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Why the InCommon Certificate Service?
Unparalleled cost savings is the number one reason to consider the InCommon Certificate Service. Higher Education Institutions large and small are reporting the ability to issue unlimited certificates for one annual fee with substantial savings. One large state university system and current subscriber, anticipates annual savings of $325,000, and many large individual campuses report savings of $75,000-$90,000 per year. As one subscriber comments:
“Of note, the program paid for itself with just the one central department that used to purchase just 200 certs a year for $28k. This department now picks up the $15k annual cost for the entire campus. A Win-Win-Win all the way around.”
Substantial cost savings like these are a major reason more than 100 campuses have enrolled in the InCommon Certificate Service.
Unlimited Certificates for All of Your Domains
The InCommon Certificate service also allows subscribers to issue unlimited certificates, including SSL and client (personal) certificates for all of the domains they own – including .edu, .org, .net, .com, and others.
Discount for Internet2 Members
Internet2 members receive a 25 percent discount on the annual subscription fee for the service – determined by the Carnegie Classification System – which ranges from $1,500 for smaller institutions to $15,000 for the largest research-intensive universities.
“We are in the $15K bracket for large Internet2 members, so our cost savings is roughly in the $65-75K range annually compared to our previous certificate provider. I'm not a business major, but I think that ends up being 4-5x return on investment.”
Campuses have found other benefits, as this comment from a subscriber demonstrates:
“Our total bill for the first year was $15K. This was centrally funded. Previously, there was a chargeback for certs, which our departments found most irritating. Of course, the overhead for that chargeback process is now gone as well. “
Benefits of the InCommon Certificate Service At a Glance
- Unparalleled cost savings for certificates, including a 25% discount for Internet2 member institutions.
- Non-profit, transparently operated service dedicated to reinvesting revenues back into higher education.
- Research and education community driven and community governed.
- True site license and unlimited certificates –no additional charges for SSL, EV, or client (personal) certs, no matter how many you use.
- Directly linked to other InCommon trust services, including the emerging InCommon Assurance program.
- Tailored to the higher education environment.
- Unrivaled by industry – no others offer a true site license, nor match the operational and financial transparency.
The InCommon Certificate Service is an unqualified success for the InCommon and Internet2 community and, indeed, for all of higher education. Working together as a community, significant change in vendor business models has been demonstrated. The result is positive, long-term benefits for the Internet2 and InCommon communities.