The Year of the Audit - Software License Management
Microsoft’s Global Anti-Piracy Day operation spans 49 countries and has kicked off educational programs as well as legal actions. According to reports, Microsoft is set to announce lawsuits filed against 20 resellers in the United States suspected of selling pirated software (Source: Microsoft to describe anti-piracy campaign). Three retailers in Singapore have already settled negotiations with the software giant after being caught in a raid that took place in April this year (Source: Microsoft launches global antipiracy campaign).
Companies, individuals and even government bodies are at risk of being audited. On Oct. 27th the Business Software Alliance (BSA) intensified its crusade against piracy and filed suits against 9 individuals in the U.S. and U.K. for selling illegal copies of software over the Internet (Source: BSA Sues iOffer Sellers Over Pirated Software). The BSA also filed suit against Kiryat Yam, a city in Israel, on behalf of Microsoft for purportedly using unlicensed Windows and Office products on their employee computers (Source: Microsoft sues Israeli city).
Thinking it won't happen to you is a naïve and risky attitude to take. Even if Microsoft or the BSA don't come knocking on your door right away, Global Anti-Piracy Day could indirectly lead to your organization being investigated. Part of the resellers' audits includes them granting Microsoft access to lists of customers who "purchased" software and this could lead auditors directly to enterprise end-users – not a happy thought for most CIOs. This makes initiating a Software Asset Management (SAM) program all the more important and urgent.
What do you need to get SAM started?
The most basic instrument of SAM is performing gap analyses (license entitlements vs. installations) to check for compliance. Most large corporations already have a central repository for the software. Implementing a SAM tool is the next step.
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SAManage SaaS IT Asset Management
Another example for Software Asset Management tools is SAManage, a leading provider of SaaS IT Asset Management services. Companies of all sizes use the SAManage internet based service to easily establish an inventory of their PC and software assets, and correlate that inventory against their license repository. The SAManage on-demand service detects license compliance gaps as well as IT risks and provides a great way to manage IT assets.Another beauty brought to you by...
...the evil empire.The Microsoft Software Asset Management plan is nothing but a way of threatening businesses, and perhaps soon individuals.
Microsoft now believes that it is as powerful as governments, and thus can dictate its way into your business or home. You have been warned.
Best solution is to actually avoid Microsoft software to the highest degree possible.
Where will it end? Cant tell. A concerned citizen.
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