Tag: Compliance

Big problems with licensing in the UK
Scott D. RosenbergUncategorizedLeave a Comment on Big problems with licensing in the UK

Businesses in the U.S. aren’t the only ones suffering, according to a new study, less than half of UK businesses believe their software is correctly licensed. An overwhelming 71% of those businesses admitted to having licensing problems in the past. A further look at the respondents showed that 26% were over-licensed, 12% were under-licensed and the remaining 13% were unaware. The study asked over 100 IT directors in the UK about their software licensing. The results are quite eye-opening and […]

Why you need SAM
Scott D. RosenbergUncategorized2 Comments on Why you need SAM

Software Asset Management is an important aspect of business operations, but some management teams are apprehensive about making a change either because they fear unexpected costs from implementation or the inability to understand that SAM will save them money over time. The three main business drivers for SAM (for those of you who need some convincing) are: Cost Control: Unless you know where and how your software assets are deployed, you cannot use them optimally. Software assets are called “assets” […]

Have you seen us lately?
Scott D. RosenbergUncategorizedLeave a Comment on Have you seen us lately?

We’ve been included in some great articles in the media lately. Not that the articles are great because we’re in them, but because the articles are worth the read (with or without our commentary). They are very helpful pieces about licensing, virtualization and of course audits that are a good read! Enjoy! PC World – October 08, 2009 Does Microsoft Complicate Its Licensing on Purpose? Federal Computer Week – September 21, 2009 5 traps that can spoil virtualization savings PC […]

Starting from scratch
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One of the most complicated aspects of negotiating a software licensing contract is when an organization has no precedent to follow. Perhaps they are purchasing volume licensing for the first time, or working with a new vendor, but when there is nothing to go by, the process is all that more complicated. To add to this, vendors have non-disclosure agreements, preventing customers from discussing pricing with others. Therefore, you won’t find out about pricing until you are actually seated at […]

Two more victims of the BSA
Scott D. RosenbergUncategorizedLeave a Comment on Two more victims of the BSA

We have been giving many examples of companies that had to shell out to vendors after being audited and caught by the BSA. Most of them have been overseas so it didn’t hit as close to home as these next two examples will: Mueller Services, Inc., of Tonawanda, NY paid $62,270 to settle claims that it had unlicensed copies of Adobe and Microsoft software installed on its computers. The tip came in through the BSA’s reporting website anonymously. Bankers Warranty […]

What do I do with unused licenses?
Scott D. RosenbergUncategorizedLeave a Comment on What do I do with unused licenses?

Many organizations purchase licensing for planning and development that don’t actually get used and were not needed in the first place. The question is, can they go back to the vendor and “return” them? The short answer is yes; the long answer however, is much more complicated. Going back to a vendor and requesting a credit for unused licenses isn’t out of the question, but most vendors will then push to re-negotiate their contract, which could lead to unforeseen costs, […]

We’re all going mobile!
Scott D. RosenbergUncategorizedLeave a Comment on We’re all going mobile!

It’s no secret that the world is going mobile. With devices like the iPhone and Blackberry that have as much functionality as a laptop computer, workers are working from anywhere and everywhere, on the bus, on planes, from the park, etc. The question remains – where does this leave software developers in terms of licensing?  Many software vendors are already developing mobile applications, but in the next few years, more and more advanced applications will be introduced. I wouldn’t doubt […]

No downside to automation
Scott D. RosenbergUncategorizedLeave a Comment on No downside to automation

Naturally, there are cost benefits to buying fewer licenses when re-negotiating a contract. The question is – how do you weigh the cost benefits against the risk of having too few or even being out of compliance because you are using your licenses improperly? Having an accurate account of business need is essential in reducing risk associating with contract negotiation and estimated licensing usage. The benefits of having a clear understanding of your licensing needs outweigh the cost of defining […]

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