It is probably the last thing you as an entrepreneur to think, many software manufacturers have the right to monitor compliance with agreed license terms. Companies like Microsoft, IBM, Oracle and Adobe have a policy to do this at least once every three years in the form of a review or audit, with particular attention to the question of whether it is paid enough …
impact
When the relationship between software and use the available balance of licenses can have major consequences. Licensing agreements are legal in nature: if your organization does not keep to this agreement is essentially Breach of Contract
Now it’s not as if anyone whenever this happens to be dragged to court.. Rather it leads to a tense relationship with the software and required the agreement you may have to purchase any missing licenses on favorable terms. In some cases, you pay quickly, some 50% more than under normal circumstances.
Nasty surprises
The average CFO (or shareholder) means business sense not like surprises. If you indeed after a review or audit is facing a license shortage, it follows inevitably a ‘settlement’ where your organization was not prepared and unpacking financially unfavorable.
I have often witnessed hastily scheduled meetings where my client the bad news on Finance (or the general manager) had to tell. Especially news of the non-budgeted species thereby leads to misery. Almost always I hear after such meetings many a sigh: “Never again …”
Also in boardrooms carries such intention then – at least the first few weeks – predominate, what motivates to taking preventive measures and providing the appropriate resources and time
a heck of a plan
Another thing that you as an entrepreneur probably not thinking daily:. Netherlands is for the most part below sea level. Fortunately, we have therefore taken steps to ensure that there is only once can be circumstances in which some four thousand years of salt water could flow into the polder. And that only 10 billion
The Delta Works. Bargain
Knowing that your software can “select” for an audit or review, it is advisable to be prepared! . Especially when you expect in certain areas in terms of licenses ‘flooded’
And it helps to have a plan -. A Delta Plan if you will – which begins when making an assessment of the risks . Understanding your IT environment and the duties (and rights) of your organization when it comes to software used here is required. In short, who knows what the landscape looks like, what are the risks and what the duties and rights can prepare for reviews and audits. An additional advantage: you can make your investment plans and make the most out of
Stress Test
Whether the dikes will hold regularly on the basis of simulations. tested. Storm, spring, heavy rainfall, the position of the moon; all conceivable scenarios are met by the simulator. If it applied the same principle can naturally comes to software licenses.
There are now several specialized software tools on the market that can read your IT environment and provide insight into the so-called ‘license metrics. The interpret what these metrics’ mean is then run for licensing experts – may I rejoice myself in Crayon Benelux in this area with an eccentric but ably six. The license niceties in my experience, in fact often explain in several ways, which can turn out to your advantage.
We recommend that your organization to subject so much time on such a stress test. A self-audit if you want to be prepared for the real work. The experts at Crayon help you here at
Ready for the storm
Jim Highsmith -. One of the driving forces behind the Agile methodology – said the once put it: “The best way to get a project done faster is to start sooner.”
The storm is coming today or tomorrow. But there is hope: who himself today test in the field of software asset managemen tools (and then takes the appropriate measures) may say tomorrow, “Bring it on that storm.”
By: Johan West, Director of Services at Crayon Benelux (Software Asset Management & amp; License Optimization)
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