By Natalie Overstreet Lias
Any organization must ensure that its software asset managment (SAM) team possesses the essential skills for success. Previously, I wrote that when an organization first institutes a SAM program, the most immediately critical role to fill for program success is the role of the Software Asset Manager. The Software Asset Manager must understand software licensing terms and conditions, especially the ones used by the enterprise’s major software suppliers.
ITIL and other sources recommend a number of SAM roles beyond the Software Asset Manager. How do these other roles fit into a SAM team, and when should they be staffed?
- Executive Sponsor - It’s fair to say that no SAM program ever gets launched without one. In that sense, the Executive Sponsor is the first and most important member of the SAM team. As with any other IT initiative, a SAM program requires a Executive Sponsor to ensure appropriate budget, resources, and visibility are given to the fledgling effort. That said, the Executive Sponsor is generally not part of day-to-day SAM operations, nor should they be considered as “SAM headcount” or a member of the “core SAM team.” As such, enterprises would rarely concern themselves with staffing a Executive Sponsor, per se. Of course, enterprises lacking a CIO or other key IT executive team members may choose to begin here!
- Director with Legal Responsibility – Every organization with software has one or more executives with responsibility for software license compliance. Often this person is the same as the Executive Sponsor, but it can be different – for example, they can be from different parts of the organization. Regardless, as with the Executive Sponsor, while this role is critical to the success of a SAM program, it does not typically require a staffing effort.
- IT Configuration Manager– The owner of IT Configuration Management Processes, which may be part of the IT Service Management (ITSM) team, should be more tightly coupled with SAM operations. Most organizations will have this role prior to embarking upon a SAM program, although in a small organization it may be an informal part of the server or data center manager’s job. An organization should understand who performs this role today and how it will fit with the SAM program when planning SAM program budget and headcount.
- IT Asset Manager– Steffani Lomax, of Siwel Consulting, compared the role of the IT Asset Manager to the role of a head coach, and describes it as “the first working member of an ITAM team.” The IT Asset Manager, critically, should have ITAM experience such that he or she can quickly understand the people, processes, and technology needed to make a SAM program successful. So is the IT Asset Manager the first role that should be hired, rather than the Software Asset Manager? What I have found in the field is that typically the role of the IT Asset Manager is formally identified and filled prior to any organizational push to institute a formal SAM program. Moreover, while the IT Asset Manager is a key member of any SAM team, and may end up in a common cost center with that team, funding for the IT Asset Manager role typically exists independently of the budget and thus of the ROI of a new SAM program. So, certainly, if your organization lacks an IT Asset Manager but is nonetheless instituting a SAM program, do not overlook the importance of this role! It is in precisely this circumstance where an experienced IT Asset Manager is most valuable. But if this role is filled, when considering incremental headcount, look first to the Software Asset Manager.
- SAM Process Owner/Manager – This role can be critical. The processes used by the SAM program are built and documented by the Process Owner. As a best practice, for governance purposes, the Process Owner should be different from the Software Asset Manager. But is it a separate hire? If the organization’s overall SAM and Software License Optimization maturity is low, you should consider a dedicated resource for process ownership and governance, at least during the initial program establishment. If your organization has relatively mature SAM processes, is comfortable with process development and governance, and is rolling out its SAM program in a gentle, phased approach, it may not need an additional hire – but use caution! In the initial stages of your SAM program, the Process Owner must stay engaged in order to build the foundation of a successful SAM culture.
- Asset Analysts – Your need for asset analysts should become apparent early on during your SAM planning process. Smaller organizations can get away with only a Software Asset Manager, who administers SAM operations. But as the number of devices and software publishers in scope for the program increases, the Software Asset Manager becomes increasingly taxed. If an assessment indicates additional ROI from growing your SAM program, don’t neglect the need for additional analysts to ensure the hard work of SAM gets done, not just diagrammed.
To learn more about establishing a successful Software Asset Management and License Optimization program, please view our on-demand webinar: Flexera Software Customers Share Software License Management Best Practices.
To learn more about the benefits of an integrated Software License Optimization and ITSM program, please view this on-demand webinar: Integrate Software License Optimization and IT Service Management to Increase Efficiency and Reduce Costs.