pre-con education: a day in the life of a software asset manager

Pre-con Education: A Day In The Life Of A Software Asset Manager

Michel Avenel

IT Service Management

CA Technologies

Sr. Principal Product Manager

DO5X98E

@michelavenel

#CAWorld

#ITSM

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The content provided in this CA World 2015 presentation is intended for informational purposes only and does not form any type of

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Abstract

Follow along as a day in the life of a Software Asset Manager unfolds. Learn important tips and secrets for success in software asset management. This session has a heavy emphasis on effectively generating a software compliance audit report.

Michel Avenel

CA Technologies

Sr. Principal Product Manager


Agenda

INTRODUCTION

LICENSE INVENTORY

Q&A

SOFTWARE INVENTORY

COMPLIANCE

SPECIAL CASES

1

2

3

4

4

5

Part 1: Introduction

A Day In The Life Of A Software Asset Manager


Introduction

SETTING THE STAGE – THE CA SOFTWARE ASSET MANAGER “A” MODEL


CA Software Asset Manager (CA SAM) uses an “Entitlement Centric” approach for Compliance activities.

Entitlement Centric solutions work differently than Asset Centric solution to address Software License Management outcomes:

– Asset Centric Solutions consider desktops or servers to determine what software is installed and how many licenses required to cover these installations?

– Entitlement Centric Solutions: consider purchased licenses and their associated product use rights to determine how to calculate the number of licenses required cover software usage.

Auditors focuses on your legal obligations for “documented” license purchases to ascertain compliance; hence, an Entitlement Centric approach appropriate.

License Management Asset Centric vs. Entitlement Centric


How do I find out what I am licensed for and if there are restrictions for use of a License?

How does CA SAM support these activities?

There are many different ways to procure licenses:

– All procurement methods provide details of your use rights and restrictions within the documents.

– Extracting this information (data) is addressed through a combination of review, analysis and reporting of the procurement documents.

– CA SAM is the central repository to manage this information enabling you to identify purchased licenses and their associated entitlements and restrictions.

License Inventory License Procurement


The next step in identifying License Inventory is to complete Receiving Inspection activities.

Receiving inspection is where the procurement data is verified against the information in the Master Catalog.

– The Master Catalog is the central repository that provides information required to assist in the correct identification of licenses purchased.

– The Master Catalog knows what Product Use Rights (PUR’s) are associated with each License either by referring to the manufacturer standards or to extended master catalog records that have been created to reflect specific customer negotiated terms.

– The mapping or reconciliation performed through the receiving inspection process provides you with an Effective License Inventory of the Product Use Rights (PUR’s) that are linked to the Licenses.

License Inventory Receiving Inspection


In addition to understanding the provisions of your Licenses, it is essential to include relevant Contract terms in your analysis.

These terms are captured through manual Contract review & analysis to identify relevant information (data elements) and entry into a central repository.

CA SAM provides different methods for loading Contract data:

– Standard import templates for all relevant tables.

– Manual entry can also be performance through the user interface.

CA Technologies also provides a Contract Import Template to facilitate data loads.

License Inventory Loading Contract Data


Once License/Entitlement information has been compiled it should be loaded into CA SAM:

CA SAM provides for different methods of loading License/Entitlement data:

– Loading data from reseller or supplier reports can be done for software titles purchased via these organizations.

– An interface (Connector) can be built into your centralized procurement system to capture data from within

– Manual entry can also be performance through the user interface.

CA Technologies also provides a Contract Import Template to facilitate data loads.

License Inventory Loading License Entitlement Data


Once the License is recognized from the

procurement information, it is forwarded to the

License Clearing function.

License Clearing captures Product Use Rights,

Maintenance Rights, Language, Version, etc.

Relevant information is linked to the License

purchase and forwarded to your effective License

inventory.

Once we have our effective License Inventory, we

can answer questions and take action.

License Inventory Effective License Inventory Actions


To create a License Balance you must focus not only on your Licenses but also on software usage.

