FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions)

Sales Questions

Licensing – General

How do you license SSIS PowerPack ? Is it by User, Machine or CPU?
SSIS PowerPack is licensed by machine. However if you test/debug SSIS packages inside Visual Studio SSIS designer then license is not needed. If you run package from command line/SQL Agent job then you will need license on that machine.

For example: If you have 7 developers in your team and 3 ETL servers (DEV, QA, PROD) which runs SSIS Packages via SQL Agent Job then most likely you will need 3 licenses for those servers (Assuming server is not cluster)

For Full Explanation check below links:

How do you license ODBC PowerPack ? Is it by User, Machine or CPU?
ODBC PowerPack is licensed by machine. You can buy a Desktop or Server License based on Your OS Type.  You need a license for each machine where you planning to install ZappySys Driver.

What is considered as Desktop?

Any machine where only a single user is active (Directly or via Remote desktop) is typically considered as Desktop OS. For example, Windows 11, Windows 10, Windows 7 are considered as a Desktop OS. For such a use case, you can buy the desktop license at a cheaper price.

What is considered as Server?

Any machine which is accessed by multiple users is typically considered as server. For example, Microsoft Windows Server 2022, 2019, 2016, 2012 is considered a Server OS. You will need the server license for such a case.

Do you support running SSIS on Amazon RDS?

No – SSIS PowerPack is not supported on Amazon Relational Database Service because RDS doesn’t allow 3rd party installers as Microsoft ADF allows. But we do support ADF (Azure Data Factory). Please follow this article for details.

Do you support Azure Data Factory - SSIS IR and how many licenses do I need for ADF Cluster with multiple nodes?

Yes – SSIS PowerPack is supported on Azure Data Factory (SSIS Runtime), check this article for details.

Any license you purchase from ZappySys would work fine on Azure Data Factory (SSIS – IR) nodes. We license by cluster so no need to buy a separate license for each node. You will need one license per cluster. You can scale your ADF cluster from one node to 10 nodes and you can still use the same license key on all SSIS-IR nodes. If you create a new cluster with a different name then you will have to purchase an extra license, assuming you wish to use ZappySys Products on that new cluster.  Prices listed here are same for On-Premises version vs ADF SSIS-IR (No difference in price)

Hope this helps!! If you still have questions or need quote then Contact Sales.  If you don’t need quote then purchase online by clicking the Buy link on this page (next to the product you wish to purchase).

What happens after TRIAL Expires for SSIS PowerPack? Can I still run packages inside Visual Studio?
When you install SSIS PowerPack on any machine it starts as Trial Software. When you designing packages in Visual Studio it will show you as Trial Software (Unless you activated Paid License Key). Once Trial Expires, SSIS PowerPack becomes Visual Studio Only version. Which means you can Design / Test / Debug SSIS Packages inside Visual Studio without Paid license. After Trial expires you wont be able to execute packages out side visual studio designer (e.g. Command Line, SQL Agent Job, C# Programs). We have documented this in detail here.
Do I have to buy a license for DEV / QAT?
Yes – Each server where you run packages outside Visual Studio will require a license. In the real world, most of the customers will develop/test packages on workstations inside Visual Studio first and then deploy to DEV/QA/PROD servers and run via SQL Agent / some other way (e.g. Command line, PowerShell, C#).
We are running Cluster environment with Active-Active nodes. Do we need license for each node?
Yes – each node in a cluster requires its own license because technically node is a separate machine. However, if you are running Active-Passive configuration then you can switch the license to different node manually when needed. This approach may not be preferred by some customers due to the hassle of switching license manually. If you are OK with this approach then you can buy a license for active nodes only.
What is the difference between Perpetual License and Annual Subscription?
We offer two license models (Perpetual and Subscription). Subscription is common choice for the fact that you don’t have to worry buying support after first year and its hassle free. Perpetual license is one time purchase, license key never expires, First year support and upgrades included. A subscription license is time bound. As long as you keep renewing your subscription each year you will get new license key (In most cases you won’t have to apply new key each year because it will be automatic behind the scene as long as you are connected to the internet). See below description for each license type.

