Category: blog

Creating SAM Objects

Creating SAM Objects: We know that Software Asset Management is, by definition, the right blend of systems, people and processes to effectively manage software and software-related assets through every aspect of their IT lifecycle. Much has been made of what technologies we apply to this cocktail of controls; licensing knowledge is essential to understand the… Continue reading Creating SAM Objects

Culture is King

Culture is King: I was fortunate enough to catch up with Martin Chalkley the other evening, (www.consultandomi.com) and he was commenting on the differences in the way in which people from Ghana, the Middle East and Afghanistan interacted when taking his five-day course on contractual management. And so, this got me thinking about my own… Continue reading Culture is King

SAM Process Maturity Assessment

SAM Process Maturity Assessment; “People, Systems and Processes”, and this is the mantra that is the foundation for Software Asset Management (and, indeed many other IT projects and programmes). The world of Software Asset Management abounds with many products/systems offering increasing levels of discovery, analytics and reporting. However, fundamental to the capability of any one… Continue reading SAM Process Maturity Assessment

IBSMA – SAMSUMMIT 2013 – Chicago

IBSMA – SAMSUMMIT 2013 – Chicago: A healthy cross-section of main-stream American and international organisations took part in the IBSMA Software Asset ManagementSUMMIT this year. Presentations ranged on tackling Oracle audits (Craig Guarante of Palisade Compliance), Cloud Computing and Risk Mitigation through Vendor Management and Contract Negotiation (Thomas Trappler of UCLA) and Achieving Greater Returns… Continue reading IBSMA – SAMSUMMIT 2013 – Chicago

Prism

Prism: Will this see the spiraling of shadow IT and Flag of Convenience Data-centers? It’s enough to make George Orwell feel very smug from the great beyond, yet Prism has ably demonstrated that fear and loathing underpin the thinking and strategy behind US Government tactics, and that the ability “to do right thing” is a… Continue reading Prism

Security & Software Asset Management

Security & Software Asset Management: As business drivers go, we almost take for granted that the notion of IT security is “someone else’s bag” or that username and password validation is sufficient straight out of the box. But in a recent IT exercise, a review of interfaces expected of Software Asset Management highlighted something of… Continue reading Security & Software Asset Management

The changing face of SAM

The changing face of SAM: With Adobe’s recent announcement that future provision of its Creative Suite will solely be cloud-based; and Dell also recently posting quarterly downturns in the region of 79%, are we in danger of relegating IT back to a utility status? And equally, where does this leave the world of Software Asset… Continue reading The changing face of SAM

The Problem with SAM

The Problem with SAM: In a former article I wrote about push-button responses to the potential IT woes in life, and how anything that didn’t occur at the drop of a hat could induce sighs and moans. So what are some of the simpler steps we can adopt that may not necessarily take us to… Continue reading The Problem with SAM

Energy and the role of IT

Energy and the role of IT: I was fortunate enough to attend the Energy Manager’s Association EnPC conference at the Institute of Mechanical Engineers earlier this week. Incidental to the primary topic at hand (the construction and signing off of Energy Performance Contracts – EnPC) was the startling prediction that energy costs are set to… Continue reading Energy and the role of IT

SAM: If you could change one thing

SAM: If you could change one thing: “The lawyers are running the asylum….” and so it goes that a business that was borne in the era of free love as a hobby serves to offer us the basis of a plot for a John Grisham novel. So I am keeping this blog short and sweet… Continue reading SAM: If you could change one thing