SAManage IT Management Blog

Software metering is an important technology discipline that helps companies set and enforce software installation and usage polices across their entire business.  It spans several key activities, including software license management, planning and allocation, and real-time application monitoring, to ensure optimum value from software investments, while facilitating full compliance.

Photo by Jacob Botter

The key to effective software metering is to gain complete insight into what software applications exist, where they are installed, and how they are used.  Armed with this insight, you can gain greater control over your software assets by:

• Preventing non-compliance with software contracts by proactively stopping the proliferation of illegal copies.
• Avoiding viruses, spyware, malware, and other threats by blocking users from downloading, installing, and using unauthorized programs such as games, chat, and peer-to-peer file sharing.
• Reducing wasteful software-related spending through improved intelligence into what you have, and what you need.

Additionally, software metering can dramatically improve the productivity of your help desk and technical support staff, eliminating the time needed to conduct fact-finding by providing them with instant visibility into all software assets.

Just how valuable can software metering be?  According to Gartner analyst Patricia Adams, “substantial cost cutting opportunities exist in monitoring usage of purchased applications”.  She goes on to say that organizations that implement software usage monitoring and other related capabilities can expect to see savings of 5 to 25 percent of their overall software budgets in the first year alone.

One of the best ways to implement effective software metering processes is through use of a comprehensive software asset management solution.  By fully automating such important activities such as IT audits and software license management, software asset management tools can improve the accuracy of software inventory logs, empowering you to better manage all your applications throughout their lifecycle – from the time they are acquired, through installation and use, until they are rendered obsolete and replaced.

For example, software and IT asset management tools from SAManage can provide you with complete visibility into what software gets executed, so licenses can be reallocated and reused appropriately.  Additionally, through improved tracking of assigned licenses, you’ll have greater insight into who is using what applications, and when.

Contact us to learn more about software metering, and how SaaS IT management systems from SAManage can help you more effectively track and manage your software assets.

What is Software Asset Management?

Learn how companies can improve IT efficiency and ensure license compliance with Software Asset Management.
Download our quantifying the value of software asset management white paper.

Enabling Efficient, Effective Software License Management at Lane Construction

Lane Construction specializes in transportation projects, providing expert construction of highways and bridges, locks and dams, mass transit systems, airport runways, aprons, and taxiways.

Unhappy with the support they were receiving for their existing IT asset management solution – Dell eSmart – as well as its limited end user functionality, Lane Construction began investigating other alternatives.

“SAManage gives us everything we need to manage our software applications from end-to-end.  We have full visibility into what we have, where it is, and who is using it.  All the capabilities we need to effectively control and track our software inventory are right at our fingertips. “

Within just a few short weeks of using SAManage, the advantages became obvious.  Benefits achieved so far include enhanced productivity and improved management of software assets through better coordination and centralization.

“The solution is so simple to use,” added Morgan.  “In just 15 minutes, I was able to learn how to enter and track our software inventory.”

“The integrated Help Desk, which we will begin using soon, is a significant added bonus,” Morgan concludes.  “Until now, we had no centralized system for supporting our end users, it was all done via email and phone calls.  The SAManage Help Desk will allow us to provide better service, while increasing the productivity of our support staff.”

Read the complete report: Enabling Efficient, Effective Software License Management at Lane Construction

Online IT Management and Help Desk Software

Discover how on-demand IT Asset Management and Help Desk software from SAManage can help you gain instant visibility into your assets and improve your service levels.
Sign up for a free trial of SAManage.