitor. In addition, the SCATS® developers need to keep pace with new Server Operating Systems such as Windows Server 2008™ - both 32 and 64 bit versions and the database SCATS® runs on, such as SQL-Server®™.
All of these developments mean the end user preserves the value of their initial investment and allows the take up of new server technologies, new communications protocols such as TCP/IP and 3G UMTS mobile telephony to communicate to Traffic Signal Controllers, not to mention bug fixes which remove often archaic or even cryptic ways to keep a system running efficiently.
ATC always encourages any prospective end users to purchase a maintenance agreement to continue building on the investment in hardware, software and Intellectual Property in enhancing the performance of SCATS®.
What is the current version?
The current version of SCATS® is Version 6.9.4.21
However, once a year, usually in the first quarter of the calendar year, a new point release is made, which usually will be version 6.9 unless it is a major change in which case it may become version 7.0.
Can I upgrade my SCATS® to the Current Version?
It depends on the what existing revision you currently have.
SCATS® version 5.X or earlier
Any end user on version 5.X or earlier (4.X, 3.X) will essentially have to purchase new licenses as these versions are too old and lack a structured migration path that includes all point releases (X.7, X.8 etc).
ATC can assist in providing a quote for the suite of software currently used as well as any new applications that be of benefit to the end user.
SCATS® Version 6.X
Any user with a SCATS® version 6.X (eg 6.4, 6.5 etc) currently has an upgrade path until a new full version is released (eg version 7.0).
An upgrade involves paying 10% of the value of the SCATS installation (this includes the SCATS® Core and any additional application software + the number of SCATS® connections to Traffic Signal Controllers) for each point release to the current version plus one further point release to account for the next release of the SCATS® software.
For example let us assume an end user is running version 6.6 and wants to purchase a maintenance agreement to upgrade to the current and future releases, ATC would calculate the 10% of the
Upgrade Fee = 10% x (SCATS Core + SCATS Applications + (number of intersections x Connection Fee)) for each point 6.X version.
Therefore the end user be purchasing the upgrades as follows:
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Upgrade Fee to Version 6.9 (any previous point releases)
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Upgrade Fee to Version 6.9.4 (the current release)
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Upgrade Fee to Version 6.9.X (the next release)
If the end user decides to proceed, a migration path of software upgrades would be provided as well as a number of hardware license dongles would be installed to ensure the software cannot be run without the necessary licensing being provided by the Roads and Maritime Services.
What happens if I stop paying a Maintenance Agreement?
Like any service, an end user receives the benefits of bug fixes and new features and product capabilities if they continue to pay for them. Software does not write itself, it requires a large number of highly skilled and experienced people to continue making SCATS the world's leading Fully Adaptive Urban Traffic Control System and unlike retail software packages, SCATS requires a unique set of skills to implement it.
Before just stopping at the financial aspect of purchasing a Maintenance Agreement, end users should consider the total investment in Server hardware, software licenses as well as the training and knowledge gained since running the existing SCATS System, thus, a maintenance agreement ensures that investment is kept up to date and able to interface to new communications technologies, able to visualise data previously not possible and to add value to the data that SCATS gathers on a 24 hour basis, 7 days a week. When viewed in that context, the maintenance agreement is a small percentage of the value of the total SCATS investment.
Contact ATC via a webrequest if you require more information on purchasing a SCATS Upgrade and Maintenance Agreement.