Your Software Inventory Manager will load discovery data into CA SAM.

The raw data from your discovery tools must be mapped to licensable products (using the Master Catalog).

The result is a Software Inventory showing which products are installed on which machines or used by which users.

In an asset centric solution it usually is the last step, you compare your software installations to your licenses however, this is not the case for an entitlement centric approach.

With CA SAM Software Inventory is not the last step.

Software Inventory Not Your Last Step


As previously mentioned, in an Entitlement Centric approach the Software Inventory is not where License Management ends.

Entitlement Centric does not need to know what or how many installations you have, it needs to know how many Licenses you need to cover the number of installations.

To enable the Entitlement Centric approach CA SAM has a unique function based on the Master Catalog – Metric Engines – which facilitates this calculation.

Software Inventory Metric Engines


A Metric Engine calculates “Effective License Demand” based on the metric assigned to the license product through data loading and configuration activities.

Metric Engines are a set of algorithms and rules built to calculate Effective Demand by comparing all data entered into CA SAM to enable the compliance calculation, including:

– Software Inventory

– Master Data

– Contract Data

– License/Entitlement Data

Software Inventory Effective Demand


Metric Engines are designed to manage for complex metrics found in server environments, for example:

– IBM PVU or Oracle CPU metrics that tie to physical attributes of a device on which the software is installed to calculate consumption.

– Virtualized Environments

– Citrix Environments

Software Inventory Effective Demand


Complex algorithms required to calculate these metrics are contained within the Master Catalog.

The metrics define the parameters for how to calculate demand:

– IBM WebSphere installations will be detected via the Master Catalog and the metric in the Master Catalog will control a calculation for the number of Licenses required to cover the installation(s).

This means it is not the installation, but the calculated “demand” that is compared to the available Licenses during balancing.

This is identified in the “A” Model.

Your Software Inventory is used by the metric engine calculation to create your “Effective Demand.”

Software InventoryEffective Demand


IMPORTANT: Compliance checks are highly dependent on both the data provided to CA SAM and the quality of the data.

CA SAM is designed to deliver a “Compliance Position” even if you are missing data elements.

It uses a concept of “default data” if key data elements are missing.

It identifies where “default data” elements are used to enable you to see and measure the risk associated with your Compliance Position.

To mitigate the risk and improve your compliance position addressing data quality issues is essential.

Balancing (Compliance Checks)Data Quality


CA SAM uses a concept of “Validation Processes” to improve the quality of the balanced elements.

If “License Data” is missing at the time you execute a Compliance Check, you must ensure remaining license records in the License Clearing / Updating Process have no issues.

If there is “Usage Data” missing at the time you execute a Compliance Check, you must ensure Software Recognition function processes data from source to compliance is transferred and validated.



License Managers on your Compliance Team are required to review License Clearing and Software Recognition Processes to identify any additional data required.

This is an ongoing (steady-state) activity as data is constantly updated.

– It is recommended that both processes are reviewed prior to run each Compliance View.

Creating and executing an internal remediation process is key to managing data quality.

Once data quality issues are resolved, re-running Compliance Analysis is required.



Senior Management is not necessarily interested in the individual results of a Compliance Check.

They are focused on risk and related cost/impact the Compliance Positions create.

CA SAM supports the ability to create & understand the financial impact of a specific Compliance Position.

BEST PRACTICE:

– It is highly recommended that you include financial data as with the entitlement information entered into CA SAM.

– It enables business impact analysis and prioritization.

– Without it you will find it difficult to define the impact of your position.

Balancing (Compliance Checks)Compliance Intelligence


The Compliance Intelligence function within CA SAM uses financial information to identify impact.

It is also the function that provides drill down/drill up capabilities during the analysis of your compliance Position.

It allows you to drill up and down into:

– Manufacturers and products

– Organizational levels within your organization

It provides a view into the associated risk and financial impact of your Compliance Positions.

