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Virtualisation brings licensing complexities

Regina Pazvakavambwa
By Regina Pazvakavambwa, ITWeb portals journalist.
Johannesburg, 18 Jun 2015
In SA, most businesses are not fully aware of the advantages of software asset management on virtual environments, says Comparex's Tim Keys.
In SA, most businesses are not fully aware of the advantages of software asset management on virtual environments, says Comparex's Tim Keys.

Software licensing can create a significant challenge for IT managers looking to leverage the best of virtualisation without violating software agreements.

So said Tim Keys, software asset management programme manager at Comparex, discussing software licensing in virtual environments at a Comparex seminar last week.

According to Keys, IT managers must understand virtualisation and the various licensing rules applied by different vendors to stay compliant and avoid additional costs when being audited.

To regulate the virtual environment, organisations must have a thorough understanding of what is on their networks at any given time, said Keys.

Systems integrator Dimension Data says while the benefits of virtualisation are clear, the complexity of software licensing in a virtualised environment are not, and many organisations grapple with the implications virtualisation may have for their existing software licences.

According to the systems integrator, most organisations have implemented, or are considering, a mix of virtualisation strategies to improve the performance of their IT infrastructure, reduce their carbon footprint and lower operating costs.

"Virtualisation brings about complexity when it comes to the interpretation of the usage entitlements under existing software licences and the identification of software licence consumption," it points out.

It believes the risk of misunderstanding or ignoring the situation could result in the risk of non-compliance and the need to incur significant costs to correct the situation.

According to Keys, when an organisation does not know what software assets it has, where they are deployed, or by whom they are used, IT management is seriously compromised.

He pointed out organisations can reduce risks associated with software licensing compliance by making sure their servers are licensed in a way that support virtualisation.

Also, they can prevent software over-purchasing while increasing returns from investments in software by addressing policies and processes already in place, he added.

IT managers need to compare the company's current software environment with the organisation's future goals and objectives - these insights will help to decide the right path for the future, he noted.

In SA, most businesses, especially SMEs, are not fully aware of the advantages of software asset management (SAM) on virtual environments - which lead them to make wrong business decisions with the wrong data, said Keys.

He urged organisations to implement SAM in a phased approach based on the International Standards Authority.

The first phase involves documenting and interpreting your current IT asset base, the second phase involves improving management controls by implementing an improvement plan and introducing the required policies and procedures, and finally, IT should look at how it can integrate operations with SAM so there is improved communication between procurement, finance and IT, said Keys.

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