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The channel has a key role to play in closing the gap between UK businesses’ perception and the reality of their software asset management (SAM) policies.
That is the verdict of the first white paper from the Software Industry Research Board, which was created by the Federation Against Software Theft IiS (Fast IiS) in May with support from IDC.
The Maturity of SAM Practice in the UK Market – Perception and Reality of Risk white paper found that 60 per cent of businesses do not perceive misuse of software as a risk.
Further reading
It also concluded that 75 per cent of companies have a SAM policy in place, yet 38 per cent admitted they had only a basic understanding of their software licences.
With 55 per cent of those surveyed admitting they had been subject to a software publisher audit within the past 12 months, vendors stressed that VARs have an opportunity to get end users up to speed.
Sam Bramwell, licensing and anti-piracy marketing representative at software giant Microsoft, told CRN: “Our channel partners can add value by educating their customers and evaluating a business’s disconnection with its SAM policy.”
Matt Fisher, Centennial product manager at SAM vendor FrontRange Solutions, said: “There is gap between perception and reality that needs to be closed – the channel should take advantage of this.”
John Lovelock, chief executive of Fast IiS, said: “There are some outrageous claims [from firms] in this research. The main outcome is the perception that companies have of their SAM policies. They think that they have one, but most do not understand it.”
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Do you agree?
Does FAST still have a role?
With the BSA declaring its support for the international standard for SAM and launching a worldwide channel program for implementation - does FAST still have a role to pay?
Posted by Martin Thompson | 19 Nov 2008
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