Balancing (Compliance Checks)Compliance Intelligence


Challenges:

– Many people / roles / organizations involved

– Complex, parallel sub-processes (requiring different domain)

– Information exchange / process independent communication

– Labeling / clearing optimization and validation of data

– Marking the work progress of the data

Balancing (Compliance Checks)Challenges and Approach


Approach:

– Introduction of status systems

– Data Identification (e.g. validated, in progress, out of scope)

– Display processes step by step:

Prefix for ordering

Responsibilities [CA/ASP], [Customer])

– Information Exchange (Review required information provided)

Balancing (Compliance Checks)Challenges and Approach


Overview of SAM Roles


CA Software Asset Manager RolesOverview

Coordinator Roles Description

SAM Service Coordinator (SSC) These roles are primarily focused on communication and guidance to ensure that Role specifications and defined processes are known and followed. Coordinators support the operative teams in case of questions or issues and control communication to other teams.

Application Interface Coordinator (AIC)

Software Inventory Coordinator (SIC)

License Inventory Coordinator (LIC)

Operator Roles Description

Corporate License Compliance Manager (CLCM) These are roles that are primarily focused on the actual work on the data and the compliance checks and analysis within CA SAM.

License Balance Manager (LBM)

Application Interface Administrator (AIA)

Software Inventory Administrator (SIA)

License Inventory Administrator (LIA)

Supporting Roles Description

Hosting Provider (If Applicable) These are roles focused on tasks not usually involved in the actual asset or license management function, but support these activities providing related services.

Application Administrator

Data Source Owners (for each data sources)


Overview of SAM RolesSign-Off Overview

Development of a Compliance View Sign-Off is required in three areas


How Sign-Off Impact Your Compliance ViewRoles Cascade

Inventory Administrator ensures inventory is complete and valid

QUALITY REPORTS

EXCEPTION REPORTS /DELIVERYREGISTER

The License Balance Manager check data using the balance process

Part 2: License Inventory



Review License Inventory to ensure it is correctly processed:

– Effective licenses, Update licenses, Inactive licenses (Expired)

– Check Import Pool for failed positions

Validate:

– Correctness of data:

Use Rights identified as expected?

Correct Organization?

– Completeness of data:

Any item missing?

All data feeds integrated?

– Check License Transfer and License Pools

License Inventory AdministratorTasks & Responsibilities

•

•

•

•


If a License Move is required:

– For intra-organizational assignments move according to your use rights.

– For cross-organizational assignments contact the License Inventory Coordinator and License Ownership Administrator.

If additional update assignment is required:

– Contact your License Manager or License Inventory Coordinator in order to request assignment.

All checks should be documented by setting the Statuses for Reporting to the License Balance Manager.

License Inventory AdministratorTasks & Responsibilities


These are the main tasks for a License Inventory Administrator:

1. Check if all feeds for the commercial environment are integrated.

2. Check receiving inspection.

3. Check for update/upgrade licenses.

4. Acknowledge Licenses: Set status to “In Progress”.

5. Check expired maintenance / subscription licenses.

6. Qualification/Sign-Off.

License InventorySteps for License Inventory Administrator


1. Did all license imports run successfully (Management Module)?

2. Check receiving inspection for clearing status.

3. Check for unassembled update/upgrade licenses.

4. Check Effective Licenses for licenses status.

5. Check expired maintenance / subscription licenses.

6. Check contracts.


8. If there is an issue, consult with the License Inventory Administrator.

License InventorySteps for License Balance Manager


Check the Receiving Inspection for any failed License imports.

Data stored in the Receiving Inspection is not yet effective.

Refer to the Commercial Inventory Coordinator for additional information (as needed).

If additional assistance is required contact the License Inventory Coordinator.

License InventoryStep 1: License Imports


Existing data feeds and their current processing can be checked within the Data Feed Register:

For automated License Imports:

– Check for status of the License Imports to ensure they all ran successfully.

– If they did not run successfully, contact your License Inventory Administrator to correct the issue.

– If they all ran successfully, move to the next step.

