Software Asset Management
Software Asset Management applies to the business practices specific
to software management, including software license management,
configuration management, standardization of images and compliance to
regulatory and legal restrictions—such as
copyright law,
Sarbanes Oxley and software publisher contractual compliance. Legal
software use in an organization is enforced by such compliance companies
as
Business Software Alliance,
SIIA and
FAST.
Software is referred to as entitlements so that SAM programs confirm
the right to use, or entitlement to that software by the user.
Automation is used to facilitate this management.
Microsoft maintains a list of SAM providers to help customers manage
their software.