UK companies SAM way behind
Over 40 per cent of UK firms have failed to implement software asset management in the last year, research finds
Over 40 per cent of British companies have not audited the software running on their network in the last 12 months, research published today by asset management specialists Centennial Software and Business Continuity Services (BCS) has revealed.
The research found that only 25 per cent of firms conducted a regular monthly audit of the software in use on their servers and PCs. Another 25 per cent audited their PCs once a year, while just eight per cent checked their installed software once a quarter.
However, the research results hinted at changing attitudes among IT managers. For those organisations looking to better manage their software, ‘reducing the cost of IT procurement and operations’ was pinpointed as the primary business driver (33 per cent), followed by ‘avoiding the risk of non-compliance fines’ (29 per cent).
Andy Burton, chief executive at Centennial Software, said: “IT managers have traditionally worried about compliance purely out of fear of getting caught out. These results prove that businesses are starting to realise that compliance actually comes out of good practice, and that good practice is the key to avoiding wasted purchases and unnecessary spend on IT.”
Andy Fisher, consultant at BCS added: “Whatever the goal, the starting point must be to know what software you have and whether you have sufficient – or even superfluous – licences to cover your current use.”