Security Threats Rank as Top Reason Not to Use Unlicensed Software
Computer users around the world cite the risk of security threats from malware as the top reason not to use unlicensed software.
Users' specific concerns include intrusions by hackers and loss of data. Yet a striking 43 percent of the software installed on personal computers globally in 2013 was not properly licensed — a finding that underscores the need for enterprises to adopt effective software management practices.
Key Findings:
Rate: The global rate at which PC software was installed without proper licensing rose from 42 percent in 2011 to 43 percent in 2013 as emerging economies where unlicensed software use is most prevalent continued to account for a growing majority of all PCs in service.
Value: The commercial value of unlicensed PC software installations totaled $62.7 billion globally in 2013.
Security Risks: The chief reason computer users around the world cite for not using unlicensed software is avoiding security threats from malware. Among the risks associated with unlicensed software, 64 percent of users cited unauthorized access by hackers as a top concern and 59 percent cited loss of data.
Software Policy Awareness: There is an awareness gap between workers and IT managers when it comes to software policies in enterprises: workers are less likely to say there is a formal policy in place than IT managers.
Source: The BSA Global Software Survey
Software Asset Management
Software licenses are assets and investments and should be managed as such. SAM helps you control costs and optimize these investments as your organization evolves.
Software Asset Management (SAM) is an industry best practice that helps you control costs and optimize software investments across your organization and throughout all stages of their life cycles. Administered through an ongoing plan, SAM makes it easier to identify what you have, where it's running, and whether redundancy may exist. A fully implemented SAM plan can help you cut costs, improve security and compliance, and also anticipate future software needs. SAM also helps organizations accurately capture the costs and benefits associated with IT projects that enable a competitive advantage.
If your business relies on its IT operations to operate smoothly and efficiently, you are probably well aware of the complexities of managing software across an entire organization. What is the best way to control costs and manage business and legal risks? Could you do more with the software you already have? Will your current IT infrastructure be able to expand as your company grows?
SAM is a proven industry best practice of business and IT processes and procedures combined with technology that can help your organization:
Control cost and business risk
for a stronger, healthier financial position.
Optimize existing software investments,
to enable you to do more with what you already have.
Grow with your company's expanding needs
through a core foundation with increased flexibility and agility.
Build a healthier financial position
SAM can help you control both the "hard" monetary costs of software and the "soft" costs of IT management. It helps ensure that you have the best licensing programs for your organization’s specific needs, and the most effective IT forecasting and budgeting. It can help you centralize your IT and software asset tracking, automate manual processes for increased efficiency, prepare for technology upgrades, and reduce support costs.
SAM can also help you control business and legal risks that are often related to improper software deployment. Use SAM to identify security vulnerabilities and keep track of the latest software updates, as well as achieve compliance with standards and government regulations.
Do more with what you already have
With SAM, you can get the most out of your software investments by reducing redundancy, standardizing processes, and giving your employees the tools they need. SAM can help you implement IT with business best practices and optimize software assets, enabling you to pay only for the software you use. SAM helps you optimize IT resources by standardizing processes, improving automation, and defining procedures to increase the efficiency and agility of your IT staff.
Lay a scalable foundation for business growth
As your company needs grow, you need an IT infrastructure that can expand with you. The SAM optimization model provides a solid, scalable foundation for business growth. A fully implemented SAM plan creates efficiencies that enable you to adapt quickly to market opportunities, plan for future software needs, and engage in IT and business best practices that drive value. At its highest level, SAM helps organizations become more agile by making better use of resources, even in times of changing business conditions.
Infrastructure Optimization and the SAM Optimization Model
The goal of Infrastructure Optimization (IO) is to build an efficient, secure, and optimized IT infrastructure. IO can help your organization better understand and move toward a more secure, well-managed, and dynamic IT infrastructure that will help you reduce costs, use resources more efficiently, and make IT a strategic asset for the business. IO is a four-step process that can take your organization from a non-managed, reactive state to a proactive, optimized, and dynamic state. SAM is a key step in IO that can help your organization gain control over what IT assets are being used and where.
Source: Microsoft/SAM
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