For Infrastructure & Operations Professionals

Market Overview: Client Management Suites

Evolving Computing Market Shifts Focus To Security And Virtualization

by Natalie Lambert, July 29, 2009

Desktop operations managers are watching their computing environment change. There are now more types of devices and more varieties of operating systems entering the enterprise than ever before. This is leading to an architectural shift, one that moves . . .

For Sourcing & Vendor Management Professionals

The Real Problem Of Counting Virtual Licenses

Software Sourcing Managers Should Understand The Licensing Impact Of Their Colleagues' Plans For Server Virtualization

by Duncan Jones, April 23, 2009

Software license agreements that vendors created and buyers accepted years ago fail to make clear how definitions of hardware-based metrics such as per-processor apply to today's virtualized data centers. Enterprises, hoping to cut costs by improving . . .

For Infrastructure & Operations Professionals

Q&A: SharePoint's Licensing Complexities

Licensing SharePoint, And How Federation And Virtualization Play A Role

by Christopher Voce, November 10, 2008

Microsoft's SharePoint continues to spread like wildfire, making it difficult for IT to respond with efficient ways to deploy and manage it. SharePoint is a component in Microsoft's broader infrastructure and collaboration offerings and carries complex . . .

For Infrastructure & Operations Professionals

Thinking About Desktop Virtualization? Rethink Your Windows Licensing Strategy

by Natalie Lambert, Christopher Voce, June 5, 2008

As a desktop operations professional, you've managed to avoid getting down in the weeds with Microsoft licensing — unfortunately, times have changed. Desktop virtualization is forcing desktop managers to understand the world of Windows licensing to successfully . . .

For Infrastructure & Operations Professionals

Untangling Windows Server Licensing Issues

by Christopher Voce, May 14, 2008

Windows Server 2008, formerly code-named Longhorn, is finally out in the wild. The new version delivers enhancements in virtualization, manageability, and security that will entice firms to the new edition — but Microsoft's server virtualization solution, . . .

For Infrastructure & Operations Professionals

Topic Overview: IT Management Software

by Natalie Lambert, November 13, 2007

Today's organizations are trying to keep up with the continuous pace of technology change and growing business requirements. The importance of management technologies to monitor and manage the wide array of hardware and software systems deployed in the . . .

IT Asset Management: Giving Shoes To The Cobbler's Children

by Norbert Kriebel, September 19, 2006

For the past decade, IT organizations have been deploying critical business applications to enable other business divisions and executive management to better control and manage business processes, applications, and operations. While IT has focused on . . .

Mainframe Software Asset Management

by Colin Rankine, October 3, 2005

With IBM as sole provider of zSeries (formerly S/390) hardware, the hardware price/performance curve has flattened considerably. Compared to the 30% to 40% annual declines in hardware cost per million instructions per second (MIPS) observed when IBM was . . .

Software License Audits: A Manageable Issue, But New Challenges Loom

by John R. Rymer, Julie Giera, July 23, 2004

In a time of slow software sales, the risk that vendors will use license compliance audits to extract revenue from their installed bases increases. However, our survey of 41 IT decision-makers in medium and large companies revealed that vendor-initiated . . .

Effective Software Licensing Management

by Julie Giera, June 28, 2004

Effective management of software licenses has always been a challenge — industry standards don't exist and software licenses, maintenance agreements, and support contracts are complex. And the problem is growing as open source adoption rates increase . . .

Desktop Software Removal

by David Friedlander, June 24, 2004

Because of the distributed nature of desktops and laptops, it is often difficult for IT to monitor software usage and determine when to uninstall programs that are not in use or have been replaced. Companies can reduce licensing and support costs by monitoring . . .

When the Software License Authorities Come Knocking

by David Friedlander, March 19, 2003

Giga clients should conduct an internal audit and develop an ongoing license management process regardless, but the end goal should be better asset management, not simply compliance.

Reducing the Costs of Software Maintenance Fees: A Survey Approach

February 19, 2003

Giga recommends a straight-forward survey-based approach to identify unused software packages and determine whether and how to modify or cancel existing software maintenance contracts.

PCs Provided by Third Parties: Review Licensing, Security and Management Responsibilities Carefully

February 14, 2003

End users should review licensing, maintenance and security issues for systems to determine what level of responsibility the vendor is taking for managing the PCs and protecting any sensitive information.

Largest zSeries Environments Benefit Most From the Latest Workload License Charge Enhancements

by David Mastrobattista, September 13, 2002

IBM's most recent enhancements to the Workload License Charge pricing structure are clearly targeted at the company's more traditional, top-tier mainframe users — namely those IT shops with multiple, large capacity mainframe footprints.

For Business Process & Applications Professionals

Citrix Volume Licensing: Evaluate Migration From Packaged Licenses Carefully

by David Friedlander, June 28, 2002

Citrix offers several volume licensing programs. However, the most critical issue that users should consider is how to convert their existing licenses to volume licenses.

Concurrent User Application Licensing Model Being Left Behind

by Paul D. Hamerman, June 27, 2002

Concurrent user licensing is still fairly common in the application software business, but we believe that this licensing model is difficult for customers to manage and is gradually being abandoned as more functionality moves to the Web.

For Business Process & Applications Professionals

Common Mistakes Licensing Mainframe Software

by David Mastrobattista, June 19, 2002

Despite the fact that mainframe software costs typically account for more than 70 percent of the platform's overall total cost of acquisition, many enterprises have a less-than-formal software asset management strategy in place.

For Business Process & Applications Professionals

GigaTel Survey Results: Strong User Interest in Usage-based Software Licenses

by David Friedlander, April 9, 2002

The GigaTel survey results are consistent with Giga's position that within the next three years, usage-based licensing will be one of the factors driving the growth of utility

IBM Revises Its Delivery Timeline for the IBM License Manager Product

by David Mastrobattista, March 12, 2002

Sighting numerous application design changes as the biggest impediment affecting delivery of the ILM product, IBM is now planning an Early Support Program (ESP) release during the first quarter of 2003.

Determining How Detailed Software License Tracking Should Be Within the Organization

by Robert McNeill, February 28, 2002

Organizations can track software licenses to various accuracies that provide differing benefits to the organization, but as tracking becomes more granular, it become more costly.

Understanding Software Licensing Issues in Mergers and Acquisitions

by Julie Giera, February 8, 2002

The issues relating to software licensing in M&A and divestitures are numerous and thus deserve attention early in the process. Failure to do so may expose the company to financial and compliance risk and may forestall or delay IT integration efforts.

How to Avoid Over-Spending on Software Licenses

by Julie Giera, January 29, 2002

The single most effective way a company can avoid over-purchasing software licenses is by installing and using a good asset management software tool and creating the appropriate procedures around that tool that ensure updated and timely information.

Software Monitoring Is More Proactive Than Software Metering in Responding to Business Needs

by Robert McNeill, January 15, 2002

Giga believes that software monitoring is a far better IT asset management procedure than software metering for controlling the use of licenses across the network.

For Business Process & Applications Professionals

Business Software Alliance Amnesty Plan Makes Good Business Sense

by Laura DiDio, January 10, 2002

Aside from the obvious risk of punitive action, it makes good business sense for companies of all sizes and in all vertical markets to perform comprehensive software licensing compliance and inventory assessment at least once a year.