As the saying goes, all good things must come to an end. Despite the popularity of a particular product, AVTECH Software (News - Alert), Inc., manufacturer of PageR Enterprise software for network-wide monitoring, will retire its PageR Enterprise software within the next 12 months.

In a recent interview with TMCnet, Michael Sigourney (News - Alert), senior product specialist at AVTECH, explained that PageR has been one of AVTECH's core products for 19 years, with the first version released in 1991 for OpenVMS. However newer releases of other AVTECH products have eliminated the need for PageR as a stand-alone product, he said.

"AVTECH has created a significantly large presence in the field of IT and Facilities Environment Monitoring over the past five years. We are advancing the technology by developing new ways to monitor critical environmental conditions like temperature, humidity, power, smoke, motion and more at a detail level appropriate for IT standards," Sigourney explained. "Even better, our newest release of Device ManageR software allows even more advanced alerting and scheduling features than we were able to provide in PageR. Future integration with leading edge devices like smart phones where people are changing the ways in which information is managed is a critical part of our strength. Behind the scenes, we're also making the data more available for logging, graphing and analysis.

Software is indeed the future of environment and temperature monitoring and although PageR is a very stable and highly accepted product, it is too broad in focus and based on older development languages that limit future opportunities, he said.

"By focusing on our core expertise, temperature and environmental monitoring, AVTECH will be better able to serve existing customers and attract exponentially more customers," Sigourney added.

Officials with AVTECH said that the company will continue supporting PageR customers beyond their current Maintenance Support and Update Service (MSUS) agreements as a gesture of good will.

AVTECH hopes to discontinue any contractual technical support services for PageR as existing MSUS agreements expire during the next year. However, AVTECH will continue to provide technical support for PageR beyond that time by assisting customers when possible on a complimentary basis.

Company officials pointed out that new software keys will no longer be available in the near future so customers will not be able to move PageR licenses to new host systems. Customers with non-expiring keys will be able to run their PageR software as long as the host hardware is in use.

AVTECH will transition ongoing support resources into the development of newer technologies like AVTECH's Device ManageR software, new environment monitors, new sensors and new software products. PageR remains an extremely powerful and stable software product.

This retirement, company officials pointed out, is in no way related to any weakness or flaw in the software. In fact, Sigourney explained that retiring PageR is not about customers making huge changes.

"Customers will be able to run the PageR software for a long time to come because users have non-expiring keys," he said. "AVTECH will simple stop offering new licenses for sale and therefore not be offering regular development and new versions. Because we will no longer be investing in the long term enhancement of the PageR software, we feel it is no longer appropriate to charge for annual Maintenance Support and Update Service."

The company has also completed customer studies, which revealed that most PageR customers are primarily looking for capabilities that are already duplicated in the company's Device ManageR software, which is included free with all Room Alert and TemPageR monitors.

Company officials said that new features and enhancements that are being requested by customers will be easier to accomplish in Device ManageR and are not possible in PageR.

Sigourney also said that AVTECH is continuing to work on reducing costs for customers.

"Everyone likes value and that is one of the primary marketing strengths that AVTECH offers. Because we are the manufacturer and design and then manufacture all of our products in five different locations around the world, AVTECH can bring more benefits to users at a lower price," he said.

AVTECH's volume helps significantly as the company is the largest purchaser worldwide for many of the chips and components used in environment monitors, Sigourney added.

"This allows us the best pricing and consistent supply of components. At the end of the process, that means our customers get the best price and products that are always in stock and ship within minutes of when we receive an order," he said. "This service advantage is just another component of the AVTECH overall value that customers worldwide have grown to depend on."

According to company officials, AVTECH from May 1, 2010 has stopped selling new licenses for PageR and no existing MSUS agreements will be extended. Exceptions will be allowed for prospects with quotes that have not yet expired.