Software asset management is a crucial factor in reducing risk, increasing compliance and mitigating liability. CRN’s Matt Fisher really summed up the reason for SAM and why organizations can’t afford to ignore it last month in his Software licensing simplified article.
There are 8 deadly and costly mistakes made when dealing with Oracle, which can be prevented simply with a well-run SAM program:
1. Not keeping original paperwork or receipts.
2. Not taking alternative, web-based access to Oracle apps into account. For whatever reason, this happens often.
3. Ignoring apps on non-production or temp servers.
4. Producing additional Oracle apps without an enterprise review. I can’t tell you how many times we’ve found multiple apps in various versions.
5. Neglecting to appoint an SAM manager whom other divisions or regional IT heads report to.
6. Disregarding or not having an SAM procedure.
7. Making changes in Oracle reports and not logging it into the software asset management report. Once you make changes to Oracle reports, you’re considered out of compliance.
8. Not scheduling an ongoing self audit date. You want to self audit before a vendor audits you.
Once your SAM process is in place, it’s all about maintaining. Remember, software asset management leads to licensing compliance and that’s the foundation for negotiating a better package with software vendors.