Software Asset Management (SAM) Discussion

The Business Software Alliance (BSA) recently announced an out-of-court settlement with Oldham-based ADT Workplace Ltd, following an investigation
into the alleged use of illegal software. The commercial interiors firm paid an undisclosed amount after the BSA received a complaint claiming the
use of unlicensed copies of Adobe, Autodesk and Microsoft software on its PCs.”

This case is a timely reminder of the BSA’s current local initiative, supported by local politicians and business leaders, to raise awareness of software
piracy and educate companies about the associated risks. The campaign finishes at the end of June; after this period, businesses found to be using
unlicensed software will be at risk of investigation and legal action by the BSA following the 30th June 2008 deadline (The ATD case occurred before
the campaign began).

As explained by Najeeb Khan, UK Member Committee Vice-Chair, Business Software Alliance: “Businesses in Manchester need to start thinking about the
value of the software they are using day-in, day-out. Backed by regional business groups, software resellers and local politicians alike, we are urging
businesses to sign up to the campaign to audit carefully all the software installed on company owned PCs, devices and networks, to help stamp out software
piracy in the city.”

Tony Lloyd MP, Member of Parliament for Manchester Central, commented: “Manchester has a vibrant business community and a strong important pedigree in the
IT industry. Yet software piracy and the costs associated with it pose a serious risk to all those who work and invest in our city, whether through the
increased threat of computer viruses, or software companies not being rewarded for their innovation as the Business Software Alliance campaign quite rightly
highlights.”

Lloyd continues: “With the North West region accounting for more than 11% of UK employment and contributing 10% to UK GDP, it is essential for the city, the
region and the UK that we all do everything we can to limit the prevalence of software piracy in one of the country’s most important cities.”

There is a lot of confusion surrounding Microsoft Enterprise Agreements (EA)and customers can find themselves non compliant due to a lack of understanding how these agreements work. Some customers believe an EA licences them for every Microsoft product and therefore do not need to worry about compliance. Microsoft are putting a lot of focus into the way customers covered by an EA are managing their compliance. Below is a summary of how an EA works.

Enterprise and Enterprise Subscription Agreements are for customers with 250+ PCs who want to standardise all their PCs on 1 or more MS Platform Product

EA means you cover all Qualified Desktops* that you own with 1 or more of the Platform Products

Available only from Enterprise Software Advisors (ESAs) and Large Account Resellers (LARs).
For corporate customers with 250 or more desktops making a strategic decision to standardize on Microsoft software.
Customers are able to license Microsoft software to standardize on their choice of the Microsoft enterprise software (Office Professional Plus, Office Enterprise, Windows Vista Business Upgrade, Core Client Access License, and Enterprise CAL Suite, which includes the Core CAL plus seven additional CALs: Office SharePoint Enterprise CAL, Office Communications Server Standard and Enterprise CALs, Exchange Enterprise CAL, Forefront™ Security Suite, Operations Manager Client OML, and Windows Rights Management Server CAL).
Savings for a three-year agreement term and platform software.
Requires only a single annual true-up order for new platform software licenses used in the year.
SA included providing the most comprehensive benefits offering available.
Renewal for an additional one- or three-year term.
 

Microsoft Enterprise Subscription Agreement

Available only from Enterprise Software Advisors (ESAs) and  Large Account Resellers (LARs).
For corporate customers with 250 or more desktops.
It is the most comprehensive benefits offering available if they prefer to subscribe to, rather than acquire, Microsoft software licenses.
Has the same benefits as EA (above).
Renewal or license buyout options are available at agreement end
Enterprise Subscription Agreement permits you to reduce your PC count at the anniversary date if you have a fluctuating or seasonal business, bear in mind you cannot reduce lower than the program minimum of 250PCs
 

Training and Evaluation Licenses

The Select License, Enterprise Subscription Agreement, and Enterprise Agreement programs offer a limited number of training and evaluation software license use grants.
Twenty copies per software title for use in a dedicated in-house training facility.
Ten copies per software title for 60-day evaluation.
 

Definitions

*“qualified desktop” means any personal desktop computer, portable computer, workstation or similar device that is used by or for the benefit of an enrolled affiliate or any affiliate included in its enterprise and that meets the minimum requirements for running any of the enterprise products.  Qualified desktops do not include: (i) any computer that is designated as a server and not used as a personal computer, (ii) any system dedicated to run ONLY line-of-business software (e.g., an accounting or bookkeeping program used by an accountant, or a computer-aided design program used by an engineer or architect); or (iii) any system running an embedded operating system (e.g. Windows 9.x for embedded, Windows XP embedded);
“qualified user” means a person who accesses any Core CAL server software licensed within your enterprise. It does not include a person who accesses the software under an External Connector License.  It also does not include a person who accesses the software in some other way that does not require a CAL
 

The Business Software Alliance (BSA) has warned it will make no allowances for channel firms caught running illegal software after
revealing it has reached an out-of-court settlement with specialist security distributor e92plus.

E92plus agreed to pay a sum of £4,500 after carrying out an internal audit at the alliance’s request.
The audit showed the firm was running unlicensed copies of Windows 2000 and Windows SQL Server 2000 on some of its PCs and servers.

Julie Strawson, chairwoman of the BSA’s member committee, said the organisation was compelled to issue a statement.
“It is shocking that a network security company is using unlicensed software. If software is unlicensed, it will not be fully supported,
so you run the risk of leaving holes in the security gateway,” she said.

Strawson went on to issue a stark warning to the channel. “It is important to play by the rules and the BSA will take action on any
company using software illegally.”

New research has revealed that nearly two-thirds of IT executives and managers have admitted that they do not have adequate systems in place to ensure software compliance. Over half of the 350 respondents said they had to track software assets manually, which left them way behind on license management and 60 percent admitted to having unlicensed software on the network.

The figures confirm a common perception that managing software assets is a complex and manual task - but in reality solutions do exist which can dramatically reduce the workload associated with getting a grip on software licensing. A new breed of solutions, such as Centennial’s SAM Essentials are designed to complement automated license management tools with effective guidance on how to adopt software management best practices and how to gain buy-in and support from the wider organization.