Microsoft to move to license-by-core for SQL Server 2012
Hmmm…think back to 2005, Microsoft is marketing its plans to release a new version of Microsoft SQL Server (2005) –remember how Microsoft executives were swearing that “unlike Oracle”, they would never count the number of cores, only the number of physical processors? Well, Oracle changed its licensing model in 2008 and in 2012 so will Microsoft. But in reverse – Oracle got a bit looser and Microsoft will be getting tighter. Read more
How to stop overpaying Microsoft, Part 2: How to limit your Enterprise Agreement
There's nothing wrong with a Microsoft Enterprise Agreement if you really need one. However, because Microsoft requires the EA to cover certain bundled software, many organizations actually wind up overspending with an EA, instead of saving money. In this post, we'll cover the benefits and drawbacks of the EA, including the dreaded "true-up" clause.
How to stop overpaying for Microsoft licensing
Microsoft Enterprise Agreements (EA) have long been a favorite for both Microsoft and resellers, if you have over 250 computers in your organization chances are someone has proposed an EA to you at least once! While there are a lot of positives in the EA, there are a lot of drawbacks as well – make certain you understand these drawbacks before buying into the EA philosophy. Read more
An Independent View of Microsoft Software License Agreements
Microsoft has a number of volume software license agreements available for its commercial customers. Each of these agreements has different benefits and different restrictions - understanding these can help you at the negotiating table. This overview will provide you with a high level summary. I will be doing a deeper dive into each in subsequent postings (check back for updates or subscribe to the RSS feed of my blog). Read more
Microsoft Office licensing now a bit easier for Citrix users!
Microsoft Office, Visio and Project are all device licensed applications. This means that a device holds the license, not the user. So every device that uses one of these products has to hold a license for the product. Read more
Tips for Negotiations with Microsoft in June
If you’re in the middle of a Microsoft licensing purchase or renewal you will probably have noticed that you’re being pushed really hard to complete it…now! In fact, you might well be told that Friday, June 18th is the deadline. Read more
Why June is the perfect month to negotiate with Microsoft
It's June...that means my allergies are flaring up and my phone is ringing off the hook. The first part will make sense to anyone who suffers from allergies and the second to anyone who realizes that June marks the end of Microsoft's fiscal year.
Like with any other company, the end of the fiscal year marks a last ditch effort to recognize as much revenue as possible. This means that Microsoft folks are pushing deals harder, possibly becoming a little more aggressive in following up on lagging true-ups and offering incentives to get those deals closed. Read more
Microsoft CALs…Part II
I started this topic last week in the interest of making Microsoft Client Access Licenses (CALs) easier to understand, now it’s time to take a slightly deeper dive… Read more
Microsoft CALs and External Connector Licenses…Part I
At least once a month I run into a seasoned IT professional who will finally admit that they’ve never quite figured out how to license CALs (and at least once a quarter that someone asks “What is a CAL?”). Read more
Welcome to Watch Your Assets!
Hi, welcome to “Watch Your Assets”, Network World’s blog dedicated to understanding Microsoft licensing. Read more
- About Watch Your Assets
Cynthia Farren is a long time expert in the field of Software Asset Management (SAM) with almost 20 years experience. She is a popular speaker at industry events and has a broad skill set including regulatory compliance, implications of mergers, audit response, license management and system design documentation. Cynthia and her team at Cynthia Farren Consulting have conducted hundreds of SAM assessments with clients ranging from small (250 employees) to large international firms (over 30,000 employees) and provide full service SAM consulting from assessments through deployment and outsourced managed SAM services.SAM involves involves managing and optimizing the purchase, deployment, maintenance, utilization, and disposal of software applications within an organization.
Cynthia's expertise in a variety of SAM fameworks, has made her an expert on software license management. Cynthia is a Microsoft Certified Professional, and Cynthia Farren Consulting is a Microsoft Certified Partner organization – Software Asset Management competency, and an IBM Business Partner organization. Cynthia Farren Consulting has been recognized as one of the Fast 50 – Fastest Growing Private Companies” by the East Bay Business Journal.
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