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Big Picture

Multi-Product ISVs

Independent software vendors often manage multiple desktop products, product editions, or add-on components. These products may share licensing models, have cross-product dependencies, or require coordinated release governance across the portfolio.

Big Picture provides a unified control plane that scales from single products to complex multi-product portfolios. You can manage releases, policies, and licensing across multiple products while maintaining independent release cadences and product-specific controls.

When This Scenario Applies

Section titled “When This Scenario Applies”

This scenario applies when you manage:

  • Multiple desktop product lines
  • Product editions (standard, professional, enterprise)
  • Add-on components or plugins
  • Products with cross-product dependencies
  • Portfolios where products share licensing models

Big Picture’s multi-product catalog allows you to manage all products through a single control plane while maintaining product independence.

How Big Picture Addresses This

Section titled “How Big Picture Addresses This”

Multi-Product Catalog Management

Section titled “Multi-Product Catalog Management”

Big Picture maintains a catalog of products, each with its own:

  • Release lifecycle and versioning
  • Update channels and policies
  • Artifact storage and distribution
  • License models and entitlements

You manage products independently while sharing common infrastructure, policies, and governance models.

Shared License Pools

Section titled “Shared License Pools”

Products can share license pools across the portfolio. Configure license entitlements that span multiple products, allowing customers to use licenses across products according to their entitlements.

For example:

  • A customer purchases an enterprise license that covers multiple products
  • License pools are configured to allow shared usage across products
  • License leases are issued per-product but respect shared pool limits
  • License usage is tracked across products for compliance reporting

This creates flexible licensing models that reflect how customers actually use software portfolios.

Product Versioning Strategies

Section titled “Product Versioning Strategies”

Each product can have its own versioning strategy:

  • Semantic versioning for some products
  • Date-based versioning for others
  • Custom versioning schemes for specific products
  • Independent version numbering across products

Big Picture tracks versions per-product, allowing you to coordinate releases across products when needed while maintaining product independence.

Tenant-Aware Policy for Multi-Product Scenarios

Section titled “Tenant-Aware Policy for Multi-Product Scenarios”

Tenant policies can specify product-specific requirements:

  • Some products may auto-update while others require IT approval
  • Different products may use different update channels
  • Product-specific staged rollouts can progress independently
  • License entitlements can vary by product within the same tenant

This allows you to respect customer requirements per-product while maintaining unified governance.

Release Coordination Across Product Lines

Section titled “Release Coordination Across Product Lines”

When products need coordinated releases:

  • Publish releases for multiple products simultaneously
  • Configure cross-product dependencies that prevent incompatible combinations
  • Coordinate staged rollouts across products when needed
  • Track deployment status across products for visibility

Big Picture supports both independent and coordinated release workflows, giving you flexibility to match your product portfolio’s needs.

Key Considerations

Section titled “Key Considerations”

Product Independence

Section titled “Product Independence”

Products maintain independence in:

  • Release cadences and schedules
  • Version numbering and schemes
  • Update policies and channels
  • Artifact storage and distribution

This allows products to evolve independently while sharing common infrastructure.

Shared Licensing Models

Section titled “Shared Licensing Models”

License pools can span products, but each product maintains its own license verification. Configure shared pools to reflect how customers actually use your portfolio while maintaining per-product license enforcement.

Cross-Product Dependencies

Section titled “Cross-Product Dependencies”

When products depend on each other:

  • Configure dependency rules that prevent incompatible combinations
  • Coordinate releases when dependencies require it
  • Track dependency relationships in release metadata
  • Provide clear error messages when dependencies are not met

Big Picture supports dependency management, but you define dependency rules based on your product architecture.

Portfolio Governance

Section titled “Portfolio Governance”

Unified governance across products provides:

  • Consistent policy models across the portfolio
  • Shared infrastructure and operational processes
  • Unified visibility into release status and license usage
  • Common audit trails and compliance reporting

This creates operational efficiency while maintaining product independence.

Next Steps

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