Most Frequently Asked Questions
What is Software Asset Management (SAM)? In it's simplest form, SAM keeps records about, and tracks, purchased software throughout it's useful life. Records include purchasing information, licenses, agreements, computer on which the software is installed, its availability for assignment, who is using each piece of software, and in which departement and location the user resides. Software management also ensures that all software media is kept in a secure location.
Can I track software without tracking hardware? Not really. However, hardware is a physical asset where traditional inventory and asset tracking methods can be used. SAM depends on an effective hardware asset tracking system to be successful. The two tracking functions need to be integrated.
Why was SoftwareManagers.org created? There is no other industry organization focused exclusively on providing nonpartisan support for hands-on professionals.
SoftwareManagers.org is focused on commercial software. What about Open Source? There is a great gap of understanding between those that rely on commercially developed software applications and those that rely on Open Source or Free Software. There are now hybrid & dual licensing models, so even some appications that are presumed to be "Open Source" must be treated like any other commercial software product in order to meet the terms of their licensing agreements in a business environment.
What software industry sponsored organizations exist? SIIA, BSA,CAAST, FAST.
What government and international agencies have information about copyright infringemen? WIPO. In the US, two branches of the DOJ can be involved in enforcement actions: FBI, US Marshals Service
What classes and courses exist for professionals?
- NEW ! Conducting the Defensive Software Piracy Audit: Eight proven steps to stopping the Software Police and Copyright Cops in their tracks. This is the first online certification course in compliance. This self paced course elimintes travel and related expense, as well as fatigue. By Business Technology Consumer Network Institute
- GASP v7.x Preview and Training by Attest
- Certified Software Manager (CSM) and others by License Logic
- Several certification courses are offered by IAITAM
What are some other entertainment related industry organizations? ESRB, ELSPA, RIAA, MPAA.
This site is focused on organizations within the United States. What about all the other countries of the planet? We welcome your input! Please help us to update our site by commenting or emailing us the appropriate information.
I want to participate, how can I help? We are making changes to this site and setting up the nonprofit entity. Please send an email to RitaBowman@softwaremanagers.org for further information or questions.
Welcome to SoftwareManagers.org!
SoftwareManagers.org, incorporated under the name Software Managers Resource, Inc., is a tax exempt, member supported nonprofit public benefit organization. Memberships and donations are tax deductible.
Software Managers Resource, Inc. provides an avenue for open communication and information in the field of software and hardware asset management via member published blogs and private e-mail.
Due to its complexity, the primary focus is on Software Asset Management (SAM). This includes software installed on “desktops”, laptops, workgroup servers and mainframes. This isn’t to say that hardware devices are excluded. Hardware is part of IT Asset Management (ITAM).
We encourage people in the fields of SAM, ITAM and those in fields affected by IT lifecycle management, such as management, finance, procurement, accounting, legal, human resources, IT, etc., to contribute insights, practical knowledge, real life experiences and comments.
Remembering Rita
For those who don't know, Rita Bowman, Founder and CEO of the Software Managers Resource, Inc, on August 24th suffered a massive stroke. On September 3rd, she passed away peacefully. Just prior to her stroke, the Executive Board of SMRI approved the meager of SMRI with the Business Technology Consumer Network and will, as part of the merger, now be known as the Institute for Technology Asset Management (ITAM).
The purpose of ITAM will be to provide online training for certification in I.T. Asset Management. As the training will be online and provided by a non-profit (501.c.3) company, it is possible to provide training at a reasonable price (yet to be determined).
In the meantime, a memorial scholarship fund has been set up in Rita's memory. If you are interested in donating to the Rita Bowman Memorial Scholarship Fund, you can go to Remember Rita.
I as that everyone remember Rita's family, son Grant (the SMRI Webmaster) and Daughter Reini.
Business FAQ
- "Information Technology (IT) is typically among an organization’s top five expenditures, yet research reveals that an average of 10 to 25% of a company’s total IT spend is wasted or used unwisely. Gartner, Inc. predicts that through 2007, 65 percent of enterprises will grossly mismanage complexity and risk [of IT assets], stifling productivity and earnings, and inflating costs by at least 25 percent." (CFO.com, March 24, 2004)
- What is vicarious liability? The law states that senior management of a company can be held responsible for software noncompliance regardless of which employee has broken the law. Software piracy and vicarious liability.
- What is Sarbanes-Oxley (SOX)? The Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 in the U.S. and Turnbull in the UK are driving forces accelerating the wider adoption of SAM practices. Section 404 addresses intangible assets such as software.
- What is the real impact of a software non-compliance event? Indirect costs can be up to six times the amount of the settlement. These include the cost of purchasing software licenses to bring the company into compliance, which can run several times that of the normal purchase price, legal fees, lost productivity, negative publicity, stress and frustration. The company continues to be monitored for software compliance for several years to come.
- Is software considered by accounting to be an asset? Software can be considered an asset (capitalized) and depreciated if it costs more than a certain amount. Companies have a wide array of policies for approving software purchases and expenses.
- What is so difficult about SAM from a business perspective? Traditional asset tracking methods are insufficient because software is intangible and trivial to duplicate. Changes in the legislation, case law and accounting rules governing SAM are ongoing. Enforcement is uneven. SAM is not well understood. Management changes can derail existing programs. Every employee add/change/move can result in the need for new or different software.
