10 things you should know about SAM

By Rory Canavan, Research and Development, ITAMOrg

 

Kick starting your SAM program starts here:

1. Governance

Your SAM Programme needs an ethical heartbeat to ensure widespread adoption, and to underline any senior management buy-in that will be required.  Gain approval for a SAM Programme from as high up the organisation as possible.

2. Scope

An ill-defined SAM Programme could see to it that you never reach the SAM Maturity goals and objectives the programme was originally set.  Have documented goals and objectives.

3. Roles and Responsibilities

Ensure that all personnel are fully aware of what is expected of them, and when – not just in project state, but also BAU.

4.Data Sources

Understand how you are going to capture inventory data, and what is involved in comparing that to licensing data

5. Licensing Models

Having made that basic comparison, do you understand the finer points of licence optimisation that makes use of Product Use Rights/Contract rights?

6. Tool Selection

Ensure you fully understand the business requirements that shape the criteria you use to select the software to support your SAM programme.

7. Policies and Procedures

Consider what documentation is needed to manage the lifecycle of software through your organisation, and the interaction of those policies and procedures with your SAM Programme.

8. Implementation

Have very clear targets to ensure what is and isn’t acceptable once systems are embedded, personnel are put in place and processes are adopted.

9. Continues Review/Improvement

Having recognised what your acceptable results are at (8) make sure your SAM programme keeps pace with the changes experienced in your business to stay relevant.

10. Maturity Assessment

Benchmark your existing operations so that you can build on the good work already in place.

 

If you would like to learn more about these founding principles within Software Asset Management to kick-start your SAM Programme then contact ITAMOrg or see our training plan on this website.

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