Software Asset Management

Protect yourself from audit fines

If you have an active software asset management program, you will always know your effective license position. If you know your effective license position, you won’t have any surprises should you undergo a SAM Engagement with Microsoft (assuming you’ve been properly licensing your organization using this knowledge).

Why does Software Asset Management (SAM) matter?

Prevent over-spending on software licenses

When you know exactly what you have on hand, you will be less likely to purchase the things you already have.

Ensure full use of each tool at your disposal

Have you ever stopped by the grocery store for bread, only to get home and realize your spouse had already purchased some? The same thing tends to happen with software purchases when you’re unaware of what you already have in stock. Having an active software asset management plan will help you avoid making new purchases of products you already have.

Software Asset Management is a key component of cybersecurity

You need to know what you have in order to protect it. According to the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), you need to know about and document your assets. Software Asset Management is the base control for the NIST Information System Component Inventory Control. According to NIST You need to know and document your assets before moving on to the next step. When you know exactly what you have, it makes it easier to spot any rogue devices. You’ll also have a clear picture on where you need to shore up any vulnerabilities.

What happens during a SAM Engagement?

Inventory

Collect and validate complete hardware and software (both on-premises and cloud) inventories.

License Entitlement

Collect licensing records.

Reconciliation

Match deployed software to licenses to get a picture of the effective license position.

Common discrepancies:

• Windows Upgrade licenses
• Windows licenses acquired through Volume Licensing require OEM licenses too

Multiple installations of Office—some VL agreements allow multiple installations of Office.

Giga-Green Managed IT Customers

A bonus for our MSP customers—SAM Engagements with Microsoft should be a breeze, because you’ll already have done an environment review. You’ll already know your effective license position because you’ll have already been working with our licensing specialist.