Understanding Software Asset Management Core Concepts: Entitlement, Consumption, & Lifecycle

Hosts: Chris Nielson and Ryan Krueger, Anglepoint Directors of Client SuccessThis episode of The ITAM Executive was created from Anglepoint’s Software Asset Management (SAM) 101 lighting course.In this episode, Chris Nielson and Ryan Krueger, both Directors at Anglepoint, cover the foundational elements of software entitlement, software consumption, software license management, and give an overview of each step in the software asset lifecycle.Sofware entitlement is a crucial part of software asset management. This is understanding what you own – it refers to the rights and permissions associated with using the software. While it may sound simple, measuring software entitlement can be incredibly challenging, especially in complex organization structures. Some of the biggest challenges include knowing the various metrics used to measure entitlement, understanding the different version and editions, and having a firm grasp on appropriate environment use rights.After entitlement comes license consumption management. This is knowing what software is being used. The goal of license consumption management is to ensure compliance and provide accurate and complete data through discover and inventory processes.These software license management processes, amongst others, are essential to ensure that your organization gets a maximum return on software investment over the course of the asset’s lifecycle. Ryan and Chris cover each phase of that lifecycle in detail in the episode.By listening to this episode of The ITAM Executive, you will learn:What software entitlement is and how to appropriately measure itThe importance of license consumption management and an effective license position (ELP)The phases of the software asset lifecycle, from request to disposalAnd more