Mapping your application estate

Software versions change continuously due to patching, planned or un-planned updates and even by users installing new versions.  Controlling your software estate is important for any business but is vital to medium and large enterprises whose software budget is generally in the 10’s of millions.

Why is SAM so often overlooked within an organisation?

A very simplified view is that typically, software asset management is seen as an expensive method of ensuring you have a software licence and the true value of the business intelligence you can attain from an effective SAM solution has not been articulated in a way that clearly sets out the problems, consequences and mapped to a solution.

Problems

Common problems that exist in organisations that have not implemented SAM

Non-compliance

  • Knowledge gaps i.e. What licences you have against what is actually required.
  • Is the organisation at risk of using unlicensed software?
  • Regulatory compliance (if applicable) is difficult/impossible to maintain

Application proliferation

  • Multiple applications all providing the same function
  • Different business units with the same functional requirements unilaterally purchasing different software packages
  • Results in escalating cost both financially and administratively
  • Under used software, whether this is caused by unnecessary installation or by lack of knowledge on how the application works.
  • Recycling of software license’s is missing

Increased costs for hardware deployments

  • Knowing what applications a user requires is key to planning both hardware refreshes and implementing critical software updates.
Consequences

Consequences of an un-managed software estate include,

  • A bloated estate, with more software vendors and versions than is needed.
  • Increased risk of security breaches.
  • Increased risk of a vendor software audit with associated costs and reputational damage.
  • Increased effort for any change management, such as increased testing.
  • Decreased ability to make strategic software decisions. (See: Application Governance)
  • Limited ability to save costs by optimising software:
    • Consolidate different software vendors.
    • Rationalise software versions.
    • Enhance value by swapping out for more cost-effective software.
    • Remove un-used software.
Benefits

What are the benefits, and do they align to your objectives in the coming year?

Implementing a SAM solution from a supplier that understands the problems of asset management coupled with the intricacies of governance and hardware refreshes, will present the following benefits,

  • Significant cost savings

Gartner: ‘Organisations can save 30% of their software budget in year 1, then 10% each year thereafter’ 

  • A smaller, rationalized application estate
    • Reducing support costs
  • A clear view of licensing position and future upgrade path
    • Reducing future budgetary needs
  • Business intelligence enables decision making and provide the platform for successful change being delivered.
    • Hardware deployments are streamlined
    • Global PC updates are proactively managed
Global PC Update (Microsoft EverGreen)

The impact to a business of the move by Microsoft to an EverGreen approach with updates has been largely underestimated.  Many of our clients work in industries that are heavily governed by regulatory compliance, for instance, GxP in the Pharmaceutical industry.

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Hardware Refresh

Any type of device refresh requires a high level of stakeholder engagement to ensure success criteria is met for all areas of the business, rather than meeting only what IT department see as success.

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Intelligent Client Function

TGG offer an Intelligent Client Function (ICF) which places our Project Management, Assurance, Governance, Compliance & SAM services at the heart of the four main deployment activities detailed above and places your IT department in a position to exceed year on year, as well as driving out cost savings.

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Application Governance (WAGB & DAL)

Every IT/IS function will have an overreaching IT Strategy covering both Infrastructure and Applications; however, in TGG’s experience, governance of the latter is generally either unstructured and without authority or missing altogether.

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Interested in working with us?

Get in touch with one of our experts now. They will be able to advise you the best route for you or your business.

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