The Business Software Alliance (BSA) has stated that it is giving South African companies 90 days to become compliant and legalise their software situation.
The first step in this process is to carry out some form of audit on the company's network. At the most basic level, it is possible to carry out a physical walk-around visit to each PC. Information could be gathered simply via a clipboard and paper or using a once-off electronic scanning tool. However, most organisations attempt to install some level of network-based inventory solution. Some of those tools are quite good, but they do tend to give a limited view of what is out there, and most of them don't tell you where the device is physically situated.
In order to manage a compliance project effectively and cost-efficiently, it is imperative to understand what software is deployed. It is also extremely important to understand what software is being used before making any investment. This type of information can be obtained by performing a comprehensive software audit and usage information collection through the use of the Centennial Discovery product.
"Centennial Discovery has been in SA for three years," commented Jan Coetzee, Director of SecureData. "During that time we have assisted a large base of corporate clients via the use of this product in saving significant amounts of money by providing them with a thorough understanding of what they have, where it is and how it is being used."
Centennial Discovery will monitor software usage on an ongoing basis, thereby achieving and, most importantly, maintaining legal software status; while also reducing ongoing software costs and increasing efficiencies in other IT management areas.
For further information, please contact Jan Coetzee at telephone (011) 257 8600; fax (011) 257 8699; e-mail janc@sd.co.za or Bianca Geldenhuys e-mail biancag@sd.co.za.
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Centennial is a leading supplier of technology inventory management solutions to major organisations around the world, helping to reduce total cost of ownership. Centennial has been providing award-winning products for over five years and has a proven track record for providing leading-edge solutions.
Based in Swindon, England, the company was formed in 1997 by a team of highly skilled software engineers with many years experience in developing operating systems and network applications. Working together initially at Digital Research, the team were responsible for the award-winning DR-DOS operating system, and following the acquisition by Novell, developed components of the industry standard Novell NetWare product.
SecureData
SecureData, an ERP.com company, is Africa's premier IT security solution provider. SecureData's solutions incorporate anti-virus and content security, network security, intrusion detection software, and network asset management. SecureData's comprehensive "Managed Security Services" include design, audit, implementation, outsourcing and hosting. SecureData distributes, sells and supports category leading IT security products to the public, corporate and SME sectors throughout Africa as well as products and services to the SOHO and consumer markets through partnerships with ISPs.
As well as being the sole distributor in Sub-Saharan Africa for and Trend Micro, SecureData is the southern African distributor for US-based BorderWare and UK-based Centennial. For more information, visit SecureData at www.sd.co.za.
ERP.com
ERP.com is a JSE-listed company focused on the implementation, integration and management of enterprise applications in an e-business environment. For more information, visit ERP.com at www.erpcom.co.za.
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