Software Asset Management (SAM)
Software Asset Management (SAM)* – Transparency and clear processes create potential savings
The term Software Asset Management (SAM) can be found on the agenda of almost every company. Topics such as Sarbanes Oxley, but also the continual pressure on companies to reduce costs, are causing companies of all sizes to address the question of software asset management. Even small and medium businesses are now finding this to be a very pertinent topic, as the need for procedures that meet audit requirements and the realisation of potential savings also play a very important role for them.
The wide range of possible objectives alone shows the different meanings that can be given to the term SAM in different companies. Insight can call upon many years of experience to meet any requirement in this context.
The only realistic way of setting up SAM processes in a company and ensuring their success is by following a rational strategy that takes into account both the company and its requirements.Introducing Software Asset Management touches upon many different areas and roles in a company. The initial impetus usually comes from IT or from the technical procurement of the company.
But introducing Software Asset Management successfully means that all those involved, ranging from the company management to the end user, must be included in the project. In this it is very important to ensure that all those involved actually feel concerned. The project has little chance of succeeding unless it is accepted throughout the company.The general approach to introducing Software Asset Management can be split into three important main steps.
The SAM approach
- Creation of a basis for future Software Asset Management
- Setting up suitable license management processes
- Introduction of a tool for implementing and backing up the processes
1. The basis
Nobody would try to build a house without a foundation. The same is true for license management. The first thing it is absolutely essential to know is the basis of what has to be managed. The License Reconciliation Service (LRS) set up by Insight some years ago creates the required transparency and “understanding of the past” for the basis.This initial process already achieves not inconsiderable savings and creates the required legal security.
2. The processes
Based on the knowledge acquired from the LRS process, the existing processes may have to be changed, or new processes introduced for Software Asset Management.
As SAM has many ramifications within a company, these changes affect a very large number of areas in the company. Generally, the introduction of SAM processes is usually accompanied by the centralisation of procurement and IT processes. Such a step alone gives the company a substantial degree of transparency and simplification and thus leads to not inconsiderable savings. This concerns the following core processes.
- Software procurement processes
- Software distribution processes
- Authorisation procedures
- Processes for managing agreements
- Processes for the procurement - accounting interface
- and much more
It must basically be possible to represent in detail the life cycle of a software product. With many years of experience in this field, Insight can help develop the right path for your company.
3. The tool
Many different tools are already being used in most companies that need to be assigned to SAM.
- Software deployment
- Software inventory
- ERP systems
- HR systems
- Any asset management systems (e.g. performance calculation)
- etc.
All these tools have a very important role to play and yet companies do not, as a rule, have a sufficient grasp of their Software Asset Management.On the basis of steps 1 and 2 above, Insight now offers a tool-based solution:
License Logistics Server has been developed for integration into existing environments. License Logistics Server is not intended to replace any tools already introduced. Instead, License Logistics Server is designed to integrate into existing environments and increase the functionality of existing systems.
License Logistics Server is based on an intelligent authorisation concept, in which users are offered software products by means of a Web portal depending on their authorisations. If the user orders a software product, License Logistics Server will initiate distribution of the software, after appropriate authorisation, so that the user has the software at his disposal shortly afterwards. At the same time, the “used” license is registered in the background and can also be attributed to cost centres as required. To do so, License Logistics Server draws on a pool of licenses that is, of course, made up of licenses no longer being used. This ensures that the company only purchases the licenses it really needs.License Logistics Server has its own workflow engine allowing it to control all the roles and tools involved in the overall process. This integrated concept considerably adds to the value, as desired, of the SAM tools already being used (see above). This value is maximised by the standard connection to the customer-specific Insight Software web portal.
The individual application of such a SAM concept in the case of an individual customer allows Insight to really get the maximum benefit out of your licenses.
*Definition: Software Asset Management (SAM) is used to denote all the processes and corresponding infrastructures that are necessary to manage, control and protect software assets within an organisation during their entire life cycle. In this context, software is used to mean both the license and the installed application.
