Software audits are disruptive, risky—and unless you're prepared, the vendors have all the leverage. Software inventory and management tools can help you keep track of licenses and avoid audits, but beware of the shortfalls of do-it-yourself, narrow, accounting-focused, or vendor-supplied solutions. An effective asset management solution is efficient, effective, and keeps you in control. Look for an Information Technology Infrastructure Library (ITIL) compliant Configuration Management Database (CMDB), simplified license management, and built-in process automation when selecting your solution.
License fees and penalties for software make up a significant proportion of today's IT budgets, and much of it is wasted. Automated, integrated tools for managing software assets are among the most powerful ways to reduce IT operational costs with no significant operational impact. Straight from the initial Discovery phase, Asset Management tools identify savings opportunities on licenses for unused, underused, and duplicate software—and a continuous, disciplined program yields much more. Follow ten simple steps to improve software vendor relationships, bring software spending under control, and free up resources you can use to solve real business problems.
This study highlights the benefits and costs of deploying Altiris IT Management Suite (ITMS) across the enterprise of a sample Organization (see Sample Organization Description section). The findings in this study are, in large part, based on in-depth interviews conducted by Forrester with five organizations currently using Altiris products. The study examines the estimated ROI for the sample Organization and presents the aggregate findings derived from the interviews and analysis process as well as our independent research.
