I've been a SecurID admin for over a decade, so I know the RSA sales process pretty well. Typically, it takes about four to eight weeks from my first contact with a sales agent to getting my tokens and an updated license file for new user seats. However, I started a quote on August 5th for tokens I need by October, and shockingly, RSA wants me to start paying maintenance fees as of August 1st. This is way before the tokens will actually arrive in mid-September, and when I'll get the license file for the new seats. Has anyone else faced this issue with RSA or other vendors? It seems odd to pay maintenance fees for licenses I haven't even purchased yet, especially when the timeline for payment starts before I even reached out for a quote. Cheers!
3 Answers
That just sounds ridiculous. Have you tried reaching out to a Value-Added Reseller (VAR) to negotiate this? They might have more leverage to push back on RSA.
Honestly, do you still need RSA? There are cheaper alternatives for MFA and authenticator solutions nowadays that could save you a lot of hassle.
I’d consider switching to something like Google Authenticator, but it's challenging since some secure rooms don't allow phones. The SID700 tokens work perfectly for those situations.
It's definitely not common practice to start maintenance fees before you even have the licenses. You should be able to align the maintenance period with when you expect delivery. Hopefully, your VAR can help make this right for you if this was a planned purchase.
This wasn’t an emergency situation. I’m planning ahead for tokens that will expire soon, and I can see paying maintenance once I have everything in hand. It just feels like they’re trying to squeeze extra cash before I even finalize the purchase.
I usually work with ISSQUARED for licenses and CDW just for tokens. They can be helpful in these situations!