Software asset management (SAM) is becoming something of a buzzword in IT, but it is not well understood.
So says Gerhard Roux, software assets services manager at BTG, who adds that to some, SAM may just be the new name for licence compliance, but in truth it's also much more. "Software asset management refers to the act of controlling and managing software assets to better support and further business goals, as well as managing both costs and risks."
As such, Roux says SAM is a critical part of any organisation's IT strategy. "In a nutshell, if you can understand what you've got, where it is, how it's used, how it's licensed and when it needs to be updated or changed, you're well on your way to an improved enterprise IT infrastructure," he explains.
He says a SAM initiative can be broken up into four essential parts: discovery, licence management, deployment and patching. "The value of SAM is derived directly from the improved control and efficiency these elements bring to an organisation's overall software infrastructure. In fact, the arbiter of control and efficiency, the International Standards Organisation, has even gone so far as to publish a standard for SAM known as ISO 19770-1."
According to Roux, adherence to this standard proves that an organisation is performing software asset management to a standard that meets with corporate governance requirements. He says ISO 19770-1 is, of course, extremely comprehensive, which is good from a standards and best practice aspect, but this comprehensiveness can at times make implementation seem intimidating.
And in truth, much like any large-scale IT initiative, he says a complete SAM strategy can actually take years to fully mature. "Fortunately, there are aspects of SAM that are quicker to implement, thereby delivering a much more immediate business and financial impact. These tangible business benefits include lower costs, greater security, lowered risk and improved governance."
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