GenVault
GenVault ensures the survival of DNA with NCC Group’s software escrow services
About
GenVault is a leader in providing DNA sample accessibility for genomic discovery, medicine and identification. GenVault serves customers worldwide in medical centers, academic institutions and law enforcement agencies.
As a scalable and reliable alternative to traditional freezers and DNA purification systems, GenVault's dry-state platform enables the extraction, preservation, recovery and distribution of DNA at room temperature.
Headquartered in Carlsbad, California, GenVault currently employs 30 people.
Challenge
With the genomics revolution and the promise of genetics based medicine, both the importance and need to store biological samples has grown considerably. Organizations are rapidly collecting tissue libraries containing large volumes of samples, whether the purpose be to advance medicine or to solve crimes.
Biosample management company, GenVault offers intelligent archiving systems for the management of DNA samples. Built around the proprietary GenPlate, its methodology eliminates many of the current limitations in the processing, storage, and recovery of DNA. The system has the ability to scale any system to provide automated management, from small to large archives, including tracking with rapid retrieval and reconstitution of individual DNA samples.
GenVault is currently working with several customers ranging from forensics to pharmaceutical companies to incorporate its technologies into their sample processing workflow.
Erin Lafferty, CFO, GenVault commented: “Our industry allows no room for error or delay, so when clients are relying on our services for something as important as DNA samples there can be no loss in service.”
When discussing business continuity plans with a customer, GenVault was asked what provisions were in place should an event occur that had the potential to disrupt GenVault’s service. To respond to such inquiries, GenVault implemented a third party escrow service that could ensure the business continuity of its system in any event, thus providing its customers critical peace of mind.
Solution
Following a review of the marketplace, GenVault partnered with the world’s largest software escrow provider, NCC Group for a protection solution.
NCC Group’s technology escrow solutions provide a smart, simple way of protecting both supplier and end-user, by covering every business critical application or third party supplied software-as-a-service with a software escrow solution.
Pursuant to the terms of an escrow agreement, NCC Group holds a copy of GenVault’s application source code and under the terms of the agreement commits to release the material if a ‘trigger event’ should occur that would render GenVault incapable of fulfilling its contractual obligations. This would then enable GenVault’s clients to maintain and support the application in-house or appoint a qualified contractor to do so.
As part of the escrow agreement, NCC Group carried out an integrity test on the material received to ensure it was accessible, virus free and consists of source code when deposited. This process ensures that any obvious mistakes in the deposit are detected and resolved.
Results
Through its escrow agreement, GenVault is giving its clients the assurance that they can correct or rebuild their critical archiving and retrieval system with ease should an event occur which would prevent GenVault from doing so on their behalf.
GenVault also benefits from an NCC Group dedicated account manager who actively manages relationships between vendors and licensees to ensure that all account details and contractual obligations are in order and guide customers through the entire depositing process.
“Our first software escrow agreement was between ourselves and a Canadian customer so negotiations and contract details had to find a balance between two different judicial jurisdictions,” commented Lafferty. “NCC Group took care of everything and we were extremely grateful for their knowledge of different and varying governing laws for contracts.”
“The principle behind our software escrow offering is clear – to protect the end user from the impact of events that are outside their control, while protecting the Developer from improper disclosure of their intellectual property,” Craig Motta, General Manager for NCC Group, Inc. concluded. “Suppliers such as GenVault who offer escrow with their products add real value and security to their customer relationships.”
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NCC Group is a leading global provider of independent IT assurance, security and consultancy services. As a trusted advisor, we help over 15,000 public, private and not for profit sector organizations, including 92 of the FTSE 100, to make the most efficient use of information and technology and to manage the associated risks.
Quote
“Our first software escrow agreement was between ourselves and a Canadian customer so negotiations and contract details had to find a balance between two different judicial jurisdictions. NCC Group took care of everything and we were extremely grateful for their knowledge of different and varying governing laws for contracts”
Erin Lafferty, CFO, GenVault
Challenge
When discussing business continuity plans with a customer, GenVault was asked what provisions were in place should an event occur that had the potential to disrupt GenVault’s service
Solution
GenVault partnered with the world’s largest software escrow provider, NCC Group for a protection solution
Results
Through its escrow agreement, GenVault is giving its clients the assurance that they can correct or rebuild their critical archiving and retrieval system with ease should an event occur which would prevent GenVault from doing so on their behalf
PDF Version
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