Managing all the hardware and software assets for an enterprise workforce is no easy feat. A large organization must manage thousands or tens of thousands of employee devices, all of which are loaded with myriad software subject to various maintenance dates, combinations of licensing agreements, and therefore a multitude of licensing rules.
With so much technology under one roof, it’s easy for a licensing event to slip through the cracks and harm an organization in the long run. For example, the use of unlicensed software could expose organizations to hefty fines and leave companies scrambling to purchase new licenses to bring them into compliance. Not only do missed events hurt an organization’s bottom line, they also damage corporate reputations and can increase scrutiny from other manufacturers and vendors.
To help customers avoid the risks of non-compliance and give them a better understanding of their software entitlements, SHI offers several tools that provide complete visibility into the software and quantities an organization is licensed to use. Here are two of the best:
License Consolidation Report (LCR) for Microsoft. A waived-fee offering for SHI’s Microsoft customers, an LCR for Microsoft provides a summary of an organization’s software entitlements based on all the purchases it made under Microsoft’s volume licensing programs, including Open Enrollment, Select Enrollment, and Enterprise Agreement. It assesses specific license rules to show an organization the Microsoft software and quantities it is allowed to run. It also details which, if any, products are under Software Assurance (SA) and, if so, when the SA expires.
LicensePosition statement. The LicensePosition is more comprehensive than an LCR in that it shows all software entitlements, not just those based on software procured through a volume licensing agreement. (This assumes SHI has that additional information on record or you provide access to it.) It’s a premium SHI service that also takes into account license transfers, original equipment manufacturer (OEM) purchases, boxed copy products, contract amendments, late or early renewals, as well as maintenance agreements, license types, manufacturer mergers, product transitions, and promotions. As an additional benefit, this report is available for multiple publishers. By maintaining an up-to-date LicensePosition, organizations can maximize their software investment while mitigating the risks of non-compliance and creating a comprehensive audit trail.
With Microsoft planning to conduct a compliance review of nearly every customer over the next three years, and other manufacturers following suit, organizations need enhanced clarity and control over their software investments now more than ever. Contact your SHI account executive to ensure you fully understand your software entitlements and remain in compliance.
