The IT industry is less than two months away from the first internationally-approved standard for software asset management (SAM) after it was given almost unanimous approval by national standard bodies last week.
Pushed largely by a group of UK resellers which formed the not-for-profit Investors in Software (IiS) organisation two years ago to highlight the benefits of implementing a SAM strategy (CRN 7 November), the ISO/IEDC 19770-1 Standard, as it is formerlly known, will be officially released in May. The IiS is currently in the process of forming an official certification scheme, incorporating the new Standard.
Tony Fisher, managing director of SAM Partners, an IiS member said: “This is great news for the industry. It means SAM as a business principle will appear on the world stage and will give resellers an independent standard that is internationally approved.
“Any firm adoping this standard will be seen to be very serious about managing their assets and it will serve as a risk reduction to help firms keep compliant. The UK has taken the lead on this and we are very pleased with the outcome,” he said.
David Bicket, senior manager at Deloitte & Touche, a founder member of IiS said: “We have done a lot to make this happen, but there have been a lot of other organisations and people that helped us achieve this outcome. Congratulations should go to the industry for pulling together on this.
“The Standard will help to ensure worldwide consistency on SAM and all that remains now is for Geneva to issue the Standard,” he said.
Sean Wilson, chief technical officer at VAR Grey Matter, another IiS member said: “This is important recognition that software is a critical part of a business. In the past it hasn’t been as valued as other tangible parts of a business and the Standard is ratification of the importance of managing software properly. This is a key business opportunity for the channel.”
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