Software Asset Management
ITIL / Best Practice
Best practice solutions for SAM should cover the effective Management (identification, monitoring and review) of software assets throughout all stages of the software lifecycle:
- Define
- Design
- Evaluate
- Procure
- Build
- Deploy
- Operate
- Optimise
- Retire
Focusing exclusively on the compliance aspect of SAM mitigates risk, but undermines the value of an effective SAM solution.
Specifically, there should be an understanding of the importance of integrating related service managment functions into SAM processes. A SAM programme will have strong inter-dependencies with incident, problem,change and configuration management processes as well as important links to the other service management functions.
The ITIL 'Best practice for Software Asset Management' resource provides a framework for the management of software assets. The ISO 19770-1 standard builds upon many of the principles laid down in the ITIL reosurce.
