Optimising your assets
FrontRange SolutionsTM has launched License Manager 3.1.1, which it says is designed to help users drive down software costs and risks through better visibility and optimised use of available assets.
The software features a new data collector designed to import software audit information into License Manager from the Microsoft System Center Configuration Manager (SCCM) 2007 solution. This will enable organisations that invested in SCCM to record and reconcile their license entitlements against the actual software installed across the network.
FrontRange License Manager enables organisations to dynamically reconcile recorded software licenses against the software on the network. Thanks to its online ‘Nexus’ catalog of over 1.25 million software titles, it can automatically apply upgrade and downgrade rights, or reflect license restrictions such as territory and/or language. This means that it is automatically able to both put the organisation in the most advantageous licensing position and also make the best use of all available licenses.
By highlighting where an organisation has more licenses than it is currently using, it makes it easier for IT and finance staff to eliminate unnecessary spend and possibly re-negotiate license and support contracts with software vendors.
“With research showing that organisations can save up to 25 percent of their IT budget by investing in better software management, it’s no wonder that understanding what applications are on the network and how they are licensed is becoming a top priority for both IT and finance professionals,” commented FrontRange director Matt Fisher. “SCCM and other solutions can give organisations visibility of what applications are installed on the Windows desktops, there is real opportunity to both create savings and avoid risks by fully understanding the current licensing situation.”
