You’ve probably not thought about it and often used these two words interchangeably but actually there’s quite a big difference between a software update and a software upgrade.
A software update is typically a release containing enhancements to the current version. An upgrade is a whole new version of software that represents a significant change or major improvement. That’s why we typically use the term “migration” when talking about upgrading from V5 to Seiki AIR, to indicate that it’s a significant technology change to move from the thick client application of V5 to browser-based AIR. Whilst the change is significant, one of the main benefits of AIR is that we’ve made it faster, easier and lighter to improve the user experience and make it simpler to maintain and run.
Software Upgrade
Software upgrades, such as Seiki AIR, offer significant change and new functionality over previous versions and effectively supersede them. For this reason, they do require the purchase of engineering time to migrate from one system to the other. And they tend to involve more people within your company to ensure all aspects of the project and different user requirements are considered.
Seiki doesn’t charge customers with an active maintenance contract for the Seiki AIR software, it’s offered free of charge on a like-for-like basis. Even if you are on a much older version of Seiki, such as V4 or don’t have a maintenance contract it is still worth talking to us so that we can discuss the options with you.
Related article: Benefits of upgrading to Seiki AIR
Software Update
Software updates are typically small, released at more frequent intervals and free. They’re intended to:
- fix any known bugs or issues
- include updated security protocols and patches
- introduce new features or enhancements
- improve application speed/performance
- ensure compatibility with and add support for the latest third-party software or hardware
Once you’ve upgraded and being a centralised, server-based installation, Seiki AIR makes applying software updates even easier. Unlike V5 it requires a single point update so we just send you the link and you can have it installed and running in less than 10 minutes. We typically offer four software update releases through the year.
Accessing the benefits of Seiki AIR
Then, when you’re ready, the first step is to talk to us. We’ll schedule a discovery session with your account manager and from there we’ll be able to work with you to put together a project plan to make sure your system migration and implementation is carried out on time and to budget.
Our approach and implementation process is the same whether you’re installing our system for the first time or migrating from a previous version. Our services diagram gives you an idea of how we work to ensure your migration is a success.
