The expert guide to escrow

This is our process for quickly reaching a successful escrow agreement.

Step 1: Inventory

Our escrow consultants identify the needs of both the supplier and the user and then prepare the draft agreement.

We always offer a balanced escrow agreement. We do not distinguish between the extent of a party.

Step 2: Assessment

We will send the draft agreement to the party that made the first contact for review. We only deviate from this in exceptional cases. We will discuss this during the inventory.

Step 3: Mediation

The first party will notify us of any changes. If adjustments are needed that affect the other party, we submit them to the relevant party.

We do not provide advice or judgement. Is the effect of the adjustment not clear? If so, you should report it to us so we can explain it objectively.

Are there any changes related to Escrow Alliance? Then we assess on a case-by-case basis what we accept or refuse.

Step 4: Signing

Once you have agreed on the agreement? Then we draw up a final version that we send by email in PDF format to both parties.

All parties must then sign the agreement online through Adobe Sign. The supplier must first sign, then the user and finally Escrow Alliance.

Only when everyone has signed the agreement does the agreement take effect and we start preparing for the export.

Step 5: Output

During the export, we collect and verify with the supplier all materials that go into the escrow depot. The exact interpretation depends on the specific agreement. After everything has been stored in our safes, you can always view the status of the deposit via My Escrow.

At Escrow Alliance, we have experience with a wide range of programming languages. Our team of experts is skilled in both modern and traditional languages, which enables us to review and verify various software projects. Some of the programming languages we support are:

Java
Python
C#
C++
JavaScript (and frameworks such as React, Angular, Vue)
PHP
Ruby
Swift
Kotlin
Go
Rest
… and many others.

If you use a specific language or technology not listed here, please contact us. Thanks to our extensive expertise, we can probably also provide support for less common languages or specific technologies.

At Escrow Alliance, we are familiar with a wide range of development platforms. Our team is trained and experienced in working with diverse environments, which enables us to review and verify software projects on different platforms. Here are some of the development platforms we support:

Microsoft Visual Studio
Eclipse
IntelliJ IDEA
Android Studio
Xcode
NetBeans
PyCharm
Visual Studio Code
WebStorm
Unity
Unreal Engine
OutSystems
Mendix
Appian
Salesforce Lightning
PowerApps
Betty Blocks
… and many others.

Whether you are working with a commonly known platform, a niche solution or a low-code platform, our team is equipped to support you. If your specific platform is not listed here, please contact us. Thanks to our broad expertise, we can probably also provide support for other development environments

At Escrow Alliance, we employ various verification methods to ensure the integrity, completeness and usability of deposited software materials. Here are some of the methods we use:

Integrity check
We verify that the submitted materials are virus-free, accessible, and meet the basic requirements described in the escrow agreement.

Materials audit
This involves a detailed inventory of all supplied software materials. We check for specific materials such as libraries and/or files.

Compilation tests
We run tests to verify the functionality and completeness of the software. This involves compiling the software to confirm that all the necessary components are present and functioning correctly.

Usability Assessment
We evaluate the software for usability and functionality, checking that all features work properly and that the software meets expectations.

These methods are designed to provide a comprehensive and systematic assessment of software materials, focusing on the completeness, quality and consistency of each material within the software project.

Escrow Alliance supports the following delivery methods. Is the method you want to use not listed? Please contact us to discuss the possibilities.

Do you opt for physical delivery? Then you can use the following storage media. Do you deliver electronically? Then you will receive a free media carrier from us.

– CD-ROMs
– DVD ROMs
– Blu-ray disc
– USB sticks
– Memory cards
– SSDs
– Hard drives (HDDs)

Physical delivery methods:

– Come and hand over the depot yourself at our Haarlem office
– Have us pick up the depot at your office
– Send by mail to our Haarlem office
– Send by courier with a choice of pick up and delivery

Online delivery methods:

– Our delivery site https://transfer.escrowalliance.com
– Continuous deposit
– Dual Depot
– SFTP, SFTP, FTPS, FTPES or SSH tunnel
– Real-time connection to source code management servers based on GIT, SVN, Mercurial or within TFS environments

Before we accept materials for deposit, they must meet a number of criteria.

We do this according to a step-by-step plan. We have described that below for beginners and experts alike, hence we explain some things that are already obvious to some.

It is important to us that everyone knows exactly how we work. During the process itself, you will get exactly the support you need from our experts.

The exceptions to these rules are the real-time links and if you want customization. That is not a problem! In either case, contact us to discuss options.

Roadmap

Step 1: the preparation

1a: collecting the materials

Escrow Alliance’s verification consultant consults with the supplier on what materials should be in the deposit.