License InventoryStep 2: Receiving Inspection


All Licenses not considered “full” Licenses (Updates/Upgrades, Maintenance, Extended Subscription) go to

the Update Pool first and are processed according to the agreed upon rules.

Data stored in the Update Pool does not impact Effective Balance.

If additional assistance is required contact the License Inventory Coordinator.

License InventoryStep 3: Assemble Update/Upgrade Licenses


Check License Status

Check if related to correct Contract, Addendum or Schedule (which contains the actual scope and end dates)

Search for the expired dates and contact License Inventory Administrator

– For assignment of the current maintenance entitlement

– For versioning of the remaining product

License InventoryStep 4 & 5: Licenses Statuses & Dates


Check contract status active (validated)

Check for correct end dates and Maintenance dates

Check for correct contract scopes

License InventoryStep 6: Check Contracts


Go to Licenses > Effective Licenses

Modify selection according to your needs

(e.g. Data for a certain division or legal entity)

Use “auto filter” in order to access charts

License InventoryStep 7: Sign-Off

Part 3: Software Inventory



Review Usage data

– Software Inventory, effective usage

Validate

– Correctness of data

– Completeness of data

– Demand Calculation

Check Completeness:

– Source Completeness: check internally

– Import Completeness: check exception reports

– Run Coverage Reports

All checks must be documented by setting the statuses for Reporting to the License Balance Manager.

Software Inventory AdministratorTasks & Responsibilities

•

•

•

•


These are the main tasks for a Software Inventory Administrator:

1. Check if all feeds for the technical environment are integrated.

2. Check expected devices versus delivered devices.

3. Check orphaned devices.

4. Check Signature Coverage Report.

5. Acknowledge (new) Software Inventor and set status (In Progress).


Software InventorySteps for Software Inventory Administrator


These are the main tasks for a License Balance Manager:

1. Did all software imports run successfully (Management Module)?

2. Check devices for Device Status.

3. Check Signature Coverage and Signature Statuses.

4. Check Software Inventory for Inventory status.

5. Check Effective Demand calculation.


7. If there is an issue, consult with the Software Inventory Administrator.

Software InventorySteps for License Balance Manager


Existing data feeds and their current processing can be checked within the Data Feed Register.

For automated Software Imports:

Check for the status of the Software Imports to ensure that they all ran successfully.

– If they did not run successfully, you must contact your Software Inventory Administrator to correct the issue .

– If they ran successfully then move to the next step.

Software InventoryStep 1: Data Feeds


Check status if all devices are approved.

– Meaning, device is existing, device attributes (Current CPU Type) and device capacities (MSU and MIPS) are correct.

If not, contact the Software Inventory Administrator.

Software InventoryStep 2: Check Devices


Check Signature Coverage Report to ensure all Raw Data is processed and assigned to products correctly:

Select the appropriate data source and drilldown (summary).

Check for records with 0 signatures, e.g. data does not lead to Software Inventory >> no risk if nothing in scope unprocessed.

Check for “Ineffective“ signatures and their corresponding Status: follow up on data in Status “[Customer]_review.”

Software InventoryStep 3: Signature Coverage


Check the installations found on the Devices:

New records have no Status, search for =““.

New data is to be acknowledged by setting the Status to “In Progress”.

May be directly approved -Status Validated.

Software InventoryStep 4: Acknowledge New/Existing Software Inventory


For generic metrics like “Installations“ check if quantity matches.

Software InventoryStep 5: Check Effective Demand and Metrics (1)


For calculating, check table metric calculation table to see if missing device attributes or capacities

or default values were taken.

Software InventoryStep 5: Check Effective Demand and Metrics (2)


Software > Software Inventory > Devices /

Accounts.

Modify selection according to your needs, e.g. Data

for a certain division or legal entity.

Use “Auto Filter” in order to access charts.

Software InventoryStep 6: Software Inventory Sign-Off

Part 4: Compliance




Run License Balance / Receive License Balance Report.

Validate License Inventory and Effective Usage with the responsible Inventory administrators.

