Purchasing unnecessary software licenses?

With software licensing often accounting for over 30% of the IT budget*, organisations need effective Software Asset Management (SAM) Tools and processes. Part of an effective SAM process is the identification of unnecessary, unused or underutilised software. Equally in a Terminal Services environment it is important to identify devices that don't access software.

*Source: Forrester Software Budget Survey 2008

Industry analysts estimate that around 30% of deployed software is underused or unused. This can account for a significant proportion of IT expenditure. 

Many software contracts are complex and varied, from concurrent usage to named user and increasingly, subscription based models. This complexity often means that negotiations with software vendors can be difficult, as there is little measurement information to hand to negotiate with, typically resulting in overspending.

Equally, In a Terminal Services environment it is important to identify devices that do not access software. Effective SAM is even more complex in this type of environment as most licenses are device based. For example, if an organisation has published Microsoft Project then all devices (both PCs and thin clients) that can access Microsoft Project would have to be licensed regardless of actual requirements.

 Identify unused software and release licenses on PC's and Servers

Having the ability to identify unused software allows organisations to safely remove it and release the associated licenses for future allocation. The value of the released licenses can quickly be determined thus identifying cost avoidance. This is how you obtain an Optimised Licence Position (OLP). By continuing this approach organisations can ensure these efficiencies are maintained.

 Terminal Services - Identify software usage by device

Even though the users of a device might not be able to access a published application (software), the device itself still needs to be licensed. By denying access to the device, licenses are no longer required, and, as a result, can be released.

 Remove access to unauthorised software

With the added ability to prevent access to unauthorised software, organisations can with confidence ensure governance is in place and corporate policies are being adhered to. Certero SoftwareMetering for Decision Makers® is an advanced application monitoring and access control solution, restricting access to applications and providing key information on used/unused software. Certero SoftwareMetering is a vital tool for licence compliance and negotiating Large Volume Licence Agreements.