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Migrate Central to Adobe LiveCycle ES

Get LiveCycle Output ES for free* for a limited time

Adobe LiveCycle Output ES2 with the Central Migration Bridge is here! Go green. Improve personalization. And prepare your organization for the interactive communications of the future.

If your organization holds a valid Platinum support contract for Adobe Central or Central Pro Output Server, Adobe Central Workstation Edition, or Adobe Web Output Pak software, you qualify to exchange your Central software licenses for LiveCycle Output ES licenses for free or at a reduced rate through November 30, 2011*.

Adobe® LiveCycle® ES (Enterprise Suite) software is an integrated server-based solution that blends document output, data capture, process management, and other services to help organizations develop applications that reduce paperwork, accelerate decision-making, and help ensure regulatory compliance. One of the solution components in LiveCycle ES is Adobe LiveCycle Output ES, which is the recommended replacement for most of the Adobe Central Pro Output server product family. LiveCycle Output ES is designed to help you reduce costs by extending document-based processes outside your organization to better engage with customers, partners, constituents, and colleagues. It also helps with your green IT initiatives by enabling the delivery of more secure electronic correspondence.

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How to Migrate


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Learn about migration details in this recorded presentation.

Want to find out more? Contact 4Point.

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FAQs




Why should I consider moving to Adobe LiveCycle Output ES?

The Central Output Server family is scheduled for end-of-life on June 30, 2016. Adobe LiveCycle Output ES is the recommended replacement for most Central products. Customers who hold current Platinum support contracts qualify to exchange their Central software licenses for LiveCycle Output ES licenses through November 30, 2011. The exchange is free for organizations that purchased their licenses before June 4, 2007. There is a trade-up fee involved for those that purchased on or after that date.


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What is the migration program and what are its key benefits?

Adobe is committed to the continued support of its valued customers, even as they look at retiring older-generation software. The reality is that moving to LiveCycle Output ES isn't like a typical upgrade; it involves migrating templates, scripts, and other aspects of your implementation. Because we realize this transition is not necessarily quick or easy, we've created an extensive migration program to address the diverse needs of our many clients. Benefits include:

  • LiveCycle Output ES license exchange — Limited time offer through November 30, 2011. Customers with valid Platinum support contracts qualify for free or reduced pricing.
  • Overlapping support – for both Central and LiveCycle Output software during the migration period, subject to the terms of a migration agreement
  • Migration guide and tools – providing access to a range of migration tools and documentation, including the Central Migration Bridge
  • Consulting services – available through Adobe or its solution provider network


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Which Central Output Server family products are eligible for a LiveCycle Output ES migration?

The following chart summarizes the target migration path for Central Output Server family products:

Your Product Migrate to
Adobe Central Pro Output Server¹ LiveCycle Output ES
Central Output Server¹ LiveCycle Output ES
Central Workstation¹ LiveCycle Output ES
Web Output Pak¹ LiveCycle Output ES
Output Pak for mySAP.com®² No LiveCycle equivalent; investigate SAP NetWeaver
Output Manager No LiveCycle equivalent
Output Designer LiveCycle Designer ES³

¹LiveCycle Output ES runs on on Java™ application servers using industry-standard operating systems including Windows®, AIX®, Solaris™, and Linux®; HP-UX and OS/400® are not supported, but customers who hold Platinum support contracts can exchange to a supported platform.
²Output Pak for mySAP.com customers are encouraged to investigate SAP NetWeaver as their next-generation standard. Adobe LiveCycle technology is embedded in NetWeaver, supporting comparable output functions. In addition, NetWeaver includes SAP® Interactive Forms software by Adobe.
³Output Designer has no exchange value by itself. LiveCycle Designer ES is included with LiveCycle Output ES. Licensees of Output Designer are encouraged to continue using the software during the migration period.


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What are the key capabilities of Adobe LiveCycle Output ES?

  • Automatically generate personalized documents in PDF, PDF/A, PostScript®, and PCL, as well as Zebra, Intermec, Datamax, or Tec Toshiba label formats on-demand or in batch mode.
  • Quickly design and maintain templates or template fragments, define business logic, and preview jobs with award-winning LiveCycle Designer ES2 software.
  • Easily assemble customized document packages from new or existing PDF files.
  • Enable unattended PDF printing via PDF tob Postscript conversion.
  • Support conversion of PDF files to PDF/A or image formats, including multipage TIFF.
  • Easily orchestrate document delivery via print, e-mail, or the web with LiveCycle Workbench ES.
  • Protect electronic document confidentiality and authenticity with PDF document encryption.
  • Integrate with other LiveCycle ES solution components such as LiveCycle Forms ES, LiveCycle Rights Management ES, or LiveCycle Process Management ES to extend your business processes.


