Software asset management (SAM) is a process for tracking and managing software licenses and usage. SAM aims to help organizations optimize their software spending, ensure compliance with licensing terms, and avoid the risks associated with unlicensed software.
SAM includes both processes and tools for tracking and managing software assets. These processes are typically embedded in an organization’s ITIL framework, and the SAM tools include license management, application discovery, and application metering tools.
Organizations implement SAM to gain visibility into their software assets, optimize their licensing costs, and reduce the risks associated with unlicensed software. According to Gartner, organizations can save up to 30% on their overall software spending through effective SAM. This clearly shows the exceptional benefits of SAM for any organization.
What are the Benefits of Software Asset Management?
Software asset management (SAM) is a business practice that includes managing, tracking, and optimizing software assets throughout their lifecycle. The goal of SAM is to ensure that an organization can maximize the value of its software investments while minimizing risk and cost.
There are many benefits to implementing a SAM program, including the following:
Reduced costs: Organizations can avoid overspending on unnecessary licenses by keeping track of all software licenses and usage. Additionally, SAM can help organizations negotiate with vendors for better pricing.
Increased security: Well-managed software assets can help organizations to avoid security vulnerabilities associated with unlicensed or unused software.
Improved compliance: By ensuring that all software is appropriately licensed and accounted for, organizations can avoid the risks associated with non-compliance, such as hefty fines or legal action.
Enhanced performance: Organisations can use SAM to optimize their IT infrastructure and reduce wasted resources due to inefficient asset utilization.
What are the Challenges of Software Asset Management?
There are a set of challenges that come with software asset management; a few of them are:
- It can be challenging to track and manage all of the software licenses within an organization. This is especially true for larger organizations with multiple employees and countless software programs.
- It is easy for employees to install unauthorized software on their work computers. This can lead to wasted money on unnecessary licenses and put the organization at risk if the unauthorized software is not secure.
- Keeping up with updates and renewals for all software programs can be time-consuming and costly.
Getting Started with SAM? Here’s What You Need to Know
There are many perks to implementing a software asset management (SAM) strategy, but getting started can seem daunting. Here are some ways to support you in getting started on the path to SAM success:
Define your goals and objectives
Before managing your software assets, you need to know what you want to achieve with your SAM program. For example, do you want to reduce costs, improve compliance, or both? Once you know your objectives, you can prepare a plan.
Asset Inventory
You can’t manage what you don’t know you have, so the first step in any SAM program is conducting a thorough inventory of all the software installed on your organization’s computers. This will give you a baseline for tracking and managing your assets from now on.
Develop policies and procedures
Now that you know what software you have and what you want to achieve with it, you need to put some policies and procedures in place to ensure your goals are met. For instance, if one of your objectives is reducing costs, you might implement a policy that requires employees only to install software that the IT department has approved. Or, if your goal is improving compliance, you might put procedures in place for regularly auditing your software licenses.
What does the Future of SAM Looks Like?
With technology, software that we employ to run the business also progresses. Unfortunately, new challenges for software asset management (SAM) come with new software. Here are some of the biggest challenges facing SAM in the future:
Keeping up with the pace of change
The software landscape is constantly changing, with new releases and updates coming out. This can make it difficult for SAM teams to keep up and ensure that they are managing all assets effectively.
Managing cloud-based assets
More and more businesses are shifting to the cloud, which brings new challenges for SAM teams. For example, they must be able to track and manage assets that may be spread across different cloud platforms.
Security threats
As software becomes more complex, it can become a target for security threats such as malware and viruses. SAM teams need to be aware of these threats and have systems to protect against them.
Licensing compliance
With the ever-changing landscape of software licenses, it can be difficult for SAM teams to keep on top of compliance. This is especially true for companies that use multiple products from different vendors.
Budget constraints
SAM teams often have to operate within tight budget constraints, making investing in new tools and technologies difficult. They must also be mindful of the costs of managing license compliance issues.
Conclusion
Software asset management (SAM) is a set of processes and practices for managing software licenses and usage. SAM can help organizations save money, avoid legal risks, and ensure compliance with licensing terms. If you’re responsible for managing software in your organization, SAM can be an invaluable tool.
So, integrate a professional IT Service Management tool into your organization today to witness efficient asset management.