Perpetual License

Perpetual license is one time purchase and the license key never expires. If you buy the perpetual license then first-year support and upgrades will be included with your purchase. After the first year if you wish to continue getting support and Bug Fixes/New features, then you can purchase additional years of the support plan (optional). Click here to see Perpetual Price table.

Annual Subscription License

Annual subscription is a pay as you go type of plan. Its usually much cheaper than the perpetual license. Support and upgrades are included in the subscription license plan. Click here to see Subscription Price table.

If you are still not sure which license type to choose, please review comparison table below:
Perpetual vs Subscription License

Perpetual License Annual Subscription License
One time purchase Yearly renewal (Recurring)
After first year support plan can be renewed (Optional) Support/Upgrades are always included with the purchase
License never expires License expires after 1 year if not renewed

  • Each year new license key(s) sent as long as subscription is renewed.
  • To avoid manual work we apply newly generated key automatically by contacting license server.
  • You may also apply new key manually incase you have internet issue.
  • Unless subscription is cancelled explicitly, by default subscription is renewed automatically each year.
We don't have internet connectivity on the server. How can I activate license in offline mode?
Check this post for more information.
How to transfer license to different server?
Check this post for more information.
We need some more time to test your software. Can I get trial extension?
In most cases we give trial extension (No more than 60 days including original trial). If you need more time to test our software and your trial is about to expire or already expired then perform the following steps.

  1. Launch License manager using any of the following ways
    Goto Start Menu > ZappySys > SSIS PowerPack > Click “License Manager”
    — OR —
    Double click ZappySys Task or Component Icon in SSIS designer and at the top click on Link which shows License Type (e.g. FREE, Standard Edition, Pro Edition etc)
  2. On the license manager UI click Trial Extension button. It will open email > Fill out the requested information and send email to us. Once we review your request we will send you extension.

 

How to obtain EULA (End User License Agreement)?
When you install product, we typically copy EULA file in the program directory so you can review there. If you need to download file in PDF format then check below link. We have single EULA for all products. Click on the below link to download EULA in desired File format (e.g. html, pdf, word (i.e. *.rtf) ).

PDF format (ZappySys PowerPack End User License Agreement – EULA)

HTML format (ZappySys PowerPack End User License Agreement – EULA)

Word format (ZappySys PowerPack End User License Agreement – EULA)

Is it necessary to deactivate the license before de-commissioning/renaming/releasing the machine or server?
Our PowerPack is licensed by machine, and if you want to reuse the license, then we recommend that you deactivate the license before decommissioning/renaming/releasing the machine or server. If you do not deactivate the license, you will not be able to reuse the same license on any new machine or server.
How do you license SSIS Powerpack for the Integration Services (SSIS) Scale Out? Do I need a license for each Scale Out Worker?
SSIS Powerpack is licensed by machine or node, And each worker Node machine needs its own SSIS Powerpack installation and license key (Assuming they all run on different machines). A master node usually is just a controller and no SSIS Powerpack installation is needed on that node so you do not need a license there but if you plan to use Master Node as a Worker node too, you need to buy a license for that as well. To be the safe side you can buy licenses for all nodes participating in Scale-Out Process Master + Workers. In short, if SSIS Powerpack is needed to be installed on the Machine participating in Scale-Out, needs its own license.

Example-1 (Two SSIS Powerpack licenses for worker nodes) + Optional 1 license for master node:
MasterNode-Server001
WorkerNode1-Server002 (Needs license)
WorkerNode2-Server003 (Needs license)

Example-2 (Two SSIS Powerpack licenses for worker nodes):
MasterNode-Server001
WorkerNode1-Server001 (Needs license)
WorkerNode2-Server002 (Needs license)

Example-3 (One SSIS Powerpack license for worker node):
MasterNode-Server001
WorkerNode1-Server001 (Needs license)