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What are the key benefits of LiveCycle Output ES in combination with LiveCycle ES?

  • Easily orchestrate long-lived processes that extend beyond the firewall, with support for best-of-breed electronic processing including interactive forms, business process management, certified document delivery, and digital rights management.
  • Reduce the cost of output development, maintenance, and support by taking advantage of the standards-based LiveCycle development environment and robust developer program.
  • Standardize on a single design environment to support a wide range of interactive, on-demand, and batch output processes.
  • Expand your capabilities with more secure, interactive solutions such as eStatements or iStatements, correspondence management, and account opening.


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How Can Adobe LiveCycle ES help me with Communications Management?

By combining LiveCycle Output ES with other LiveCycle ES modules, you can build a comprehensive set of services to enhance customer satisfaction, increase operational efficiencies, and reduce costs by targeting communications more effectively and automating the generation of personalized documents. Customer communications can be grouped into two major categories: system-driven and user-driven.

  • System-driven communications. Use dynamic templates populated with variable content to create personalized communications. Quickly and intelligently assemble a document package based on rules. And, support high-volume, on demand, or batch communications and scalable workflows. Examples include statements and invoices, purchase orders, and renewals.
  • User-driven communications. Assemble predefined content blocks along with authored content to create personalized communications. Integrate review and approval processes to improve quality control mechanisms. Examples include correspondence, welcome kits, and supply chain collaboration.

Learn more about LiveCycle ES Communications Management


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How Can Adobe LiveCycle ES help me with interactive Correspondence Management?

Adobe offers a Correspondence Management Solution Accelerator that centralizes and manages the creation and delivery of correspondence to make every interaction right for your customers and best for your business. It enables you to quickly assemble correspondence from both pre-approved and custom-authored content in a streamlined process from creation to archival. As a result, your customers get the right communication at the right time in the right way: timely, accurate, convenient, secure, and relevant. And your business maximizes the value of customer interactions and minimizes cost and risk with a streamlined process. Here are just a few of the solution benefits.

  • Make it easy for team members to personalize customer correspondence.
  • Increase control and drive consistency for compliance, security, and brand integrity.
  • Create interactive portfolios or eWelcome Kits for new customers.
  • Engage customers with 2-way communications that let them click to take action.

Lean more about LiveCycle ES Correspondence Management


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Does Adobe LiveCycle Output ES offer identical functionality to Central products?

LiveCycle Output ES is comparable, but not identical, to products in the Central Output Server family. Its robust architecture and extended capability set are designed for organizations that want to make the most of today's best-in-class enterprise architectures and on-demand business processes. Call us to discuss the differences before committing to a trade-up. Here are the key differences.

LiveCycle Output ES:

  • Is J2EE compatible and runs on Java™ application servers and industry-standard operating systems including Windows®, AIX®, Solaris™, and Linux; HP-UX and OS/400® are not supported, but customers using these can trade up to a supported platform
  • Inherits the strength of the LiveCycle ES environment, including LiveCycle ES Foundation and LiveCycle Workbench ES. The foundation is the LiveCycle job execution and integration environment, corresponding to the Central Job Management Database. It supports watched folders and e-mail delivery, which are similar to the collector directory and e-mail agent. It also supports today's best-of-breed invocation methods such as web services, Java APIs, and LiveCycle ES process orchestration.
  • Leverages award-winning LiveCycle Designer ES software to create and manage XML document templates and template fragments
  • Adds new capabilities including the ability to assemble newly created PDF files with existing PDF files to create customized PDF document packages, as well as PDF-to-PostScript and PDF-to-TIFF conversion
  • Provides editable rather than preconfigured print device profiles, known as presentment targets or ICS files; generic profiles are edited to customize finishing options such as stapling, sorting, and paper tray selection
  • Approaches fax integration differently, using the process orchestration tools in LiveCycle Workbench ES rather than preconfigured device profiles
  • Accepts XML data input only. Text and field nominated data (DAT) formats are not supported. Similarly, there is no equivalent for the Central Transformation agent and Visual Transformation Editor for ASCII data file transformation.
  • Does not support certain output methods including PCL6, Windows drivers, or Monarch label formats
  • Provides somewhat lower document formatting performance per CPU, but provides ready access to parallel document formatting to process jobs more quickly and efficiently; higher volume output requirements are addressed with CPU scaling and clustering


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Can I get a trial version of LiveCycle Output ES?

Yes, you can download LiveCycle Output ES — along with all the other modules — as part of the Adobe LiveCycle trial.


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How long will Adobe support Central Output Server family products?

