BSA Blog

Chief information officers (CIOs) are on the frontlines of both cybersecurity and business transformation. Where once IT was focused on traditional operations, it’s now poised to offer additional value by partnering with business leaders to drive secure, strategic change.

The global outbreak of COVID-19 caused companies to revamp their IT and cybersecurity strategies to support remote work. Though we’re still in the midst of the pandemic, many companies have begun to take steps toward building out their return to work strategies. Full office buildings are still a long way off, and for the foreseeable future businesses will be balancing how to support both teleworkers and those who are able to make a safe transition back to office life.

Software tools are an integral and undeniable asset of modern business. The largest organizations sometimes manage more than 1,000 software publishers and software spend is a major portion of IT budgets. With software usage on the rise, organizations are taking newfound interest in getting set up with effective software asset management (SAM). Not only does SAM help with managing security and reducing IT costs, it also helps prepare organizations to embrace future technology innovation that will support business growth.

Digital transformation is driving the adoption of cloud technology, bringing about huge benefits to organizations, including greater flexibility, reduced IT burdens, and opportunities to innovate and deliver new solutions and services to customers. According to Gartner research, “cloud continues to be one of the fastest-growing segments of IT spend.”

Software asset management (SAM) has been around for decades, but the discipline is gaining newfound prominence and sophistication. New tools, expert providers, and industry professionals are emerging by the day. By 2022, the market is expected to be worth $2.32 billion, after compounding at a yearly rate of nearly 15%.

From personal to business computers, unlicensed software is installed on devices across the globe, leaving more and more users at risk of being exposed to malware.

Organizations rely on a variety of hardware and software assets that are critical to day-to-day operations and continued business growth. Software asset management (SAM) allows companies to track licenses, stay compliant, save money, and more. Some smaller organisations find they are able to manage software assets by using spreadsheets and manual processes. Most organizations, however, quickly discover the benefits of deploying specialized software asset management tools. Of course, choosing SAM tools is just the beginning. Either building or buying in the skills required to manage the tool and get the most out of it is also a must.

As businesses digitize their workflows, they also expand their digital surface area. That means more of the organisation is inter-connected and more is accessible online. It’s vital for innovation and for business success in the 21st century.