Software License Management Tool | SolarWinds ITSM

What is software asset management?

Software asset management involves ensuring your enterprise has visibility into and control over software licenses and contracts.

Software asset management is part of the overall IT asset management for a company’s software and hardware. Enterprises need to be able to manage how software assets are acquired, deployed, maintained, used, and phased out. This can include gaining insights into the status of cloud and on-premises software. To ensure a successful software asset management process, users should consider the following best practices for effective software license tracking:

• Procurement: As you purchase software, you should document new programs and standardize how you track the licensing terms.
• Inventory: Users should catalog current licenses, systems, and software so they have an overview of their current assets.
• Software usage: Do you know how your business software is being used, altered, or distributed? This requires audits and policy enforcement to ensure there are no gaps between agreements and reality.
• Resources: You should use software license tracking data to determine whether you have an excess of licenses or are missing critical licenses.
• Updates: A failure to update software can cause compliance and security gaps. Tracking updates can help you ensure your software and licenses are up-to-date.

Why is software asset management important for organizations?

Software asset management can be critical for organizations to remain compliant with software licenses and can help ensure resources are being used appropriately. Software asset management is also included in the Information Technology Infrastructure Library (ITIL) as a key business function capable of ensuring software is managed throughout its life cycle.

End-user license agreements (EULAs) outline the specific terms and conditions of software usage. If violated, license agreements can lead to high legal costs and can impact an enterprise’s reputation. With software license tracking in place, users can proactively address and avoid the legal risks associated with violating software license agreements.

Software license tracking is also important for businesses with networks of users. Having more visibility into and control over how software licenses are used can help make sure users are leveraging programs appropriately and ensure you have the right number of licenses. Businesses may be wasting resources if their software purchasing does not line up with their actual license usage.

What are common types of software licenses?

Software licenses are legal guidelines governing the use and redistribution of software. Licenses exist to protect software copyrights and restrict inappropriate actions such as copying software, making multiple installations, or altering software code.

Common types of both on-premises and cloud software licenses include the following:

Proprietary vs. Open-Source Licenses

Proprietary: It’s critical for businesses to track and understand all proprietary licenses, which can restrict how software can be used and changed. Although a EULA may allow you to use a program, the ownership and rights of the program remain with the software publisher, so you cannot modify or redistribute the software.

Open-source: Open-source licenses are permissive about usage and alterations to varying degrees. A public domain license means there are no restrictions on software modification. However, the lack of a license doesn’t necessarily mean the code is in the public domain. Permissive licenses have a few restrictions on use—Apache, for instance, uses this type of license. Freeware simply describes software users can access without paying a fee.

License Length

Perpetual: A perpetual license lets customers install and use a program indefinitely—once you purchase the software, you typically don’t have to pay additional fees down the line. However, technical support and updates may only be available for a specific length of time or for a fee.

Subscription: This licensing model lets users access and run the software for a specific length of time or for as long as they continue to pay the subscription fee.

User Licensing for Businesses

Businesses should know about a few types of software licensing that can affect the ability to have multiple users:

Concurrent use: This type of license requires a separate license purchase for each user if you want several users to be able to access the software simultaneously.

Volume: With a volume license, businesses purchase a minimum number of licenses to receive a discount and can install the program on a specific number of workstations.

Site-specific: A site-specific license means you can only use the software at a particular location.

Server: With a server license, businesses get a license for each server, and a set number of devices can access the software on the server.

What is a software asset management tool?

A software asset management tool can help users automate key tasks within the asset management process. Software asset management tools are designed to help you track software licenses in real time instead of having to manually track assets on spreadsheets. Manually tracking software assets can be time-consuming and tends to be error-prone, leaving dangerous gaps in your knowledge—especially for organizations with many users.

By using software license management tools, users can create a centralized inventory of software assets, gain insight into actual software usage, and address license violations. Asset management tools are often part of a broader IT service solution, as software asset management insights can help when troubleshooting service desk tickets. With a software asset management tool in place, businesses can help reduce costs, boost visibility into asset usage and maintenance needs, and improve overall operations.

How does asset management software work?

Asset management software can provide the following features to assist users as they track software licenses and perform related service tasks:

• Centralized asset inventory: Asset management software can provide a centralized location where you can access important documentation and details about software assets and licenses.
• Service ticket context: Using a service desk software with an asset management tool can help you improve troubleshooting and resolve service requests. Having software asset details can make it easier to see problems related to the asset’s history or licensing requirements.
• Automated alerts: A software license management tool can be configured to send automatic notifications about licensing problems or upcoming renewal deadlines.
• Reporting: Users can run reports allowing them to see the current or historical statuses of licenses and any relevant license compliance terms, which can enable them to better support future licensing needs.
• Resource and usage overview: Software license management tools can provide visibility into your current resources, including whether your software usage and licensing numbers line up. With this information, you can potentially reduce costs by eliminating unused licenses.

How do software license management tools work in SolarWinds Service Desk?

SolarWinds® Service Desk provides software license management tools designed to help you stay on top of software assets across your organization. Service Desk can help centralize and automate the creation of a software license inventory as well as its updates. This makes it easier to gain visibility into software usage and make informed decisions about your organization’s licensing strategy.

With SolarWinds Service Desk’s inventory and custom reports, you can also manage your software purchases and efficiently align the software titles loaded on your devices. This can help you ensure your organization remains compliant with licensing agreements, and it can help you identify gaps so you can make the appropriate changes.

As your technology landscape grows, Service Desk can help your team stay on top of upcoming renewals by sending notifications to the proper stakeholders in your organization. Service Desk is a scalable tool designed to meet all your service desk needs, even as your organization grows.