Liken claim that as traditional Software Asset Management (SAM) focuses on licensing, it has been primarily a compliance tool for good governance with a significant cost attached. Seldom has it been effectively used as a basis for saving money or tightening budgets. The new Software Efficiency Audit, however, has been specifically designed to realign the management of software assets around cost savings and driving increased efficiency from existing software.

By combining Liken’s acclaimed software recognition service with sophisticated software usage monitoring, the Software Efficiency Audit is able to provide accurate information on what is underutilized or over licensed on the network. From this specialized analysis, savings can be made rapidly through reduced maintenance costs, reduced license renewals, tuning software to existing needs or introducing lower cost alternatives such as Open Source.

Liken, who are keen to prove the point, will deploy data gathering tools for clients free of charge. The data gathered feeds into an initial report of potential costs savings and practical guidelines on how these can be attained; without compromising the client’s compliance goals. Following this initial overview assessment, Liken will then offer to provide detailed reports that the client needs to take full advantage of the savings opportunities. As the information is so detailed, it provides the CFO with a useful structure for strategic discussions with the organization’s CIO or board members.

Liken believe that their independence ensures objective reporting on the maximum possible savings for each client. However, Liken does also offer a full traditional SAM service that includes license management for those who require it. Liken believe though, that the Software Efficiency Audit is the simplest way to ensure that, without compromising compliance, software costs are as kept low as possible and that exposure to over licensing is minimized.

Says James Rowlands CEO of Liken, “CFOs and therefore CIOs, are now under extreme budgetary pressure. Yet nearly every organization we talk to has some over licensing or under utilization of software. In most cases, they are using full blown packages where cheaper alternatives or Open Source solutions would be just as good but a fraction of the cost. All this adds up to far greater maintenance and support costs even before you get to the issue of license fees.

“With the Global recession raging at full force, the requirement to get more from an existing investment, or more likely to reduce that investment, has become acute. We set out to alleviate this problem and believe that with S.E.A in place organizations can now focus on usage and costs far more easily.”

Organizations that are interested in a free overview assessment, the first stage of the audit process, should visit: http://www.liken.co.uk/community.php

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About LIKEN

Liken is an independent IT audit and Software Asset Management consulting group. The company uses its unrivalled knowledge and experience of these areas to ensure that organizations are software compliant, whilst at the same time optimizing their licensing requirements. Liken is independent and do not resell third party products. This ensures that their recommendations represent the most cost-effective enterprise-wide, licensing solutions for their many clients.

As the only independent provider of outsourced software license management, Liken delivers continued peace of mind as well as a high return on investment. Liken’s management reports on IT risk, IT Infrastructure, and IT support services are widely acclaimed. Liken staff are fully familiar with ISO 19770, ISO 17799 and ISO 20000.

Liken is a Microsoft certified partner with special recognised competencies in licensing solutions and software asset management. Liken is also a member of FAST (Federation Against Software Theft).