Dezarae Loewen, Inside Product Manager & Microsoft Licensing Specialist
Microsoft has recently undertaken an initiative to increase requests that customers do an audit on their Microsoft software. Have you recently received a notice from Microsoft about a Microsoft Software Asset Management Review? If you have, you know it can be time-consuming and most often result in unplanned software license purchases. This could mean putting off other projects due to the unforeseen purchase of licenses to get compliant.
Why does Microsoft conduct these reviews? They want to ensure that volume licensing customers stay correctly licensed under their programs. The most common causes of licensing issues are inconsistencies in versioning, product edition, server & CAL pairing, and companion products. Most companies find that they are non-compliant in one or more of these areas. Some even find that they may be spending money on unnecessary software licensing.
What could help with this licensing confusion and potentially save you time and money in the future? The answer is a Software Asset Management (SAM) plan. This is an ongoing plan to make it easier to identify what you have, where it’s running and whether you really need that software. A SAM plan can help you cut costs, ensure that you have the best licensing programs for your organization’s specific needs, improve compliance and better prepare your organization for future software needs. A SAM plan can help your IT departments run more smoothly, and overall save time.
We have several resources to help your company with your Software Asset Management needs. Whether you are in the midst of an audit or would like to get a better understanding of your Microsoft software, contact the Keller Schroeder Account Team. We are here to help!
