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CONTACT US
AUDIT DEFENSE: IBM LICENSE REVIEW

Efficient Audit Defense: Optimizing IBM License Review for State Government.

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INDUSTRY: State Government
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PRODUCT: Audit Defense, Licensing optimization, various
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SIZE: 260,000
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ESTABLISHED: 1999
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SAM TOOL USED: ILMT, SCCM
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VENDOR FOCUS: IBM
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KPIs: Compliance and Audit Defense
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ISAM SERVICES UTILIZED: Audit Defense & License Review

The Problem

The State faced an IBM Software License Review and sought comprehensive support due to ISAM's successful track record in audit defense.  Initial assessment revealed incorrect data collection and reporting, disqualifying the State as a sub-capacity user. Further, growth and virtualization had not been correctly reviewed.

Objectives

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Conduct a fair review of the State’s licenses and allocate them optimally.
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Ensure compliance by reviewing license usage and building valid Effective License Positions for
each product.
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Assess the draft license position
provided by the auditor upon completion of the review. Ensure compliance with contract and license agreements.
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Aim to achieve the best possible allocation and utilization of existing licenses for the State. Reduce costs without sacrificing functionality.
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Implement the best defense approach to minimize findings.

The Solution

Due to malfunctioning IBM® License Metric Tool (ILMT) reports, the State faced a license shortage, potentially resulting in overuse penalties exceeding $60 million. By leveraging communication trails and utilizing historical data, proper reporting was established, significantly reducing findings to around $150,000.

Solution Approach

1
Leveraged ILMT to generate comprehensive reports using previously collected data, including utilization and configuration information necessary for compliance review and defense.
2
Conducted a thorough review and developed an Effective License Position aligned with known compliance issues, emphasizing the importance of accurate and up-to-date reporting for optimal defense and audit outcomes.
3
Provided guidance on license counting to ensure accurate reporting, emphasizing the significance of organizational alignment in achieving effective Software Asset Management (SAM).
4
Offered valuable feedback on various draft Effective License Positions to ensure accurate license allocation and minimize overages, ensuring clarity and alignment among stakeholders.
5
Actively participated in all meetings, including three-way calls with IBM, to ensure the auditor’s comprehensive understanding of the situation, highlighting effective communication as a critical element in minimizing findings and determining the best defense approach.

Key Insights

Effective data collection and accurate reporting are crucial for avoiding penalties and ensuring compliance as sub-capacity users.
Evaluating the reliability and accuracy of reporting systems can be a key criterion in reducing compliance risk.
Utilizing historical data and communication trails helps establish proper reporting and minimizes findings.
Effective license counting guidance and active participation in meetings with auditors can ensure accurate license allocation and defense.

Results

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Potential findings were reduced from over $60 million to around $150,000.

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ILMT reports were utilized to generate accurate utilization and configuration data.

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Effective License Positions were created for each product to measure compliance.

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Feedback and collaboration on draft ELPs ensured correct license allocation and minimized overages.

Real solutions, real stories, real success.

We received more products for less money than our current run rate. 

Senior Vice President, Sourcing, Asset and Vendor Management