Friday, January 28, 2011 * 10:00 AM (Pacific) / 1:00 PM (Eastern)

Ever wondered why on earth software identification is so difficult? What’s the most accurate method for identifying apps: registry analysis, file header analysis, or software catalogs? When will software tagging truly become a reality?

Join us for a special webinar this Friday that will cover everything you need to know about software identification and how it relates to your software license management efforts.  This is a repeat of the presentation I delievered at the IAITAM Annual Conference back in October.

Here are a few of the topics the webinar will cover: (more…)

Imagine your company were forced to pony up $3.3 million in damages for software license infringement.  Unbelievable though it may seem, this was the actual amount of the judgment in a 2007 piracy lawsuit against an unnamed international media firm.  The ruling broke the record for the largest copyright infringement penalty in the BSA’s history–a record that towered far above all others for over three years.

Now, imagine the judgment against your company were for $1.3 BILLION (equivalent to the entire GDP of Belize!).  Inconceivable?  Absolutely–up until last week, when SAP assumed the role of the world’s most ignominious software pirate after being convicted of copyright infringement by a California jury.

The high-profile case involved charges stemming from SAP’s acquisition of TomorrowNow, a company that provided services and support to customers of PeopleSoft and JD Edwards, both of which were acquired by Oracle in 2005.  TomorrowNow, under new ownership of SAP, was accused by Oracle of routinely (and illegally) downloading Oracle software outside the scope of patches and bug fixes to which TomorrowNow’s existing customers were contractually entitled. Initially, Oracle filed ten charges against SAP, among them copyright infringement, unlawful computer access, unfair competition, and breach of contract. 

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To be completely honest, I’ve never been much of a tradeshow enthusiast.  Between a pesky L5 vertebrae (I’m 6′2″ and no, I don’t fly first class), the difficulty keeping up with the torrent of email, and a seemingly futile quest to perfect my “elevator pitch” on the tradeshow floor, I’d rather my time out of the office be spent sipping Mai-Tais on a sandy beach.

That said, this year’s IAITAM conference was an exception to the typical tradeshow.  The attendees with whom I spoke were genuinely enthusiastic and highly knowledgeable.  Many have lived through multiple IT asset management (ITAM) initiatives and technologies due to job changes, mergers and acquisitions, and shifts in organizational priorities. The sessions were exceptionally well-attended and covered a wide array of ITAM topics from high-level educational topics to detailed technical discussions.

In addition, I had the privilege of delivering a talk on Wednesday entitled “Software Identification: Present Realities and Future Possibilities“.  The presentation covered the following areas: (more…)

Ever wondered why on earth software identification is so difficult to do properly?  What’s the most accurate method of identification: registry analysis, file header analysis, or software catalogs?  When will software tagging become a reality?

Join me for a webinar I’ll be hosting next Wed, October 13, at 10am Pacific/1pm Eastern that will cover everything you need to know about software identification and how it relates to your software asset management efforts.  The webinar will be a sneak preview of the presentation I’m delivering at the IAITAM Conference in Nashville during the 3rd week of October, so please bring your most challenging questions so I can fine-tune my presentation accordingly.

Here are just a few of the topics I’ll discuss: (more…)

For most IT pros, it’s a constant struggle to manage their organization’s software licenses. In fact, just getting an accurate inventory of what’s installed requires a Herculean effort. But here’s the dirty little secret: software license management doesn’t need to be such a challenge.

This month, we’re offering a series of free webinars that can help you get a better handle on your organization’s software licenses, so you know exactly what’s installed, how it’s being used, and whether it’s legal. Don’t miss out!

1)  Software Identification: Understanding the Various Methodologies (And Why It Matters)
Wed, October 13: 11am Pacific, 2pm Eastern  (*** REGISTER NOW ***)

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