To print: Click here or Select File and then Print from your browser's menu

This story was printed from silicon.com, located at http://www.silicon.com/

Story URL: http://www.silicon.com/research/specialreports/network/0,3800013777,39165899,00.htm

Microsoft customers get licensing help
More from uncle SAM...

By Andy McCue

Published: Wednesday 21 February 2007

Microsoft has launched a programme to help UK companies with more than 250 PCs audit, track and manage their software licences.

The programme is part of Microsoft's Software Asset Management (SAM) toolkit, which was launched last year to help businesses get to grips with complex licensing agreements and reduce their risk of unwittingly using unlicensed or counterfeit software.

The initial do-it-yourself toolkits, which can be downloaded from Microsoft's website, were aimed at small businesses with fewer than 250 PCs but Microsoft has now launched a 'self-start' programme with its channel partners to offer a similar service to organisations with more than 250 PCs - typically those with 'Select' and 'Enterprise' Microsoft licensing agreements.

The new service allows an organisation to choose one of Microsoft's 28 UK channel partners to help with a licence audit and a two-to-three month programme of putting in place improved licence-tracking and management policies and procedures.

Windows Vista - all the coverage...

♦  Cheat Sheet: Windows Vista
♦ Windows Vista fails to convince CIOs
♦  Windows Vista: Start planning now, say experts
♦  Photos: Vista behind the scenes

At the end of the programme the customer gets a certificate from Microsoft to prove they have implemented a SAM process across their business.

Ram Dhaliwal, licensing programme manager at Microsoft UK, said better licence management can yield cost savings of up to 30 per cent for customers who struggle to manage their software assets and are over-licensed.

He told silicon.com: "It [SAM] allows customers to stay in control through policies and procedures. It gives them a solid framework."

Chartered accountancy firm HW Fisher & Co has just finished rolling out a SAM programme across its 260 desktop computers and Tony Blonk, IT director at the company, said the benefits include cost and operational savings and better visibility of return on software investment.