Software Asset Management Tools Comparison of 2023

Discover how the right software asset management tools can transform your organization’s IT ecosystem, providing you with the insights and control needed to optimize your software investments.

In this comprehensive guide, we’ll explore the key components of SAM and conduct a software asset management tool comparison, comparing top tools in the market, and providing you with valuable tips for successful implementation.

Embark on this journey with us and maximize the potential of your software assets!

Short Summary

• Software Asset Management (SAM) is a business practice for managing and utilizing software applications.
• When selecting a SAM Tool, consider factors such as company size, infrastructure complexity, ease of integration, and pricing. Assess organizational needs to select the best tool tailored to requirements.
• Successful SAM tool implementation requires establishing a strategy with stakeholders’ involvement, monitoring & adjusting the selected tool regularly for effectiveness.

Software Asset Management Tools

Software Asset Management (SAM) is an essential business practice. It helps organizations manage and utilize software applications, from purchase to disposal.

By implementing this process, companies can gain comprehensive control over software expenditures, maintain license compliance, manage software licenses and contracts efficiently, expedite delivery time for software service requests, and optimize software licenses by utilizing existing software assets.

Essentially, SAM is the backbone to support strategic decision-making in an IT ecosystem.

Key Components of SAM

At the heart of SAM are three essential elements: inventory management, software license compliance, and optimization. Inventory management entails maintaining an accurate record of all software assets, which helps organizations efficiently plan resources and reduce the risk of asset theft.

On the other hand, License compliance involves adhering to the terms of license agreements and ensuring proper software utilization.

Optimization, the third component, is about ensuring that software is utilized most efficiently and cost-effectively. By leveraging SAM tools, organizations can access advanced reports, network discovery and asset discovery,, remote desktop, change management, license management, software deployment, and software metering features for asset tracking.

These three components form a solid foundation for a successful SAM strategy.

Benefits of Implementing SAM Tools

Implementing SAM tools comes with many benefits, including enhanced visibility of assets, effective resource planning, and compliance with regulations for optimized profits. SAM tools ensure adherence to licensing regulations and facilitate cost-efficiency by eliminating redundant and unused licenses’ physical assets. Moreover, these tools are versatile, expeditious, effortless, easy-to-use interface implement, offer outstanding assistance, and are user-friendly and straightforward.

Selecting the best asset management software for small to medium-sized businesses offers simple configuration, a user-friendly interface, sophisticated reporting capabilities, and remote desktop access, all at a reasonable cost.

By leveraging such SAM tools, organizations can streamline asset tracking efficiently and manage assets through automated reports and data, gaining complete visibility into asset costs, usage, and return on investment and enhancing business performance insights.

Factors to Consider When Choosing a SAM Tool

When selecting a SAM tool, it’s essential to consider factors such as a company’s asset size, infrastructure complexity, ease of integration, and pricing. Company size dictates the complexity of the SAM tool required, with larger companies potentially needing more advanced tools.

Infrastructure complexity affects the choice of SAM tool, as more complex infrastructures may require more sophisticated tools. Ease of integration is also a factor, as choosing a SAM tool that can easily integrate with existing systems is essential.

Lastly, pricing is essential, as ensuring the SAM tool fits within the budget.

Assessing Organizational Needs

To assess organizational needs, it’s necessary to understand the current state of the organization’s software assets and determine what features are needed.

This may involve evaluating the organization’s current software asset management processes and identifying areas for improvement. By doing so, organizations can ensure they select a SAM tool that is tailored to their specific requirements and objectives.

Additionally, it’s prudent to consider the organization’s future needs and objectives when selecting a SAM tool. This will allow for scalability and ensure the chosen tool remains relevant and practical as the organization grows and evolves.

Ultimately, assessing organizational needs helps make an informed decision when choosing a SAM tool that best aligns with the company’s goals and requirements.

Evaluating Features and Functionality

When comparing different SAM tools, it’s essential to evaluate the features and functionality offered by each tool and determine if they meet the organization’s requirements.

Key features include license and contract management, cost tracking, audit management, an IT asset management solution, software inventory scanning, and automation to support compliance with ISV license use rights.

By closely examining all the features and functionality of each SAM tool, organizations can ensure that they select a tool that not only fulfills their current needs but also has the potential to accommodate future growth and changes.

