Articles & Reviews

Software licensing is a topic that a lot of people like to discuss, but seems to change very little. Customers would sorely love to more a usage-based model for paying for software, versus paying a flat per-license fee. Some software vendors have endorsed the idea, but most find any number of reasons for keeping things just the way are…

Now comes a new model of tracking and managing software licenses that relies on an offering from Flexera to dynamically track usage of enterprise software so that customers can be billed based on how much of the software they use, rather than the number of licenses they own.

Flexera today announced the latest version of its Flexnet Manager for Engineering Applications and signaled its intent to expand its offerings into a broader array of back-office application suites by acquiring HONICO Software, a company that makes license management software for tracking and monitoring SAP software…

Virtualization is on the minds of most IT executives and administrators for several very good reasons, including a reduced datacenter footprint, lower overall IT costs, simplified server management, and a greener data center. But virtualization can also make it very difficult to track the use of software licenses. While it brings tremendous benefits, a virtualization strategy may be putting organizations at risk of violating their software license contracts -- a compliance nightmare that could cost hundreds of thousands or even millions of dollars.

To remain viable in today’s competitive marketplace, high-tech manufacturers must capitalize on new revenue opportunities and enhance product offerings while reducing operating costs. Flexera Software's Priya Rajagopalan explains how licensing enables manufacturers to more effectively use embedded software as a means of managing and monetizing the features and functionality they provide in their devices.

Each year AMR Research publishes “cool technology” articles to give supply chain and IT leaders a glimpse into updated or emerging products that can fill a gap in their application portfolios. For a technology to qualify, it has to be relevant to industrial value chains, have industry-specific references, and have a new angle on solving an industry problem.

Duncan Jones and Ray Wang of Forrester Research along with Acresso's Jeff Greenwald discuss how SAP customers should look to unused software to cut overall maintenance and future licensing costs. The analysts recommend pursuing strategies like trading in shelfware for newer, more needed software. Crucial to getting discounts is knowing what's in place and how much that adds up to. This is something Acresso's licensing monitoring software can help with.

In this Computer Weekly article, Jeff Greenwald,  Senior Director of Enterprise Product Management with Acresso Software, recommends companies consider adopting seven new methods into their current SAP license lifecycle management processes in order to gain greater control over their SAP licensing and spending.

Sean Donahue, Senior Program Manager System Center Alliances at Microsoft Corporation, posted on the Microsoft on ISVs blog about the InstallShield beta capability to create Microsoft App-V format software packages. He shares how he thinks this capability will make life easier for developers. Donahue writes, “allowing developers to produce the App-V SFT file natively will not only benefit the ISV because their customers will be able to deploy multiple versions of their product on one system but their customers time to deploy will be cut dramatically.”

Ed Scannell with SearchOracle.com talks with Jeff Greenwald from Acresso Software and Forrester Principal Analyst Ray Wang about some of the licensing challenges Oracle customers face and how having a dedicated license management strategy in place can help IT organizations avoid frenzied fire drills when faced with a vendor review.

Brett Ison, general manager APAC of  Acresso Software plans to roll out the company's three tier global partner program in A/NZ and is looking to recruit partners in specific markets.

Vincent Smyth outlines ways to make savings for customers in software deployments

Press release by Lifeboat Distribution

ITjungle.com review on the benefits of InstallAnywhere 2009

Being fully software compliant involves more than making sure you’re not running a bootlegged version of Windows. Here SmallBusiness.co.uk and Vincent Smyth, general manager of Acresso Software, offer some top tips to avoid paying damages.

IT Backbones Software News

FlexNet Manager 12 expands supported software types
vnunet.com, Phil Muncaster