With the growing popularity of the cloud and virtual computing, a Software Asset Management (SAM) solution is essential. While CPU and per-user models are what many of us are familiar with, the rise of cloud computing has brought in a new group of licensing models – perpetual, subscription, pay-per-use, and hybrid models. And then there’s also subscription-based software that is sold through app stores. With all these new models, it is especially important to navigate the complexity of software license agreements and understand how to abide by these terms. A Software Asset Management solution can help you track license usage, which ends up benefitting you and your organization in multiple ways.
Reduced IT Costs
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- Visibility into software licenses will allow organizations to consolidate their software environment. By ensuring that only the appropriate licenses are purchased, a SAM solution can eliminate any costs associated with excess, unused licenses. In addition, a clear view into actual license usage can inform future investment decisions and enable more control over costs.
Avoid Audit Fees
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- By tracking license usage and alerting the organization to high-water marks, a SAM can prevent any overuse fees. A Gartner report found that approximately 68% of organizations get at least one audit request a year. By confirming that any license overuse is identified and corrected early, software asset management solutions can minimize the costly fees associated with audits.
Reduce Security Risks
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- Your Sam will keep track of all software in your organization and can ensure that all software is properly configured. This can prevent network breaches, viruses, malware, and conflicts, as well as alert the appropriate resource if anything unusual occurs.
Improve Utilization
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- Any good SAM solution will show unused software, which can then be removed or transferred to more suitable employees. It can enable a better view into your organization’s software requirements and can guarantee that your organization is licensed appropriately.
These are just some of the benefits to investing in a software asset management. To learn more, read our whitepaper, “Challenges of Software License Management & Compliance.”