Licensing – Subscription

If I buy Subscription what happens next year (at the time of renewal)?
By default subscription is on auto-renew mode after your first purchase. When its time to renew subscription we send notification 10 days before the renewal date. If you do not want to renew then you will have the option to cancel your subscription. You can visit your Subscription account page anytime and click Cancel Subscription.
What happens if I don't renew my subscription? My old product key still works?
If you don’t renew your Subscription or Cancel your Subscription then product will stop working (any FREE components will still work).
Do I have to activate new subscription license key manually each year after the renewal?
It Depends – if your server has internet connectivity then most likely you wont have to activate new key manually. When we detect expired license for the subscription we will contact the ZappySys license server to obtain new license key for you. In some cases when internet is blocked on server or you have proxy issue then you many have to activate license key manually or activate in offline mode.
Do I have to buy support and upgrades along with subscription license?
No – subscription license comes with support and upgrades plan so you don’t have to worry buying that separately. As long as your subscription is active you are eligible for technical support and obtaining latest version for new features/bug fixes.
Can I pay by check/wire transfer if I buy subscription license?
No – you cannot buy subscription using check / wire method. Only method we allow is Credit/Debit or Paypal for Subscription.
Do I have to renew subscription manually each year?
No – Our system automatically charges each year (last payment method on file). You may cancel the subscription anytime to stop auto renew.
How to cancel my subscription?
Cancelling your subscription is just 2-click process. Goto your Account URL (Mailed at the time of purchase) and click Cancel the subscription option.

Licensing – Perpetual

What happens to my perpetual license key if I don't renew support?
Perpetual license key does not expire unlike Subscription license key so you don’t have to worry on that part. However we strongly recommend you to renew your support plan each year so you can contact technical support, upgrade to new version to get new features / critical bug fixes.
Do I have to buy support and upgrades when I buy perpetual license?
No – We include first year of support and upgrades along with your perpetual license purchase. After first year, you may renew your support agreement. It’s optional however, we strongly recommend you to renew your support plan each year so you can contact technical support, upgrade to new version to get new features / critical bug fixes.

Purchase / Online Order

We tried your software and ready to buy. How can I purchase?
You can buy online from our secure store or request official quote if that’s needed by your accounting department. Click here to learn more about purchase process and payment options. To request official quote for purchase Click here. On the page enter your information and submit the form. Mention following details in your message to receive accurate quote.

Product + Quantity
Company Name:
First Name:
Last Name:
Email:
Phone:
Address:

I need official quote for purchase. How can I request it?
For some customers accounting department may ask for quote before they can purchase. To request official quote for purchase Click here. On the page enter your information and submit the form. Mention following details in your message to receive accurate quote.

Product + Quantity
Company Name:
First Name:
Last Name:
Email:
Phone:
Address:

Which payment options do you support?
We support all major Creditcards / Debitcards, Wire Transfer, Paypal. And if you are in USA then we also support Check/Money order. Click here to learn more about purchase options.
Do I have to pay Tax or your product price already includes Tax?
No – Tax is added separately during checkout. Each country/State may have different rules for tax and our checkout process will calculate it based on Billing address / VAT number.
Can I pay in local currency rather than USD?
Yes – You can pay in your local currency. By default, we may detect your country and show the price in local currency during checkout process but you can manually change country any time from the dropdown (found at the top of checkout page).
Our company cannot pay via Credit card. Can I Pay via Wire Transfer?
Yes – Select wire transfer method on payment options page. Click next and you will get email with Invoice link which will have Wire transfer instructions. When you sending payment via Wire transfer make sure you enter Payment reference number correctly to avoid delay in transaction (You can list it anywhere in the Wire transfer memo). Click here to learn more about purchase options.
Do you support ACH Payment Option (For USA Customers)?
No – We do not support ACH Transfer (Also known as Bank Transfer). However we do support Wire Transfer option (Using SWIFT) if you cannot use Credit card or Check method.
I am buying Annual Subscription. Can I pay by Check or Wire Transfer?
No – Annual Subscription only supports Credit/Debit Card option. If you must pay by check or wire transfer then you have to purchase Perpetual License rather than Subscription.
Do you offer refund incase I don't want or I don't like the product after purchase?
Yes – We have 30 days money back guarantee but you have to request refund in 30 days from your purchase date. Refund will go back to original card.

Accounting / Tax / GST / VAT Questions

How can I obtain W9 form for Tax purpose (USA Customers Only)?
Click here to get W9 link
What is your VAT ID for EU?
 FastSpring’s VAT number for EU  is EU826012240. The number begins with “EU” because FastSpring is located in the United States, not in a European Union member state. Click here to learn more
What is your VAT ID for non EU country?
Click here to lookup VAT ID / Tax ID for your country. Click here to learn more.

