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Software has become indispensable for businesses of all types and sizes these days. From communications to project management to data analytics, companies rely on a variety of software solutions to efficiently run their day-to-day business operations. However, managing and controlling software licenses can be a real challenge. And that’s where Software Asset Management (SAM) and its tools come in. In this blog post, we would like to discuss how SAM tools can effectively support license management.
What is Software Asset Management (SAM)?
Software Asset Management is a well-established approach to managing and controlling software licenses. It is a holistic approach that helps companies keep track of their software assets, minimize compliance risks and avoid costs that can arise from either under-licensing or over-licensing. SAM ensures that companies acquire only the licenses they need and that those licenses are used efficiently.
Specialized software management tools are used to facilitate and automate software asset management tasks. These tools provide functions that enable efficient management of software licenses.
What Does a SAM Tool Do?
Software Inventory
A SAM tool runs a comprehensive inventory of all installed software applications in an organization. It records information such as software name, version, installation date and other relevant data. In this way, companies obtain an accurate overview of the installed software.
License Management
The SAM tool enables central management of all purchased software licenses. It records and stores information such as the license type, the number of licenses purchased, and the term. This information can be easily retrieved to check the current license status.
License Usage Monitoring
The tool continuously monitors the actual usage of software licenses. It collects data on the number of licenses in use and compares it with the available licenses in the database. This allows companies to quickly identify under- or over-licensing and take action to minimize compliance risks.
Reporting and analysis
SAM tools can be used to generate regular reports and analyses that provide a comprehensive overview of license status, license usage and potential risks. License violations can have significant financial consequences. These reports provide a clear and regular overview of the situation and can be used to address compliance issues quickly and effectively and confidently navigate license audits.
SAM tools are therefore an effective solution for managing software licenses that significantly helps companies and organizations minimize compliance risks and avoid costs. By using a SAM tool, they are also able to maximize the value of their software investments and effectively manage their IT infrastructure.
Finding the topic of software licensing and SAM as exciting as we do? Check out our SAM tag for an overview of all our blog posts on this topic.
Responsible for the content of this article is Stéphanie Bauens.
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