This will ultimately result in a more effective and efficient SAM process, allowing organizations to manage their software assets better and optimize their software investments.

Considering Ease of Use and Support

Another crucial factor to consider when selecting a SAM tool is the ease of use and support provided by the tool and its vendor. A user-friendly tool with an intuitive interface will make it easier for employees to adopt and effectively utilize the SAM tool, ultimately leading to a more successful implementation.

In addition to ease of use, evaluating the customer service options provided by the tool vendor is essential. This may include the availability of support resources, such as webinars, tutorials, and other materials, as well as the responsiveness and expertise of the vendor’s support staff.

Selecting a SAM tool with solid support will ensure the organization can effectively address any challenges or issues arising during implementation and ongoing use.

In-Depth Comparison of Top SAM Tools

In this section, we’ll delve into an in-depth comparison of the top SAM tools for 2023, including Snow Software License Manager, Flexera FlexNet Manager, ServiceNow Software Asset Management, and Aspera SmartTrack.

By examining each tool’s features, functionality, and benefits, you’ll gain an invaluable tool and a deeper understanding of which SAM tool may be best suited for your organization’s specific needs and requirements.

Snow Software License Manager

Snow Software License Manager is a comprehensive SAM solution that provides a single view of data, tracks the lifecycle of applications, and features a built-in calculator.

This tool offers automated license optimization and compliance, ensuring that organizations remain in line with software licensing regulations while streamlining the management of software asset track licenses.

The benefits of Snow Software License Manager include increased visibility into software and hardware assets, improved compliance with software license agreements, and cost savings through the optimization of software licenses.

This user-friendly tool is an excellent choice for organizations seeking a holistic approach to SAM that helps mitigate risks, control expenses, maintain compliance, and optimize savings by actively managing software assets.

Flexera FlexNet Manager

Flexera FlexNet Manager is a powerful SAM tool that provides ‘what-if’ analysis and comprehensive data gathering for detailed information on software deployments.

This tool offers advanced features, such as inventory management, supplier management, procurement management, software audit and management, compliance tracking, license management, and reporting capabilities, enabling organizations to calculate an accurate license compliance position and streamline license management processes via automation.

While Flexera FlexNet Manager is a good choice for organizations seeking in-depth insights into their network devices and software deployments, it’s worth noting that some users have reported a complex software estate, difficulty for new users, and the need for significant investment in consulting and time to set up.

Despite these potential drawbacks, Flexera FlexNet Manager remains a highly-regarded SAM tool for organizations looking to understand their software assets better and ensure compliance with licensing regulations.

ServiceNow Software Asset Management

ServiceNow Software Asset Management is a well-known IT Service Management product with a strong presence in North America and a comprehensive platform for tracking and managing software licenses and hardware assets.

This cloud-based tool presents a systematic approach to tracking remote monitoring, evaluating, and managing software licenses, compliance, and costs and integrating with partner and third-party apps to offer actionable insight on optimization opportunities.

The advantages of ServiceNow Software Asset Management include improved visibility into software and hardware assets, better compliance with software license agreements, and cost savings through optimizing software licenses.

With its cloud-based platform and extensive feature set, ServiceNow Software and Asset Management solution is an excellent choice for organizations seeking a robust and scalable SAM tool that can effectively manage both on-premises and cloud-based assets.

Aspera / USU SmartTrack

Aspera USU SmartTrack is a comprehensive suite of SAM tools that includes license optimization, compliance, and reporting capabilities.

This tool manages various vendors and offers software normalization, automated tracking, license re-harvesting, and cloud management services, making it an excellent choice for organizations seeking a versatile and feature-rich SAM tool.

Despite its powerful capabilities, there are some potential drawbacks to consider when evaluating Aspera USU SmartTrack. The specific compliance reporting may require some time to become accustomed to, and complete integration into your system may take some time.

Nevertheless, Aspera USU SmartTrack remains a highly-regarded SAM tool that provides organizations with a comprehensive software solution for managing their software assets and ensuring compliance with licensing regulations.

Niche SAM Tools Worth Considering

In addition to the top SAM tools discussed above, there are niche options worth considering for organizations with specific requirements or preferences.

In this section, we will explore Certero for Cloud and Xensam Xupervisor, two lesser-known but potentially valuable SAM tools for organizations seeking unique solutions tailored to their needs.