Upgrades

Can we upgrade to higher version (e.g. v2.4 to v2.5) to get new features? How much do I have pay?
As long as you have valid support agreement you are entitled to get new features/bug fixes at no additional cost. You can upgrade to new version for the same SKU from original purchase. For example if you purchased Standard Edition then you can upgrade to new version and get new features only for Standard Edition (not for Pro Edition)
Can we upgrade to a higher edition (e.g. Standard Edition to Pro)? Do I just pay the difference?
If you upgrade within 30 days from the purchase date then you can just pay the difference and get a new license for the higher edition. However, if you upgrade after 30 days then your cost would be based on the following calculation. To get discount you must request quote from us. Always mention your previous order number in the request. Edition Upgrades are only allowed in Perpetual License. We do not allow Upgrades in Annual Subscription so you always have cancel existing Subscription and Purchase new Subscription with different SKU.

Upgrade timeframe Your Upgrade Cost
Upgrade in <= 1 month New license cost – (100% of old license cost)
Upgrade in <= 2 months New license cost – (90% of old license cost)
Upgrade in <= 3 months New license cost – (80% of old license cost)
Upgrade in <= 4 months New license cost – (70% of old license cost)
Upgrade in <= 5 months New license cost – (60% of old license cost)
Upgrade in <= 6 months New license cost – (50% of old license cost)
Upgrade in <= 7 months New license cost – (40% of old license cost)
Upgrade in <= 8 months New license cost – (30% of old license cost)
Upgrade in <= 9 months New license cost – (20% of old license cost)
Upgrade after 9 months New license cost – (20% of old license cost)

Example : Upgrade from Standard Edition to Pro Edition
Consider the following scenario where you bought Standard Edition @ $1899 per license. After few months you decide to upgrade to Pro Edition. You can calculate your upgrade cost based on the following table depending on how many months you used.

What happens to my old packages when I upgrade to new version? Do I lose anything?
No – everything should just work fine. However, we recommend to backup before the upgrade. As per best practice, you should always test your new version in DEV first and then deploy to PROD.
How to Find Version Number and Release Notes?
To Check the installed PowerPack version please refer to below link:
https://zappysys.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/115004417614

To Check the Release Notes refer to below links:

Renewals

Why do I have to purchase support renewal?
If you renew your support on time then your software continues under existing support agreement and you will be able to enjoy following great benefits.

  • Download latest version to get critical bug fixes / New features
  • Contact Support via Email/Phone/Chat/Webx regarding product issues or technical questions
  • Obtain priority builds

We highly encourage you to renew support agreement before expiration date.

Can I skip my support renewal and buy later when I really need it?
You can skip renewal period and buy later when you really need it, however when you renew support, you have to pay for any missed support periods including the current period before we can reactivate your support agreement. For example you bought a product ($1000 – one perpetual license) on Jan 1, 2010. Next year you decided to skip Support renewal (e.g. $250). But after 2 years on Jan 10, 2012 you needed urgent support for some product related issue (Production Jobs failing and you are not sure). Since you did not pay for support for Year 2011 and 2012 you will not be eligible to get technical support. To get support in year 2012 you must pay for current period (i.e. 2012) and any missed period(s) (i.e. Year 2011). So in total you have to spend 2 x $250 = $500
What happens if I don't renew?
If you choose not to renew support agreement then old version will continue to work but you will lose following important benefits

  • Download latest version to get critical bug fixes / New features from Customer Download Area
  • Contact Support via Email/Phone/Chat/Webx regarding product issues or technical questions
  • Obtain priority builds
I bought Annual Subscription License. Do I still have to buy Support renewal?
No – Annual Subscription Plan already includes support and upgrades
Do I get new license key when I renew my support?
No – When you renew support agreement we update our system so you can obtain technical support and download latest software. You don’t need new license key in order to install latest version. Old license key registration works automatically without any activation as long as you are installing new version on the same machine where license key is active.

