Report Event Software License Risk Assessment: "Just asking our CIO how we organized this."

In recent months there has been a lot of attention in the media about the practices of major Software vendors such as Oracle, IBM, Microsoft, et cetera. Software that is present in almost every company. These large software vendors take companies in a stranglehold, by conducting so-called Software Audits (also called License Reviews). Towering claims are often the outcome of these Software Audits. And once there is a claim, it takes a lot of time, manpower and money to reduce or get these claims off the table.

In our customer event on February 13, 2020, we introduced our relations to the working methods of these major software vendors. In this session some specialists gave their vision on how to arm yourself as an organization against these software audits of vendors. They also discussed a number of anonymized cases.

Here are some lessons on what to do after a software audit announcement:

• "Buy" time. Make sure there is as much time as possible between the announcement and the start;
• Organize a project team;
• Provide a single point of contact;
• Get specific expertise (for each vendor);
• Determine whether the (degree of) non-compliance was rightly / substantiated.

Better, of course, is to make good arrangements in advance for software audits in negotiations and to ensure good IT asset management. Another tip: conduct a software license risk assessment in the interim. Here you determine whether there is non-compliance and whether you can and want to change anything. There is of course nothing wrong with paying for what you use, but often you also pay for things you do not (consciously) use.

The guests thus got a good idea of software audits, the associated major financial risks, and how to take preventive and reactive measures. Frequently heard quote, "I'll drop in on our CIO tomorrow to see how we've organized this." Given the great enthusiasm for the event, a repeat will follow later this year. Interested? Let me know.

Among other things, ARC People supports companies with specific expertise to prevent software license risks or work with organizations to respond to a software license audit by a vendor. We can also proactively identify your risks through a Software License Risk Assessment so that you are ready before a vendor announces an audit. You will more than recoup these costs.