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Poor Software Asset Management Gives Vendors 'A License to Bill' Reveals SupportSoftBusinesses Often Paying More Than Necessary for Software LicensesREDWOOD CITY, Calif., Jan. 7 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- SupportSoft (Nasdaq: SPRT - News) is encouraging enterprises to manage their software assets more effectively in order to gain a higher return on IT investments, reduce costs and optimize software licensing agreements. Companies with poor IT asset management stand to lose millions of dollars through underutilized software licenses or risk costly penalties for unlicensed software. This issue will likely become even more acute in 2003, when Microsoft plans to discontinue support for Windows 98 and Windows NT 4.0 versions of the Microsoft Windows operating system. Companies migrating from one or both of these operating systems will be forced to take stock of both existing and new software licenses as they upgrade desktop, security and disaster recovery systems to ensure they are compliant with their licensing agreements. Analyst and research firm Gartner, Inc. estimates that enterprises which initiate an IT life cycle asset management process will experience up to a 30% reduction in cost per asset during the first year. Enterprises that continue to practice IT life cycle asset management will yield an additional 5% to 10% reduction in annual cost per asset during the next five years. Gartner also cites an example of an enterprise that spent $8 million more on software than it needed due to unused licenses. Gartner also reports that software vendors are changing licensing models in an attempt to generate additional revenue. Enterprises can avoid additional licensing expenses by knowing exactly what software they have and how employees are using it.(1) For many enterprises, getting an accurate picture of what software is available and how often it is being used is a difficult task. Determining what software is linked to the network is the first step toward lowering overall IT spending costs. Metering those assets in order to understand usage patterns of the software helps to prevent over- or under-buying. Companies that track and monitor software are better able to measure the cost of each application against the value it provides, identify unauthorized applications, prioritize future software purchases, as well as ensure software contract compliance and service levels. To help enterprises deal with common IT asset management problems, SupportSoft has published a white paper entitled "Discovering IT Asset Value Yields Savings Dividends." The paper offers enterprises advice on how to discover available IT assets, meter software usage by employee or department, and remove unauthorized applications or redeploy underutilized software to desktops where it's needed. A free copy of the white paper can be downloaded from http://www.supportsoft.com/AssetDiscovery/whitepaper/default.asp . "Enterprises can make significant cost savings by applying simple house-keeping rules to their IT assets," said Bruce Mowery, vice president of marketing at SupportSoft, Inc. "Any IT resource is not an asset if its cost exceeds the value that it delivers. Only by discovering what software is available and metering how it is being used, can enterprises make the most of the IT assets they have, reduce total cost of ownership and make informed decisions about future software purchases." SupportSoft's Auto Discovery and Metering(TM) software allows IT organizations to remotely and automatically audit a company's hardware and software inventory without interfering with employee productivity, analyze the results via management reports quickly and then quantify the potential savings through better utilization of software licenses or hardware assets. SupportSoft will be hosting a free Webinar titled 'Uncover Hidden Savings: Automated Asset Discovery & Software Metering' on January 21, 2003 at 9:00 a.m. PST. For more information visit http://www.supportsoft.com/assetdiscovery/default.asp?misc=newsletterad About SupportSoft SupportSoft is a leading provider of service and support automation software. SupportSoft's patented software platform allows businesses to automate and personalize the support they provide to their customers, partners and employees, helping them reduce costs and drive user satisfaction. Global 2000 companies using SupportSoft's software include corporate enterprises like GE, Cisco Systems, Bank of America and Schlumberger, plus OEMs and service providers like IBM, Sony, CSC, Comcast and BellSouth. SupportSoft has offices worldwide. For more information, visit www.supportsoft.com. This press release contains forward-looking statements, including those relating to the potential consequences of poor asset management, Microsoft's plans to stop supporting certain operating systems, and the benefits of SupportSoft's solution, which are subject to significant risks and uncertainties including but not limited to the rapid pace of technological change, the impact of continued economic downturns in either domestic or foreign markets and customer adoption of SupportSoft's or a competitors' asset tracking solutions. Additional risks and uncertainties are set forth in SupportSoft's SEC filings. SupportSoft assumes no obligation to update the information in this press release. (1) Gartner, Questions: Software Usage Tools for IT Asset Management, P. Adams, August 13, 2002. <br> Editorial Contact: Joi Deaser SupportSoft 650.556-8930 joi@support.com top of page |
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