What is nTop Automate?
Is nTop Automate a feature, a capability, or a product?
nTop is a product with its own pricing and licensing.
It was released during our nTop 4 campaign in May 2023.
Can I design my workflow in nTop Automate?
"Nope, you need nTop base product for this!
To understand how BUILDING the workflow fits into nTop Automate usage, refer to this L0 Slide.
Reminder: All users using nTop Automate must have a valid nTop license as well (see this FAQ) (even if they're not the author)."
True or false: A customer who's using nTop Automate today for free can continue to do so after their upcoming renewal.
False!
Since the launch of nTop 4, nTop Automate is now a licensable product, and you must address this with customers on the upcoming renewal call. See the FAQ here.
True or False:
If a customer says they want to buy nTop Automate, you should say "sorry too bad it's too cool for you."
The answer here (surprisingly): False.
Pick another!
True or false: Linux cloud computing is typically more expensive than Windows but is the industry standard for HPC and generally runs more efficiently.
False!
Linux cloud computing is less expensive than Windows because you there is no OS (Windows) to license when turning on a virtual machine.
A few times a quarter I need to run large simulation jobs that take multiple days. I'd love not to tie up my nTop license, should I buy nTop Automate?
TL;DR - No.
From the FAQs: ""If you occasionally need to run a large meshing or simulation job, nTop Automate is probably not the right product for you. Instead you can run the standard nTop application on a larger machine.""
nTop Automate requires significant time to learn and requires competency in programming and command line interfaces.
Where you can a CSM, SE, or OE go to see if a customer is using nTop Automate today?
Tableauuuuuuuuu! Make sure you have "nTop CL" toggled on at the top.
Should nTop Automate typically sold as a Land or Expand?
Expand! Generally customers must become familiar with nTop before benefitting from nTop Automate. (See this FAQ).
"Hey, tell me about a customer who's using nTop Automate and why!"
Answer should include a customer AND why they're using it.
Lightforce - mass customization
Ocado - connection to CAD progams
SiBone - product family
Which of the following is NOT a quality of a good application for nTop Automate?
* Very repetitive and frequent
* At high risk for human error
* Workflow is customized to individual projects
* Involves significant downtime between steps
"Workflow is customized to individual projects."
Workflow authoring must happen in the nTop program, so frequent workflow changes will reduce the fit with nTop Automate.
Can I run multiple sessions of nTop Automate at the same time on the same device?
Yes! Perfectly legal!
What you CAN'T do is run nTop Automate on 2 different devices at once. See this FAQ.
When does the CSM and Salesperson review the potential to pitch nTop Automate to a customer?
Reviewing Customer Health Forensics! The Sales steps are found here in the FAQ.
Complete this Elevator Pitch:
"nTop Automate enables you to execute nTop design workflows at scale in a ________ environment for _____ processing, ______ exploration, and ______ customization."
"programmatic environment"
"batch processing"
"design exploration"
"mass customization"
We're an early-stage sports equipment startup. We plan to make player-specific baseball gloves based on scans done in the doctor's office. We want to start working with nTop Automate now, even though we don't plan to go to production for 2 more years. We've got a floating license but a power user that authors all the workflows.
What product should we buy? Named user license or floating license?
Neither! Trick question! This contract should immediately go to negotiated terms since it's clearly for Mass Customization.
From the FAQs (link here): Move to negotiated terms as soon as possible, if customer expresses need for using Automate for Mass Customization, based on customer's unit economics. Note that it is not a standard SKU.
How much more expensive (in $) is a country-specific floating license than a named-user license for nTop Automate?
About $10K (Floating = $19,500, named user = $9,950). Pricing on this slide of the L&L Enablement
"If at my upcoming renewal I add 1 US floating license of nTop Automate to my current 2 US floating nTop licenses, how many workflow consultations will I get next year to help implement nTop Automate?
30k + 30k + 19,500 = 79,500
Therefore, Group level (61k - 150k) which includes monthly Solution Sessions and TWELVE workflow consultations per year.
Which versions of Linux is nTop Automate supported on?
nTop Automate is only supported officially on Red Hat Enterprise v7.9 or "RHELv7.9"
The customer is responsible for validating quality & repeatability of nTop Automate performance on all other Linux builds. The FAQ does not yet reflect htis, the version support section is under construction.
Name at least 3 nTop features that are not supported today in nTop Automate for Linux.
Possible answers:
Quadrangulate and CAD Body from Implicit Body blocks
Modal Analysis, Thermal Analysis, Thermal Transient Analysis, and Buckling Analysis.
From this FAQ.
What is a proper response to this objection:
My simulation program allows me to run from GUI or from Command Line. Why do I need to pay extra for nTop Automate?
Very important objection. Full response should be read here.
Answer should include at least these 2 elements:
* nTop Automate is far faster and more efficient, and it's common for CAx softwares to monetize improvements in speed & efficiency.
* nTop workflows are highly robust so very little work needs to go into making them accessible for CLI.
Why is a $0 Order Form required to start a trial of nTop Automate AND how long are trials typically? Get them both or be doomed!!!
Order Form: Without this form (that does not require a signature), the customer doesn't have the legal permission to access nTop Automate. The order form grants this permission.
The Order Form can be found in the L&L enablement.
Trials can be 60-90 days, as determined by the account team.