How To Manage Software Asset Management

Transcription

1 Whitepaper Software Asset Management Best Practices Guide AMTRA Solutions Software Asset Management (SAM), C-SAM and Application Packaging solutions

2 An Overview Software asset management (SAM) is a business practice that involves managing and optimizing the purchase, deployment, maintenance, utilization, and disposal of software applications within an organization. In most organizations, this is easier said than done. Typically, each phase of a software asset s lifecycle may be handled by a different department and it s often unclear who to contact to get all the information you need to determine if your licenses are in compliance. Index An Overview Page No 2 Abstract Page No 2 Hypothetical viewpoint Page No 3 Recommendation and Conclusion Page No 4 About Company Page No 5 Abstract This doesn t have to be the case. There are solutions to give IT a complete picture of all your software assets. This guide will help you evaluate your current software asset management (SAM) processes and systems. Plus, if you re planning on implementing a SAM program, provide you the foundation you need to create the right SAM program for your organization. Software Elements That Need To Be Managed The first step toward better Software Asset Management is to identify which elements of your software need to be managed, as well as who the current owner is. Here is a summary of some of the elements that need to be managed: According to industry analysts, your organization is now more likely than ever to receive a license audit request from at least one software vendor this year Whitepaper: Software Asset Management Best Practices Guide Page 2

3 Purchasing Information software costs, billing, software budget Contract and license terms length of the software contract, number of computers installed on Software usage how often is the software being used, number of licenses available Maintenance are patches updated, or have they been upgraded Purchase planning how many licenses are required, how long are they required for End-of-Life has the software been removed, or should it be removed. Hypothetical viewpoint Goals for Better Software Asset Management Turn your IT department into an integral part of your business by providing information that will lead to better software asset control and cost savings. Here is a summary of what SAM can do for your business. Reduce costs & strengthen negotiations A SAM system will help you demonstrate where software is installed and how frequently it s used. This information will help you negotiate better software contracts. Improve planning Better SAM will give you better planning. You ll be able to better anticipate future software requirements, including new software rollouts and software upgrades. You ll also be more prepared for business changes such as new employee on-boarding, mergers and acquisitions. Prevent over-deployment Identify unused software to help you reallocate copies and licenses. This will help maximize your existing licenses and avoid non-compliance fines. Reduce risk Reduce the risk of non-compliance penalties and damages to the company s image by preventing over-deployment and illegal downloads. Whitepaper: Software Asset Management Best Practices Guide Page 3

4 Recommendation and Conclusion Tips for Better Software Asset Management Companies that centralize software purchasing will save time and money by being able to better negotiate enterprise licensing and volume pricing. Centralized software also makes it easier to track purchases and usage information. Keep one main repository By keeping proof of software licenses in one common place, your Company will save time and money by quickly being able to respond to vendor audit requests. Tip: Remember to track what each software vendor considers proof of purchase prior to ever being audited. Track license usage/entitlement A license entitlement is the number of installs you have of a product. This is important for auditing purposes, as well as to reveal how many unused licenses you have. Once you have this information, you ll be able to reassign licenses from one department, or group, to another based their usage requirements. The best way to mange this is with a SAM tool. Know your product use rights & apply them Product use rights dictate how you can use your software licenses and are typically found in your license agreements. It defines your rights for upgrades, downgrades, second use, virtual machine use, multiple versions, etc. These rights can vary from vendor to vendor and from product to product. By keeping track of these rights, you can stretch your license dollars farther. Assign users appropriate rights If your company allows employees to install software themselves, it s important that they follow certain installation and reporting processes. With automated tools, you ll be able to see which computers/users have new software installed, and can then follow up with them if they haven t reported it. Develop strategic purchasing requirements How do you determine what your software needs will be in the next quarter? Running reports on actual software usage and cross referencing it to headcount provides a more accurate forecast of your purchasing needs. Whitepaper: Software Asset Management Best Practices Guide Page 4

5 Regularly review your policies & procedures Like all business processes and procedures, you should review your SAM practices regularly. This helps you determine which processes are and aren t working well. It is important to review these practices on semi-annual, or annual basis. Select a tool that helps you automate these processes & procedures A software asset management tool can help you automate many of the tasks required to best execute SAM processes and procedures. It will ensure that you have continuous tracking capabilities, and save you time and money by eliminating manual processes. A Software Asset management solution that combines with other ITAM tools is ideal. **************************************** About Company Contact info Address: Suite 400, th Avenue SW, Calgary, Alberta Telephone: info@amtrasolutions.com Website: AMTRA Solutions is a specialist provider of Software Asset Management (SAM) consultancy and solutions. Our commitment is to provide product quality and excellence, while providing a high level of customer service and technical support. AMTRA s technical staff members are Microsoft Certified and only the latest technology is employed in our products and software. Whitepaper: Software Asset Management Best Practices Guide Page 5