Certero for Cloud

Certero for Cloud is a sleek and easy-to-use SAM tool that offers expertise beyond SAM, providing full platform and vendor coverage and license management optimization.

This tool gives organizations centralized visibility and control over public and private clouds, enabling IT teams to further optimize spending on their IT assets and pay only for what they need.

In addition to its cloud asset management suite of capabilities, Certero for Cloud features a comprehensive business intelligence and reporting engine to process a vast array of highly granular data.

This enables organizations to gain deeper insights into their software usage and expenditures, making Certero for Cloud an attractive option for those looking to optimize their software investments and streamline their IT asset management processes.

Xensam Xupervisor

Xensam Xupervisor is a new software asset management tool that prioritizes customer satisfaction and offers direct comparisons to competitors.

This tool can display active utilization, providing organizations with a clear and accurate picture of their software usage.

However, there are some potential drawbacks to consider when evaluating Xensam Xupervisor. The initial setup is laborious and time-consuming, with a steep learning curve. Additionally, Xensam only provides hardware information for specific mobile devices and has limited connections to cloud vendors.

Despite these potential challenges, Xensam Xupervisor remains an exciting option for organizations seeking a new, customer-focused SAM tool. We see Xensam as a strong player for small/mid-size organizations.

Tips for Successful SAM Tool Implementation

To ensure the successful implementation of a SAM tool, it’s essential to follow a few fundamental guidelines.

This section explore tips for establishing a SAM strategy, engaging stakeholders, and monitoring and adjusting the SAM tool to ensure its ongoing effectiveness and relevance within your organization.

Establishing a SAM strategy involves understanding the current state of your IT environment, identifying the areas that need improvement, and setting goals for the SAM tool. It’s important to involve stakeholders.

Establishing a SAM Strategy

Formulating a SAM strategy involves setting goals, defining roles and responsibilities, and creating a timeline.

The objectives of a SAM strategy should be to control expenses, decrease risks, and optimize savings by actively managing software assets.

Organizations can ensure that all aspects of software installations and the SAM process are effectively managed by delineating roles and responsibilities for the procurement, deployment, maintenance, utilization, and disposal of software applications.

Establishing a timeline is also crucial for ensuring that the goals of the SAM strategy are achieved in a timely fashion. By setting deadlines and milestones, organizations can track their progress and make adjustments as needed to ensure the continued success of their SAM strategy.

Engaging Stakeholders

Involving stakeholders in the SAM process is critical for ensuring its success. Stakeholders should be engaged through communication regarding the significance of SAM and the advantages it can provide to the organization.

By involving stakeholders from the outset, including the planning, implementation, and ongoing management of the SAM program, organizations can facilitate a greater understanding of the importance of SAM and ensure a higher likelihood of success.

Training and support to stakeholders is also essential for ensuring their comprehension of the SAM process and how to utilize all the assets and tools.

This could include webinars, tutorials, and other resources to assist them in understanding the SAM process and how to utilize the tools. Establishing roles and responsibilities for stakeholders can further guarantee that everyone is aware of their roles and responsibilities in the SAM process.

Monitoring and Adjusting

Monitoring and adjusting the SAM tool is essential to ensuring its ongoing effectiveness and relevance within an organization.

This involves periodically reviewing the SAM tool and making necessary modifications to ensure that it is current and fulfills the organization’s requirements. By doing so, organizations can ensure that the SAM tool is utilized effectively and efficiently.

The recommended practices for monitoring and adjusting SAM tools include selecting the appropriate tool, assembling a competent SAM team, classifying all software assets, evaluating other SAM tools’ performance, auditing existing tools, setting precise objectives, and regularizing software procurement.

By embracing a lifecycle-based approach, organizations can ensure that their SAM tools remain effective and relevant as their needs and requirements evolve.

Summary

In conclusion, implementing the right SAM tool can benefit organizations, including improved visibility and control over software assets, efficient resource planning, and regulatory compliance for optimized profits.

Organizations can select a SAM tool that best aligns with their needs and requirements by carefully considering factors such as company size, infrastructure complexity, ease of integration, and pricing.

With the knowledge gained from this comprehensive guide, you’re now equipped to make an informed decision and harness the power of a software asset management solution to drive your organization’s success and growth.

Frequently Asked Questions