CA works on 'utility player' image

Computer Associates has revamped mainframe software licensing to introduce a usage-based model, bringing it closer in line with an industry move toward utility computing.

The management software company yesterday detailed its 'Measured Workload Pricing' plan, a way to charge customers based on the amount of mainframe processing used, rather than the machine's total capacity.

CA has been one of the major players long-touting a move towards the utility model in keeping with indsutry-wide consideration of the 'on demand' and 'pay as you go' solutions being proposed by a variety of vendors.

The licensing mechanism draws on a reporting tool from IBM's zSeries mainframes, which measures processor utilisation.

Customers pay a base amount and then are charged on a pre-determined scale as processor usage rises.

CA is offering the pricing system to existing customers across 20 product areas.