Software License

Your Partner for Software License Management Services

A software license is an agreement between you and the owner of a software program that allows you to do certain things that would otherwise be an infringement of copyright law. The software license usually answers questions such as

                    • Where and how often can you install the program?
                    • Can you copy, modify, or redistribute it?
                    • Can you look at the underlying source code?

The price of the software and the licensing fees, if any, is sometimes discussed in the license agreement, but usually it’s described elsewhere.

// Software License

Software License Management Services Benefits

Software License Compliance

We ensure your business is compliant and not at risk from vendor audits

Reduction in Audits

Many of our customers are identified as hard targets by software vendors but receive fewer audits

Outcome based service

Our customers subscribe to a set of dependable, contractual outcomes that enables a range of internal stakeholders including procurement, ITAM, ITSM, IT security and the C-level to make smart software decisions

Cost savings and high ROI

Our service negates the need for cumbersome toolset implementations and instead sets customers on the path to ROI painlessly. Customers typically save over five times the cost of our service

Reduction in Risk

We highlight areas of software deployment and licensing risk and support you in mitigating them

Rapid onboarding

Our service is delivered quickly so that the time-to-value is low. We offer reports to key stakeholders within six weeks

Analysis on Software Licensing

We’ll cover these terms in greater detail below, but these are some basic things you should know about software licenses.

  • Know what “free” means. In the context of software licensing, free doesn’t refer to price. It means free in the sense of “free speech” and refers to the rights and restrictions imposed on using software.
  • Free or open-source software has fewer restrictions. Glossing over a lot of nuances, if a program is released under a free software license or an open-source license, you generally don’t have to ask anyone’s permission to use it. You can also copy and redistribute the software to your heart’s content.
  • Proprietary software has more restrictions. If the software is proprietary or closed-source, there will usually be significant restrictions in the license that limit the ways you can use the software.
  • Read the End User License Agreement (EULA). It’s always a good idea to review these agreements, but it’s especially important to do so for one-off or small software purchases from less well-known companies. The EULA spells out what you can and can’t do with software. It covers everything from how many copies you can install to what the software company can do with your data and what additional software the company can install on your computer.
  • Pay attention to how long the license lasts. A perpetual license doesn’t expire. Once you purchase it, you have rights to use the software for as long as you like. A term license expires after a specified period of time (often one year) and must be periodically renewed.
  • Look into volume licenses or site licenses whenever possible. These arrangements offer lower prices and often make administration tasks easier.
  • You may get secondary or home use rights. You may be able to install copies of the software on more than one computer, with certain restrictions. For example, you may be able to install a copy of the software on a home or portable computer, as long as it is not used at the same time as the software is used on your primary computer. Some Adobeproducts include home use rights, as do some Microsoft Office products (see Office Suites for Home Use). The specific rights, if any, will be spelled out in the EULA.
  • Keep your documentation. You should document the product name and version number. Keep all installation disks, original manuals, and other documentation. Where applicable, also document the product serial number (or SKU), proof of purchase, and license key.

When does your organization need a Software Licensing Consultant?

You probably already know if your IT department is running an efficient inhouse SAM program, but ask yourself if you need extra expertise to ensure you’re spending wisely, and are ready should a vendor come knocking.

01
IS YOUR ORGANIZATION IN A FIT STATE TO BE AUDITED?
Analyst firms now estimate that organizations have a 68% chance of being audited by at least one software vendor in a 12 month period.
02
ARE YOU WASTING YOUR SOFTWARE BUDGET?
Our audit history has revealed that organizations, on average, overspend by 20% on software licenses they don’t need in an effort to remain compliant.
03
ARE YOU BOGGED DOWN BY TRANSACTIONAL TASKS?
Gathering, consolidating and normalizing software install and usage data, as well as license entitlement, is an arduous, manual task, taking weeks or even months.

Our Solution

Is your software asset management strategy developed, or is it still in its infancy? When you work with .femotronics to mature your software asset management methodology, you can:

01
financial transparency
financial transparency

Increase financial transparency to help accurately forecast your IT budget

02
Gain visibility
Gain visibility

Gain visibility to your current entitlements, allowing you to investigate software you already own before making new purchases

03
digital transformation
digital transformation

Drive digital transformation in your organization while reducing financial risk