If Product is new in balance: start Validate (Licenses/Usage) and set Status to “In Progress”.

If data must be improved: consult with responsible Inventory Administrator for appropriate action.

Follow up with Central Coordinator for central feeds (such as ERP systems).

If Product has been improved: Review current Status.

If data is fully correct, sign off and set Status to “Validated”.

Tasks & Responsibilities



For configuration of additional Downgrade Paths contact the License Inventory Coordinator

For assistance with general balance interpretation contact the License Inventory Coordinator

Note: License Balance Manager roles may be delegated per Legal Entity level or groups of Legal Entities (i.e. Regional License Manager).

License Balance Sign-Off should be managed at the organizational level in focus.

Tasks & Responsibilities


These are the main tasks for a License Balance Manager:

Run Balance

Check effective Sign-Off of License (Commercial) Inventory

Check effective Sign-Off of Software (Technical) Inventory

Check Additional Rights:

- Downgrade

- Parallel Usage

- Secondary Copy

- Other

Qualify/Sign-Off Balance

ComplianceSteps for License Balance Manager


Run Balance (Compliance View)

Check the results for unexpected data

ComplianceStep 1: Run Balance


Analyze the underlying License Inventory data and check Status for validity.

The Compliance view provides direct access to Licenses (Use rights) and Effective Usage.

ComplianceStep 2: Sign-Off Effective License Inventory


Check Status of

Effective Demand and

list Inventory Data for

validation.

ComplianceStep 3: Sign-Off Effective Demand

Complete analysis of the underlying Software Inventory.


The License Balance Manager should understand the correct Use Rights.

The License Balance Manager should ensure that all relevant Use Right information is made available.

The License Balance Manager should ensure downgrade paths are correctly activated and configured according to License terms.

The License Balance Manager is the internal key Role who should be providing all key information for License Inventory Administration.

ComplianceStep 4: Validate Additional (& Special) Use Rights


Use the table configuration to show “Downgrade Path” and “Downgrade Path Position.”

Filter for a Downgrade Path you want to check and click “Downgrade Path Position” to sort by this value.

Within the same Downgrade Path, Position indicates the order in which CA SAM provides un-used licenses to demand not covered directly.

– In most cases demand is covered by the license at the closest higher position.

For exceptions check the Downgrade Rights matrix.

ComplianceStep 4: Effect of Downgrade on Compliance


Use the table configuration to show “Effective demand (ignored)”.

Filter for value larger than 0.

Check the reason by drilling down into the Installations (ignored). There you find the reason why these installation are ignored calculating the demand.

In this case, the reason is “Parallel Usage (all members)” meaning all members of this Downgrade Path are allowed to be installed in parallel resulting in only 1 demand of the highest product within this path.

ComplianceStep 4: Effect of Parallel Use on Compliance


Set product status to “Validated”

Can be accomplished in singled or multiple edit mode

ComplianceStep 5: Balance Sign-Off


Q & A


Recommended Sessions

SESSION # TITLE DATE/TIME

DO5X101EGet the Most From Your Software Licenses with CA

Software Asset Management

11/17/15 at 1:00 pm

Breakers D

DO5X165SFirst Horizon National Corporation Succeeds at Software

Asset Management – Learn How to Get Your Life Back!

11/18/15 at 3:00 pm

Breakers L

DO5X169S 10 steps to help accelerate your SAM efforts11/18/15 at 4:30 pm

Breakers L

DO5X161S Save a Million Dollars in 15 Minutes with Software Asset

Management (and Not Go to Jail)

11/19/15 at 2:00 pm

Breakers L

DO5X168S Software Asset Management—The Tough Stuff11/19/15 at 4:30 pm

Breakers L


Must-See Demos

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Follow Conversations At…

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For More Information

To learn more, please visit:

http://cainc.to/Nv2VOe

CA World ’15

http://cainc.to/Nv2VOe

http://bit.ly/1wbjjqX

pre-con education: a day in the life of a software asset manager

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