Vendors crack down on SAM

Research from FAST Ltd reveals that more vendors are auditing their customers than ever before

Software vendors are taking a harder line on auditing their customers and partners according to figures released by FAST Ltd.

The FAST annual survey revealed that 30 per cent of firms questioned have been audited or inspected by a software publisher, compared to 20 per cent in 2008.

Over the last six to 12 months, nearly 17 per cent of FAST’s respondents revealed they had faced an audit.

Research conducted by IDC in October 2008 backed up these claims by revealing that 52 per cent of all companies have been subject to a vendor audit or review over the 12 month period, with 23 per cent undergoing three or more audits during the same timeframe.

The results point to the fact that the industry is taking software asset management (SAM) issues more seriously, particularly with an estimated 60 per cent of UK firms being under-licensed and 40 per cent having too many licenses.

Andy Pearce, Managing Director of FAST Ltd, said that there continues to be considerable risk associated with non-compliance. But he stressed that the threat of hefty fines or a detrimental effect on corporate reputation should not be the sole driver for compliance.

“Our research shows that although nearly half (45.4 percent) of organisations joined the FAST Compliance Programme because they were ‘concerned with the legal implications of not being IT compliant’ or that they ‘needed help to get their software licensing in order’,” he said.

“Detailed financial control is also a key driver, especially given the current economic climate. In uncertain times, what organisations must get from their IT estate is predictability and reassurance, not unexpected, unbudgeted costs. Similarly organisations want to ensure that they are not spending money on software licensing unnecessarily, so SAM and compliance become even more pertinent as organisations attempt to rein in their costs during a recession.”