The Central Output Server family is scheduled for end-of-life on June 30,2016. Following Adobe enterprise support policies, customers on any Central version 5.7 or Web Output Pak 2.0.7 will be able to purchase core support contracts through June 30, 2014 and extended support contracts through June 30, 2016. Support services will remain consistent with previous generations, including access to technical support resources and software patches.


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How long will Adobe continue to sell Central Output Server family products?

Version 5.7 generation products will be available for sale through June 2016, making it possible to purchase new licenses or expand existing installations as needed to support immediate business requirements. Version 5.7 generation products are defined as Central Pro Output Server 5.7, Output Pak for mySAP.com 5.7, Output Designer 5.7, and Web Output Pak 2.0.7.


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How do I qualify for free or reduced price licenses of LiveCycle Output ES?

If your organization purchased Central licenses before the introduction of LiveCycle Output ES on June 4, 2007, and has a current Platinum support contract, you are eligible to exchange your Central licenses for LiveCycle Output ES licenses at no cost. Organizations that purchased on or after June 4, 2007, are eligible to trade up for a price equal to the difference between the two products. To take advantage of this limited time offer, you'll need to sign a migration agreement by November 30, 2011. The agreement defines the exchange quantities, the overlapping support period (24 months), and the timeframe for retirement of your Central software. Migration exchange scenarios for Central Output Server family licensees vary. Contact your Adobe representative or 4Point directly to evaluate your specific implementation.


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How does migration affect my annual support contract price?

If your organization purchased Central licenses before June 4, 2007, there will be no change to the pricing terms of your contract. Normal uplift rules will apply at the end of each year. If your organization purchased its licenses on or after June 4, 2007, you will pay an additional amount equal to 20% of your license trade-up fee.


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Are there other costs associated with the migration?

Yes. Adobe recommends that you reserve internal resources and/or budget for consulting services to support the migration.


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What are the technical implications of migrating to LiveCycle Output ES?

Document templates need to be converted and new methods are needed to integrate into enterprise systems. LiveCycle Output ES accepts only XML data input, for instance. A template conversion tool is included that converts templates created in Output Designer to LiveCycle Designer ES. Templates created using the standard Output Designer tools typically convert easily and accurately. If you modified the preamble to customize your implementation, however, you will need to rework these aspects manually. Similarly, integration points previously handled by the Job Management Database will need to be migrated to the LiveCycle Workbench ES2 environment.


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What is the Central Migration Bridge and how does it help the migration process?

LiveCycle Output ES2 (and higher) includes a set of LiveCycle Workbench services collectively known as the Central Migration Bridge. With it, you'll be able to run both old and new business applications on the same server during the migration period. The services provide access to the core capabilities of Central so that existing data sources, Output Designer templates, and transformation scripts can be used in a LiveCycle context. It enables a phased migration as follows:

  1. Move existing Output Designer form templates and data transformation scripts to the new LiveCycle server.
  2. Develop processes in LiveCycle Workbench using one of the four available Central Migration Bridge Services.
    • centralMerge — running jfmerge.exe (Central Print Agent)
    • centralTrans — running jftrans.exe (Central Transformation Agent)
    • centralXMLImport — running xmlimport.exe (Central XML Import Agent)
    • centralDataAccess — providing access to selected data in DAT files from within LiveCycle Workbench
  3. Modify your existing enterprise applications to invoke LiveCycle processes, rather than Central ones
  4. Decommission your previous standalone configurations of Central software
  5. Convert Output Designer templates and non-XML data sources one application at a time, over a comfortable period of time.

¹Contact 4Point directly to confirm availability of the next-generation version of LiveCycle Output ES, which includes the Central Migration Bridge.


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Do I need to upgrade to 5.7 to take advantage of the Central Migration Bridge?

Yes. The Central Migration Bridge is designed to work with Central Pro 5.7.


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Do I need to sign a migration agreement to take advantage of the Central Migration Bridge?

Not necessarily. The migration agreement is required only for customers who qualify for a free or reduced price license of LiveCycle Output ES. If you purchase both Central Pro 5.7 and LiveCycle Output ES separately, you will also be able to take advantage of the Central Migration Bridge.


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How can I learn more about the migration process?

We recommend that you begin by reading the Adobe Central Output Server Migration Guide. This guide is designed for technologists who have experience building document generation and print solutions with the Adobe Central Output Server family of products and are considering a migration to Adobe LiveCycle Output ES. It compares the capabilities of the two product lines, describes varying migration scenarios, identifies potential issues, and recommends best practices to help developers migrate their applications. If you would like to have the assistance of expert services, 4Point can assist your enterprise throughout the process.


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How do I get started?

To begin the migration process, contact 4Point to discuss the right option for you. 4Point Support customers can also call 877.469.3627.


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Learn More about LiveCycle Output ES.

866.485.2999 (sales)
877.469.3627 (support)

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