BSA Announces New World-Class Approach to Software Asset Management (SAM)

The Business Software Alliance (BSA) today announced a new, world-class approach to software asset management (SAM), the business practice aimed at keeping track of and gaining the most productivity from all software within an organization. This new approach offers information technology (IT) managers and service providers an easier way to reap the benefits of SAM.

When it is fully launched in 2009, the new initiative, called BSA SAM Advantage, will be the first and only global SAM program that is:

•Built on the basis of global standards issued by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO), including official cooperation with the responsible ISO/IEC working group;

•Vendor-neutral and sponsored by BSA, an independent, nonprofit organization dedicated to the promotion of a safe and legal digital world;

•Recognized and supported by many of the world’s leading software companies;

•Customizable to each organization’s specific needs and abilities; and

•Delivered in a consistent fashion by a variety of professional partners, resellers and practitioners.

Pilot programs will begin soon, with wider implementation to follow throughout 2009.

“BSA SAM Advantage is being designed to provide all parties with the knowledge and support they need to adopt world-class practices in software asset management through a flexible, step-by-step process,” said Robert Holleyman, president and CEO of BSA.

Although SAM has been a growing business practice in recent years, it has not been adopted as widely as expected, in large part because of a lack of universally recognized standards and training resources. “SAM practitioners have made great strides in recent years. But until now, there has not been a consistent, authoritative approach that is easy to implement. BSA SAM Advantage fills that need,” said Peter Beruk, senior director of compliance marketing of BSA.

David Bicket, convener of the ISO’s Working Group for the ISO/IEC 19770-1 SAM standard, said, “We recently undertook a worldwide survey which demonstrated that an incremental approach like BSA SAM Advantage is definitely needed. In delivering this, and in providing a clear route towards the standard, I believe BSA SAM Advantage meets real business requirements. The approach proposed by BSA is now being officially trialled as a potential future international standard itself.”

“Current SAM training structures don’t take into account the sheer diversity of SAM needs and expectations among businesses,” added Michael Beare, Director, License Compliance at Microsoft.

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