How to Make Managing Software Assets Simple

By By Sumir Karayi, 1E for, CRN June 12, 2012

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The challenge of managing software assets can present a nightmare scenario for companies unable to identify what software is used and by whom. The biggest headache for asset managers is to ensure that their companies can adhere to strict compliance and software licensing agreements. Here, Karayi, CEO of 1E illustrates how, with the right tools and policies, you can help your customers make managing software assets a dream.—Jennifer Bosavage, editor

Managing the hundreds – if not thousands – of purchased applications can be overwhelming for large organizations. With multiple buyers in the guise of procurement departments, ICT departments and users themselves, there is often a disconnect with those responsible for managing the software licensing. If they lack the right tools to discover the true usage figures, your customers are faced with a time-consuming and difficult task when one of their vendors comes knocking at their door for an audit or true-up.

Where Asset Managers Miss the Mark Today, many software asset managers rely on software to balance the number of licenses purchased with the number of actual copies installed. This task requires intense manual input and time-consuming research, yet fails to provide three critical details:

1) The number of licenses actually needed
2) Where software waste exists (applications that are no longer used)
3) Areas for potential cost savings

Reconciling the number of licenses owned with usage can be a huge eye opener. Research shows that unused software is a significant drain on IT budgets, costing organizations an average of $414.50 per PC.

To make matters worse for your customers, ever more vigilant vendors have increased their number of software audits, and many organizations react by overspending on software to ensure compliance. This practice can create major liabilities and damage the bottom line.