What is a Software Asset Management (SAM) Tool?

Gartner, Magic Quadrant for SaaS Management Platforms, Tom Cipolla, Yolanda Harris, Jaswant Kalay, Dan Wilson, Ron Blair, Lina Al Dana, 22 July 2024
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What is a Software Asset Management (SAM) Tool?

A Software Asset Management (SAM) tool is a specialized software solution that oversees and optimizes all aspects of an organization’s software assets. It handles everything from software inventory management to license compliance, helping businesses maximize their software investments.

Note: Say goodbye to overpaying and contract headaches! Torii empowers you to manage your SaaS subscriptions effortlessly, ensuring optimal utilization and cost savings. Don’t let your software assets manage you—take control with Torii today!

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Is a SAM tool a software audit and license renewal management tool? Not. A robust SAM software does so much more than ensuring license compliance.

This software asset management solution takes charge of software deployment, software usage tracking, and software procurement. It dives into software entitlement, discovery, and asset lifecycle management. A SAM tool is a holistic approach to software optimization and cost management—providing vital SAM analytics, facilitating vendor management, and driving asset tracking rooted in SAM best practices.

Examples of Software Asset Management (SAM) Tool

  1. Snow Software: A comprehensive SAM specializing in compliance, cloud and software expense management, and software license optimization.
  2. IBM Control Desk: IBM’s solution provides a unified IT asset and service management software platform.
  3. ManageEngine AssetExplorer: This tool focuses primarily on asset management but also covers software licensing.
  4. Flexera Software Manager: Offers detailed insights for complex licensing situations, such as bundled software.
  5. Torii: A SaaS management platform, Torii excels in integration capability and provides exceptional visibility of SaaS utilization across the organization.

Remember, choosing the right SAM tool depends on your IT environment’s specific needs and circumstances.

Best Practices for Software Asset Management (SAM) Tool

  1. Choosing the proper Software Asset Management (SAM) software

The tool should offer features like easy integration, a user-friendly UI, software inventory management capabilities, and software audit functions. Torii’s SaaS Management Platform can be a solid choice, capable of discovering Shadow IT and automating SaaS operations.

  1. Determine your objectives

Implement a SAM solution that aligns with them. Prioritize functions like software deployment, software tracking, and license compliance.

  1. Regularly monitor and manage your software licenses

Monitor and manage your software licenses to avoid violations of licensing contracts, enable timely license renewal management, and better predict software procurement needs.

  1. Maintain Software Inventory Management

Maintain an accurate, real-time inventory of all your software assets to track usage, facilitate asset lifecycle management, and ensure license compliance.

  1. Use Software Discovery

Discover and document all software used within the organization with tools like Torii that can find unknown or Shadow IT in your infrastructure.

  1. Standardize Procurement

Have a centralized, standardized software procurement process to ensure consistency, better pricing, and better software entitlement management.

  1. Execute and Deploy Software

Planned and executed software deployment meticulously, considering the user requirements and the organizational IT infrastructure to optimize software usage.

  1. Maintain Vendor Management

Build strong relationships with your software vendors for more streamlined software procurement, better pricing, and improved license renewal management.

  1. Ensure License Compliance

Regular audits and an accurate inventory will keep your company in license compliance, preventing costly legal disputes and showing areas of software optimization.

  1. SAM Reporting and Analytics

Leverage analytics and reports generated from your SAM software to assess software usage, calculate cost savings, and gauge the need for software procurement.

  1. Manage Lifecycle

Manage the entire lifecycle of your software assets, from procurement to disposal, to optimize efficiency and reduce costs.

  1. Review and Implement Best Practices

Continual review and implementation of updated SAM best practices is a must. This can help businesses manage their software assets, improve their software cost management, and boost their software optimization efforts.

Using Torii’s SaaS Management Platform, IT professionals can automate these processes, save on costs, optimize license usage, offer a clear picture of software expenditures, and scale their SaaS-related work efficiently.

Related Tools for Software Asset Management (SAM) Tool

  • SAM Tool: A versatile tool for managing project workflows efficiently.
  • Slack: Collaboration tool for communication and file sharing.
  • Trello: Organizational tool for task management and project tracking.
  • Google Drive: Cloud-based storage for documents, spreadsheets, and more.
  • Torii: AI-powered SaaS Management Platform for IT to optimize software usage and costs.

Related Concepts in Software Asset Management (SAM) Tool

SAM Tool is a vast topic with endless possibilities. If you’re ready to dive deeper, here are five critical terms related to SAM Tool that can expand your knowledge:

  • Software Asset Management (SAM): SAM is a set of practices and processes to manage software licenses, usage, and compliance within an organization.
  • Inventory Management: This term refers to monitoring and controlling the flow of goods and materials within a business, ensuring efficient stock levels and availability.
  • License Compliance: License compliance ensures that an organization uses software by licensing agreements and regulations to avoid penalties or legal issues.
  • Usage Tracking: Usage tracking refers to monitoring and analyzing how software is used within an organization, providing insights into optimization and cost-saving opportunities.
  • Procurement: Procurement involves sourcing and acquiring goods and services, including software licenses for an organization’s needs.

FAQs: Software Asset Management (SAM) Tool

Q: What is the Software Asset Management (SAM) Tool?

A: SAM Tool is a software solution used for Software Asset Management (SAM), which helps organizations manage and optimize their software assets.

Q: How does the Software Asset Management (SAM) Tool work?

A: SAM Tool collects and analyzes data about software installations, usage, and licensing. It helps organizations track licenses, maintain compliance, and identify areas for cost savings.

Q: What are the benefits of using the Software Asset Management (SAM) Tool?

A: Using the SAM Tool offers several benefits, including improved software license visibility, reduced compliance risks, optimized software usage, increased cost savings, and improved vendor management.

Q: Is the Software Asset Management (SAM) Tool easy to implement?

A: Yes, SAM Tool is designed to be user-friendly and easy to implement. It offers automated data discovery and integration capabilities, making the implementation process more efficient.

Q: Can a Software Asset Management (SAM) Tool be integrated with other IT management systems?

A: Yes, SAM Tool can be integrated with other IT management systems, such as IT asset management, service desk, and procurement systems, to provide a comprehensive view of software assets and streamline processes.

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