Legal FAQ
- What is intellectual property? The most common forms of intellectual property include patents, copyrights, trademarks, and trade secrets.
- What is a software license? When buying software, it is the license that is purchased. The license is a contract between a publisher and a user regarding a software's terms of use. This builds upon an existing body of copyright law.
- What is a software patent? Software patents are the application of patent law to software.
- Given the trend of internationalization, what effects does this have on software use? Each jurisdiction may have different laws regarding copyright in general and software in particular. Issues are currently negotiated on a case by case basis. It is important to read each license to determine acceptable usage. If in doublt, call the publisherwith international usage questions.
- What is so difficult about SAM from a legal perspective? Changes in legislation, case law and accounting rules governing SAM are ongoing. Some software enforcement practices are unreasonable and legal professionals are often caught unaware of current practices.
- What are some good reference books?
Technical FAQ
- How can an effective SAM program help? A common problem when working in an IT department is having the right tools to get a job done. An effective SAM program can save countless hours of expensive staff time by organizing and storing the physical media of software. Tools such as network servers of different sizes can provide remote access to streamline software installations. The transition from current practices to an effective SAM environment can seem unclear at first, but the benefits are significant in the eyes of technical staff who have worked in such environments.
- What departments are typically involved in the lifecycle of a software version? For large organizations, tests are run before a software version is deployed. Software flaws or bugs are identified and plans are made for working around them. If a previous version is already deployed, compatibility of data is tested. Contracts for purchase are typically negotiated by a procurement department outside of IT. Depending on the terms of purchase the software is then installed on computers by a support department. Employees use the software in the range of diverse conditions. As people join and leave a company their software can become misplaced unless proactive steps are taken. Upgrades and/or alternative software titles and versions must follow the same path and may create a requirement to keep records of previous versions due to new upgrade purchase agreements.
- What departments are typically involved in software lifecycle management? Software lifecycle management begins with the initial request for a software application. It continues through the procurement, receiving, deployment, document and media storage, usage, and disposal path. Input from Human Resources is important for effectively utilizing software licenses to the company's economic advantage.
- What is so difficult about SAM from a technical perspective? There are no standard ways to keep track of software. Advanced technical software tracking systems never solve all needs across hetrogenous systems. Upgrades of hardware and software are common. There are no standard ways to measure IT programs. IT Management changes derail existing programs. Needs of technical support staff are often not clearly communicated to managers and the posession of physical software media is often closely guarded by technical staff so they can continue to get their work done without percieved hassles. Every employee add/change/move can result in the need for new or different software.
- As a SAM professional, how can I get the attention of executives in my company? This answer is unique to every company. A good rule of thumb is that executives feel most comfortable when presented with and acting upon facts.
Blog FAQ
- What is a blog? A blog is an online journal. It is a collection of entries that often contain links and commentary. This information is shared as a web page and in "XML" format, either RSS or Atom. People around the world can read and post comments about the entries.
- How can I read a blog? Most blogs are accessible via a standard web page where they are arranged as a list of entries.
- How does a blog differ from a web page? Blog entries are usually much shorter. While blogs can be read as web pages, they can also be read using other software. Social patterns have also developed in support of and in reaction to blogs.
- How else can I read a blog? A blog can also be read using a special URL and special software that uses a timer to check the blog, usually set to about 60 minutes. This is alternately called a "feed", "syndication". "XML", "RSS" or "Atom". Using desktop software vastly reduces the time and effort needed to consistently keep up to date with new blog entries.
- What blog software should I use? Blog software, also called a desktop news aggregator, is used in place of, or as a companion to, a regular web browser. There are also web sites who provide an aggregator service so you don't need to install any software. Wikipedia has a list of software or a quick search using your favorite search engine for something similar to "RSS aggregator Windows" will provide many choices.
- How can I link to blog entries? Each entry has a "permalink" or "permanent URL" that can be used to cite a particular blog entry.
- What is a trackback? Trackbacks are basically reverse links. The one way nature of the current web is not the only possible implementation of linking. Trackbacks are a special way to allow a reverse link to be made. This can be done automatically on both sides or manually using special tools/websites.
- Does the software that runs this site support sending and receiving trackbacks automatically? Yes.
- Why are there so many different "standards" for blogging technologies? Really Simple Syndication (RSS) is a form of XML that was used early on and is relatively fixed at version 2.0. Earlier versions of RSS may be more common at present. Several earlier versions of RSS were only partially compatible with one another. EEVL based in the UK provides a good RSS Primer. A new XML standard called Atom (currently at version 0.3) is on an IETF standards track. Most aggregators support both. Creative individuals began writing blog entries so many software packages, and even the standards themselves, implement features in different ways.
- I'm new to the "blogsphere." Are there any good books on blogging? Dan Gillmor has been a well respected columnist for the San Jose Mercury News. In 2004, O'Reilly Media published his book and website named We The Media: Grassroots Journalism by the People, for the People. In the book he tells the story of an emerging phenomenon powered by blogs and sheds light on this deep shift in how we make and consume the news.
- How can I publish a blog? Visitors who join SoftwareManagers.org as a member may publish new blog entries. Zero cost weblog sites like Blogger and others are also becoming more popular. If you already have a website you can install software that will help you manage a blog.
- I registered with this site, why can't I create blog entries? Non-members are free to comment on other people's blog entries but are unable to create their own blog. To create your own blog you must become a member.