Too often software licensing gets put on the back burner, falling to the bottom of the to-do list, or delegated for someone else to do. 

However, many CIOs and IT managers wish they'd paid more attention when faced with a software licence audit or the risk of non-compliance.  

Gone are the days of counting servers and user numbers, when metrics were easy to understand and servers came in great pieces of metal. Now it's a minefield of virtualised and non-virtualised estate, user accesses and different user types. It's no wonder then that the licensees can be quickly found to be non-compliant.

It's estimated that an average organisation can drive potential savings of 30% over the software lifecycle, in addition to reducing risk and non-compliance. Just imagine how much you could save in time, resource and budget if you really invested up front in its effective management.

Good knowledge of software licensing, the pitfalls and the opportunities should be front and centre. 

So what needs to be addressed as priority? You need to know what software you own, what software is deployed and most importantly what software you are using. Establishing these key facts can be far more complex to answer than you first think...

Taking a proactive approach to managing your Software Asset Management process puts you on the front foot. Think process, tool and team.

  1. Process – establish a robust process to manage your software licences.
  2. Tool – acquire the best tool to provide the deployment and usage data that you need and capture your license entitlement.
  3. Team – employ highly-qualified and motivated people who understand the process and its benefits to the business.

Think about how you can optimise your software investments.

The content of this article is intended to provide a general guide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be sought about your specific circumstances.