Best Practices for Cloud Services 

The digital transformation raises numerous questions about software asset management. We want to answer the three most important ones for you today.

1. Can I reduce my costs by converting to cloud licensing?

Care must be taken here, the same as with the potential savings by acquiring OEM or second-hand licenses! If you buy cheap, you often end up paying more in the end or buying everything all over again. 

The granted usage rights especially always need to be reviewed in detail. Downgrade rights for example are usually not included. In particular however, there are restrictions for hybrid scenarios or virtualized environments. In case of a wrong decision, you run the risk that something is not licensed or does not run in the first place. 

Saving money is certainly possible by taking advantage of the new possibilities. As a rule however, it is not going to cost less but rather offer more for the same money as before.

2. How do I overcome the IT department's resistance to the cloud?

You should not bypass your IT department under any circumstances, but actively involve them in the decision. Anything else is very risky in our opinion, if not downright negligent. Years of experience, an overview of the entire company and beyond, and usually highly complex data protection and data security concepts can be wiped out here – with fatal consequences. 

Decentralizing the procurement and administration of IT services cannot be the goal. Instead you should discuss the possibly legitimate concerns of those in charge of IT with them, without prejudice, and address them together.

3. Am I automatically licensed properly at all times by introducing cloud technologies?

As a rule, nobody introduces cloud services only in order to eliminate the effort of software asset management. At least that is certainly not currently recommended. Cloud services actually make the issue even more complex, especially in hybrid scenarios. It is all the more important to have control, and to determine what solution fits which user, whether software will be standardized, and where you are paying for licenses or subscriptions with no productive use. 

Software asset management is definitely much more than just "measuring, counting, weighing"!   

Have further questions about compliance or licensing related to the introduction of cloud services? We are happy to answer them!