Why Implement a Software Asset Management Plan?

With SAM… You know what you have Buy only what you need And use your assets effectively at every stage of their lifecycle.  Why Implement a Software Asset Management Plan?

Why Implement a Software Asset Management Plan? Benefits of SAM Save Money Get Peace of Mind Help Keep Your Data Safe Improve Business Performance Save money With SAM you use the licenses you’ve already acquired and purchase only the software you need. You’ll know exactly how many licenses you have for each software title, so instead of purchasing more you can re-deploy software from department to department. SAM encourages a centralized purchasing process so you can take advantage of volume license discounts whenever possible. Get peace of mind You’ll always know what software and licenses you have, and can ensure the use of genuine software. With a SAM Software Use Policy you can reduce unapproved software downloads and potential viruses that can infect your whole network. By tracking all of your software assets you’ll have detailed information for good back-up and recovery plans should the need arise. All of this contributes to an overall peace of mind. Help keep your data safe SAM will help you protect your data and ensure that you have a proper disaster recovery plan in place…just in case. Improve business performance Knowing what software you have, why you have it, and where it is will allow you to make informed strategic, tactical and operational decisions. Why Implement a Software Asset Management Plan?

Benefits of SAM (continued) Optimize Deployment Reduce Support Costs Increase Staff Productivity Improve Employee Satisfaction Optimize deployment With SAM, company software needs such as upgrades and changes can be automatically identified, saving considerable time and reducing hassles for both the IT department and the employees who are using the software. Reduce support costs Backup and recovery systems are easier to maintain when it's clear what software goes where. In addition, standardizing desktops where possible can dramatically reduce support costs. Increase staff productivity By standardizing software versions, file-sharing issues are reduced and communication is easier. Users can work together seamlessly which can lead to increased productivity — and productive workers are happy workers. Improve employee satisfaction Information provided by SAM can help managers and employees more easily justify purchasing the software they need to do their jobs, which can improve productivity, ensure deadlines are met, and increase overall job satisfaction. Why Implement a Software Asset Management Plan?

How do you implement a SAM plan? There are four main steps… Why Implement a Software Asset Management Plan?

Why Implement a Software Asset Management Plan? SAM Steps Perform an initial software inventory Match software installed to licenses owned Review policies and procedures Develop a SAM Plan Why Implement a Software Asset Management Plan?

1. Initial Software Inventory Find out exactly what software you have installed by conducting a software inventory. Network – software inventory tools Standalone – manual inventory If all your devices (desktops, servers, and other devices) are on one or more networks, you can take advantage of the various software inventory tools available in the market. These tools can scan your network and report detailed information such as what software, and what version, is installed on which device. If your devices are not on a network, a manual inventory will need to be done by physically going to each machine. In some cases, you can still use a software inventory tool, however you may need to manually combine the information into one report. Why Implement a Software Asset Management Plan?

Why Implement a Software Asset Management Plan? 2. Matching Licenses Once you have an inventory, you’ll need to match up the licenses to the software. Types of licenses OEM Software (pre-installed) FPP Software (retail product) Microsoft Volume Licensing Programs Once you have an inventory, you’ll need to match up the licenses to the software. Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) software is the pre-installed software you received on your PC, Server, or other device when you acquired it. At that time you would also receive media, a Certificate of Authenticity (COA), manuals, and the End User License Agreement (EULA). In more recent versions of software the EULA and manual may be embedded electronically within the software itself. Full Packaged Product is typically found in a retail store sold in colorful boxed packaging. Retail software is sold in single units and usually includes media, a Certificate of Authenticity, and a physical copy of your EULA and media. In more recent versions of software the EULA and manual may be embedded electronically within the software itself. Volume license programs give businesses the opportunity to receive volume discounts when acquiring at least five licenses. Software obtained through a volume license program typically doesn’t automatically come with manuals, hard copy licenses, and media. The licenses are typically in softcopy or recorded on an online database where you can access your information. Microsoft has created several online resources to help you recognize which licenses you might have acquired. For more information, visit https://eopen.microsoft.com (Open License) or https://www.licensing.microsoft.com (Microsoft Volume Licensing Services). Why Implement a Software Asset Management Plan?

Review Policies and Procedures Centralize your procurement process Post software use policies Establish a software check-in process Write a disaster recovery plan for software Depending on the complexity and time it took to inventory your software and match licenses, you may want to review and possibly implement a few policies and procedures to make software asset management a little easier going forward. Software Acquisition Process First of all, if different departments or individuals have been acquiring software licenses on their own, you may be missing out on volume discounts. This type of software acquisition also makes it difficult to track exactly what software licenses you have. A centralized procurement procedure can really help in saving time and money. Software Use Policies Secondly, in your software inventory you may realize that various software programs have been installed that you were unaware of. As stated earlier, this can increase your exposure to viruses and incompatibility issues and potentially lead to under-licensing. Software use policies can prevent unauthorized software installation a method for an approval process for installing software so that you can keep track of your software and licenses at all times. Check-In To keep your software inventory up-to-date, develop a series of steps that employees should follow when the new software arrives. The steps should cover: Storing original documentation including the bill of lading Storing the original packaging and media Updating the software inventory report or database Disaster Recovery Plan Make sure your company’s disaster recovery plan has a section on recovering software from unforeseen catastrophe. Why Implement a Software Asset Management Plan?

Why Implement a Software Asset Management Plan? Develop a SAM Plan Analyze software needs Provide software training Reduce support costs Keep software safe Create a software map Schedule regular inventories Create a baseline before moving forward with a SAM Plan by: Standardizing software titles so employees all have the same versions Centralizing software purchasing to keep it under control and organized Retiring obsolete workstations and software Creating a software inventory database or spreadsheet to keep track of software licenses Then review the following information and tips so your company can gain the most benefit from your SAM efforts. Analyze Software Needs It’s important to determine which software titles your company needs for business purposes. Work with key people and employees in each department to clarify what software their employees really require in order to get their jobs done. Software Training If your company has the resources available, you may wish to set up training for specific software titles. Proper training will ensure that employees get the most from their new software and may help prevent service calls due to improper use or confusion when using the software. Reduce Support Costs Limit the number of applications and devices your support staff must support by standardizing applications and systems whenever possible. Keep Software Safe It’s important to make sure that all licensing documentation and at least one copy of each of software title and version are protected under lock and key.  A limited number of employees should have access to the software to help protect against possible misuse or theft. Create a Software and Hardware “Map” Knowing what software is installed on which machines and knowing where they are located throughout your organization can be very helpful, especially for your support team. This information can be included in a software inventory database, created in a separate spreadsheet, or mapped out in a Visio diagram that shows the location of each machine, the user at that machine, and the software installed on that machine. Inventory Schedule Determine how often you will perform regular software inventories to keep your information up-to-date. The schedule will be determined by the size of your company, purchasing habits, and growth rate. Why Implement a Software Asset Management Plan?

For more information on SAM, visit http://www.microsoft.com/sam Why Implement a Software Asset Management Plan?