Microsoft is now offering a software asset management (SAM) optimization framework that will help its customers align their software licensing with business requirements.
By evaluating your software assets and past spending habits, the system will then assign you a rating – from basic to dynamic – and then teaches you how to match up the appropriate license with the right software assets- at the right time. The program will also point you in the direction of more appropriate licensing packages such as Select Plus for larger organizations.
While this sounds like a great idea in theory, it may just be a chance for Microsoft resellers – who would offer fee-based workshops as part of the program – to up sell additional licensing packages.
My thoughts are – if they really wanted to help customers, they would first of all – make the licensing easier to understand and minimize the changes made to the rules and regulations – and secondly, slow down the audit program.
Seems pretty simple to me!