Use is made of the deposit checklist or specific instructions contained in the escrow agreement.

1b: Compress the materials

The collected materials must now be compressed by the supplier into 1 archive file so that you can be sure that everything ends up in the depot.

We recommend creating a common (possibly encrypted – see step 1c) .ZIP, .RAR or .TAR archive file due to long-term compatibility.

Are you dealing with many or large files? Then you could split the archive files into multiple archive files. The chance of errors during the transfer is thus much reduced.

Note: there is a limit of 2TB per deposit. Do you need more space? Please contact us for customisation.

1c: encryption

We already mentioned in 1b that we recommend encrypting your archive files. That way, files are more secure during upload, transport or storage.

When encrypting a seat belt in a car, think of it: will things ever go wrong in the worst case? Then you have that (often life-saving) security.

We prefer to advise you personally about the type of encryption and the software that is best for you.

Note: if you use your own cryptographic keys, you must supply them separately. See 2a. By the way, these keys are stored separately from the depository.

1d: control

The last step before delivery. Check whether you have all files (possibly with the correct version numbers) from the escrow agreement in the archive file, whether everything is correctly encrypted and whether you have any of your own keys to hand.

Step 2: the delivery

2a: check and return the escrow deposit form (EDF)

You will receive this pre-completed form from us when the escrow arrangement starts. Check all data, correct where necessary and then return it.

Here are a few questions to keep in mind:

-Do you use encryption?
Do not forget to check this if you have encrypted the files. You will automatically receive the public key from us.
– Do you want to use our FTP server?
Check this box and we will pass on the access data.
– Do you use your own cryptographic keys, passwords or different security?
Check this box and we will send you the delivery instructions. Please note: this is a separate delivery process.

2b: Verification by our verification consultant

We verify everything according to Technical Verification Service (TVS) Level 1 before it is stored as a deposit.

You will receive a verification report within 5 days. If something goes wrong, we will contact the supplier.

Escrow Alliance verification levels are structured levels of software verification that ensure deposited materials meet specific criteria. These levels are:

Preliminary examination (TVS Level 0).
Integrity test (TVS Level I).
Materials Audit (TVS Level II).
Full Verification (TVS Level III).
Custom Verification (TVS Level IV).

They range from basic checks to in-depth, customized analyses, depending on client needs and software complexity.

The use of “Levels” in our verification processes allows us to take a structured and hierarchical approach to assessing software materials. Here are some reasons why we chose this approach:

Clarity and overview
By using Levels, clients can easily see the difference between the different depth levels of verification. Each level offers an increasing degree of depth and detail in assessment.

Flexibility
Not every customer has the same needs. By offering different Levels, customers can choose which level of verification best suits their specific situation and needs.

Deepening
Levels are designed to build on the findings of the previous level. This provides a systematic and thorough assessment of software materials, with each level going deeper into specific aspects of the software.

Standardisation
The use of Levels allows us to take a consistent and standardized approach to all verifications, ensuring reliability and consistency in our services.

Communication
It helps us communicate the scope and depth of each verification in a simple and understandable way, so clients are better informed about what to expect.

In essence, the Levels allow us to provide a clear, structured and flexible approach tailored to each client’s unique needs, while maintaining the highest quality standards.

The Preliminary Study, or TVS Level 0, is the exploratory phase in which a global overview of the software or SaaS/cloud application is created.

This involves identifying core components and dependencies, and understanding the structure and complexity of the application.

TVS Level I, also known as the “Integrity Test,” is the initial verification phase. This involves checking the integrity of the supplied materials.

This ensures that the deposited materials are virus-free, accessible, and meet the basic requirements described in the escrow agreement.

TVS Level II, the “Materials Audit,” goes a step further than Level I by performing an in-depth audit on materials.

This involves checking specific materials such as libraries and/or files for their presence and compliance with the escrow agreement.

TVS Level III, the “Complete Verification,” provides comprehensive verification beyond the previous levels.

This involves verifying that the deposited materials meet the continuity purpose of the escrow arrangement, performing tests such as compilation to verify the usability and completeness of the materials.

TVS Level IV, the “Custom Verification,” is the most advanced level and is fully customized to the specific needs of the client.

This involves a customised analysis, evaluating each aspect of the software based on predefined criteria.

If your SaaS supplier goes down very unexpectedly, you can make a quick restart for the short term via our Continuity and Guarantee Escrow Alliance Foundation (SCWEA.org).

Through SCWEA we host the entire environment for a short time. As a user, you can continue working with your online software immediately and in the meantime work on a solution for the longer term.

SCWEA is a foundation that was established solely to ensure that this security is there for our customers. We have no profit motive or interest in hosting any online software.