19Jul
Effective Audit-Response Policies Can Be Vital in Responding to Software Audits
Businesses often have close relationships with software vendors, and that closeness usually is in direct proportion to the extent and importance of those vendors’ software products in the businesses’ network environments. However, despite their best...
11Jul
Software-Audit Compliance Demands Often Include “Fuzzy Math”
In defending against software audits initiated by publishers such as Microsoft or IBM, many businesses make the mistake of assuming that those publishers or their designated auditors know what they are talking about when it...
2Jul
Microsoft’s Auditors Are Not Infallible
Microsoft licensing is a complex, multi-faceted undertaking, with different rules and license metrics applying to different products. In the context of software audits initiated by Microsoft, it is important to keep in mind the fact...
1Jul
To SAM or Not to SAM? The Differences Between a Microsoft SAM Engagement and an Audit
In recent years, Microsoft seems to have been shifting an increasing volume of its license-compliance resources toward what it calls Software Asset Management (SAM) reviews. These “optional” engagements typically are proposed by Microsoft personnel with...
27Jun
Consult with Counsel for SPLA Audits
Microsoft’s Services Provider License Agreement (“SPLA”) is a popular licensing framework for businesses delivering hosted or rented software solutions to their customers. However, as with many software license agreements pertaining to resale or other business...
25Jun
Microsoft SPLA Self-Assessment – What It Is, and How to Respond
Many of our clients contact us regarding notices they received from Microsoft requesting an internal self-assessment of their license positions under their Services Provider License Agreements (SPLAs). Naturally, many of those clients have questions about...