SSIS PowerPack Questions

General – Download and Installation

What is SSIS PowerPack?
SSIS PowerPack is a collection of 50+ high performance, drag and drop connectors/tasks for SSIS (i.e. Microsoft SQL Server Integration Services). After you install SSIS PowerPack you will see many new Custom Tasks and Components in your Visual Studio SSIS Toolbox. ZappySys Tasks/Components will be sorted with ZS Prefix (for VS 2008 toolbox wont refresh automatically so manually add items) Switch to Data flow and Control flow to see all components.
How do I download FREE 30-Days Trial?
Click here to download fully functional 30-days trial. No need to activate Trial license because it will be embedded in the installer.
How do I download FULL SSIS PowerPack (For Paid Customers)?
For paid customer you can download FULL version from this link.
What are the prerequisites for SSIS PowerPack?
Check this page for Supported OS / SQL Version and System requirements.
Which OS and SQL Server versions do you support?
Check this page for Supported OS / SQL Version and System requirements.

Do I have to restart Server after installing SSIS PowerPack / ODBC PowerPack?
In most cases you do not have to restart server / workstation for products we offer. However in rare case SSIS PowerPack users might have to restart SSIS Service to flush out cached dlls in memory only if your jobs failing to load SSIS PowerPack components.

How do I upgrade SSIS PowerPack to newer version?
Here is the direct link to latest build: Make sure you uninstall the previous version before installing this one (Go to control panel -> Add Remove programs -> Uninstall SSIS PowerPack)

https://zappysys.com/links/?id=10017

Do I have to install SSIS PowerPack on Server? How do I do that?
You can use the same installer you used
for desktop. After installation, you will get your 30-days trial on that new machine (assuming its first time install on that machine)
What are the best ways to learn your product?
You can check our online help file, blog or ask question to support if none of that helps.
Should I buy ODBC PowerPack or SSIS PowerPack?
Many times users ask us this question. Do I need SSIS PowerPack or ODBC PowerPack. Sometimes they look like similar use case both products have their own set of features. Following few points may help you to understand it better.
When to use ODBC PowerPack

  • When you have a need to read data without using any ETL approach (e.g. Read data directly from REST API and display in Reporting Tool)
  • You are not using Microsoft SQL Server / SSIS for ETL or you don’t want to use SSIS (e.g. Your company is using Informatica rather than SSIS)
  • You just need very specific driver available in ODBC PowerPack and don’t need to use any other features / connectors offered by SSIS PowerPack.
  • You are a DBA / T-SQL Programmer for Microsoft SQL Server and like to access REST API or other data offered by our Drivers See this
  • You are a programmer (e.g. C# , Java, Python) but don’t want to spend too much time to figure out data extraction / authentication / pagination / performance tuning logic for speedy development and easy to maintain.

When to use SSIS PowerPack

  • You like to use SSIS as your primary ETL tool for data extraction / transformation
  • You want to use additional tasks/ connectors / transforms available part of only SSIS PowerPack and not found in ODBC Drivers
  • You like to use more visual interface rather than SQL Queries
Do i have to re-install the SSIS PowerPack, if we upgrade/modify Visual studio or SQL Server on the machine?
Yes, if you upgrade/modify Visual studio or SQL Server on the machine, you need uninstall the SSIS PowerPack using Control Panel (Go to control panel -> Add Remove programs -> Uninstall SSIS PowerPack) and need to re-install the SSIS PowerPack with typical Default setting.
We recommend to use the latest SSIS PowerPack. Please refer to this link to Download the Latest Version.

Production Deployment / Parameters

When I test in Visual Studio everything works but when we deploy to server we get errors related to password/secretkey
By default when you create new SSIS Package it uses EncryptSensitiveUsingUserKey PackageProtectionLevel all secret fields (e.g. Password, Tokens) are encrypted using your User Key.
So when you try to run the same package under a different user account (e.g. Run via SQL Agent) then it will fail. The solution is simple. Just pass Sensitive information via Job Parameters Page or configure SSIS Catalog to use Environment feature. Most common Properties you need to set via parameters are Password, SecretKey, RefreshToken, PropxyPassword. For more information on Deployment and Parameterization check following links

Using SSIS Parameters to make things dynamic at runtime
SSIS 2012 Project Deployment
Deploying Packages to SSIS Catalog

Security

Is SSIS PowerPack / ODBC PowerPack Secure to Install on Server / Desktop?
If you want to know how secure is our product, Check this link

General

What should we consider ZappySys over Native SSIS / other competitors out there?