Key Points to Prioritize Vendor

Most of the organization has huge spent on Software purchase. Now, question comes, which publisher do I need to put focus more? Normally, organization spend 80% of total software spend on only 20% application/ software's. But then how do you prioritize these 20% software vendors. Below are key points which one can consider:

1-  Way to manage SAM: You need to list down if SAM management for particular application is proactive or reactive. It's been seen, if an organization is managing SAM for particular application proactively, it is important.

2-  License Analysis: License is managed thru SAM tool or only SAM tool in conjunction with other other tools or on excel or as required

3- Entitlement information: Do you have always entitlement data or only collect as and when required 

4- Correctness of data required : High , low or as needed 

5- %Software Spend: % on software Spend vs Total spend 

6- Business Critical: Check if an application goes down for few hours then what is impact on business? Obviously, Those software where business dependency is high are critical and must be managed on priority. 

7- Audit nature of vendor: Few vendor are very aggressive and frequent for audit so companies should focus these vendors

8- Time for true-up / renewal: If any true-up or renewal is coming up that is again a factor for you to consider while prioritizing software because you can achieve a great saving out there.

9- Easy wins: Target vendors where cost optimization is easy. This will help you to build confidence in your top management.\

So, considering above factor may help you to prioritize software vendor which end of day will help you to save some cost.

Name Changes to Some Office 365 and Microsoft 365 Plans

Microsoft announced to change the name of some Office 365 and Microsoft 365 effective from 21st, April, 2020. Changes will automatically be reflected on each relevant portal. Here is the quick summary:

For business plans: 

Office 365 Business Essential is now Office 365 Business Basic

Office 365 Business Premium is now Office 365 Business Standard

Office 365 Business is now Office 365 Business Premium

For office plans: 

Office 365 Business is now Microsoft 365 Apps for Business

Office 365 Pro Plus is now Microsoft 365 Apps for Enterprise

For Home plans:

Office 365 Personal is now Microsoft 365 Personal
Office 365 Home is now Microsoft 365 Family

Microsoft 365 E3 ( unattended)

Interesting  to see a new addition in office 365 family  which is probably a step ahead towards most hot topic now a days how to licenses RPA for Office. More clarity yet to come from #Microsoft

Autodesk Transition to Named User Program

On May 7, 2020, Autodesk is launching new subscription-based plan that is based on people in place of serial numbers. This new change will lead to retire Maintenance plan and Subscription with multi-user access. 

Key points:

·         Maintenance plans will retire on May 7, 2021 and cannot be further renewed.

·         Subscriptions with multi-user access will retire on August 7, 2021 and cannot be further renewed.

·         As part of retiring maintenance, the last version of the Design & Creation Suites will be released in April 2020 for customers to download, and the last date to renew Suites will be April 16, 2020.

·         Starting February 29, 2020, we will no longer sell new 2 or 3-year subscriptions with multi-user access or allow renewals. Starting August 7, 2020, we will no longer sell new annual subscriptions with multi-user access.

What do I need to do to transition to named user?

For customers who own a subscription with multi-user access or maintenance, at your first renewal after May 7, 2020, we’ll help you transition to a plan for named users through trade-in offers that keep your costs consistent today and predictable to 2028*

Please refer below link for key dates. 

https://www.autodesk.com/campaigns/transition-to-named-user/terms-and-conditions

5 Key reasons for an organization to be non-complaint

Quick SAM check:

Top 5 key reasons for software license non-compliance

1- Your non-production licenses somehow used in production environment.

2- You misinterpreted licensing definitions

3- Due to change in product use rights, you have now unlicensed software installed and you didn't realize

4- Lack of awareness of using software on virtualization environment 

5- You upgraded and downgraded your software without understanding the product use rights.

IBM new announcement for retired OS ( Windows 7/ Windows Server 2008/ 2008 R2

IBM license change which may impact IBM license positioning.

In order to remain eligible for sub-capacity licensing for IBM software, deployed on following operating systems:

• Windows Server 2008
• Windows Server 2008 R2
• Windows 7

 

You should update your operating system within the next 180 days to one of the supported operating systems as per IBM’s policy. This since the above listed operating systems have reached End of Support/End of Life on January 14th, 2020

Below is IBM announcement: 

https://www.ibm.com/support/pages/node/1079427

Azure Hybrid Benefit

#windowsserver licensing on hashtag#azure cost optimization Tip: Azure hybrid benefit 1- Windows Data center edition( 2 proc or 16 core) : you are allowed to run up-to 2 vms & up-to 16 cores ( vm can run in azure as well as in on-prem) 2- Windows Standard edition ( 2 proc or 16 core) : you are allowed to run up-to 2 vm & up-to 16 cores ( vm can run in either azure or in on-prem) hashtag#microsoft hashtag#cloud hashtag#azure hashtag#licensing

Changes to Software Assurance Benefits- Microsoft Announcement

Microsoft just announced that they will be making significant changes to SA Benefits.  Below are the highlights of some of the changes and how they will impact your organization.

What’s changing? 

Microsoft will be retiring in phases the following legacy SA benefits:

 - Deployment Planning Services (Vouchers)

2    - Training Vouchers (SATV)

3    -  24x7 Problem Resolution Support

Why is Microsoft making these changes? 

Microsoft is looking for new ways to help customers deploy, train and receive support.  Microsoft continues to grow the FastTrack program to enable customers to successfully adopt Microsoft cloud services.  They are also looking at investing in new training and certification offerings along with programs to drive adoption of solutions with customers and partners.  Finally, they are adjusting SA support eligibility criteria and changing support incident allocations.

Key Dates!

Deployment Planning:

February 1, 2020 – DPS cloud engagements will be retired. All cloud customers will be directed to FastTrack Programs

February 1, 2021 – Customers will no longer accrue DPS days

June 30, 2021 – Last day to create planning days to be used

January 1, 2022 – Last day for partners to redeem DPS vouchers for current engagements

Training Vouchers:

February 1, 2020 – Training vouchers can no longer be converted to planning services days

February 1, 2020 – Customers will no longer be able to use training vouchers for Azure courses

February 1, 2021 – Customers will no longer accrue training vouchers

June 30, 2021 – Last day to create training vouchers to be used

January 1, 2022 – Last day to redeem training vouchers for existing contracts

Support:

February 1, 2020 – Customers who convert Software Assurance incidents to buy down Premier/Unified or pay for DSE will be permitted to do it one more time after this date until February 2021

February 1, 2020 – Support incidents can no longer be converted to Premier/Unified support after the one-time renewal event (one-time buy down option is ended)

February 1, 2021 – Incidents will no longer be awarded or allowed to convert to Premier/Unified

February 1, 2021 – Microsoft will provide support for eligible customers who spend $250,000/year or more on Software Assurance

#Microsoft#ITAM#Licensing#SAM
#Software Assurance 

#Licensing#SA