License
Dashboard, the leading developer of advanced software license management
solutions, today announced the launch of License
Manager 5.7, its flagship software asset management (SAM) tool. Available
immediately, License Manager 5.7 is the first SAM solution to offer accurate
in-product management of software licenses in virtual server environments,
including modelling the effect of Dynamic Resource Allocation (DRA). With
License Manager 5.7 organizations can realise the desired cost savings from
virtualization with the peace of mind that their software licensing position
remains fully compliant. Other notable enhancements include a new ‘Intelligent
Import' function for simplifying the import of software install and hardware
configuration information from a range of different inventory solutions, further
improvements to the recently launched License Dashboard Cloud
Console and additional reporting functionality.
Server virtualization has been widely adopted by many medium-to-large
organizations in recent years (sitting at 50% penetration according to
Gartner with other sources citing much higher figures), promising to deliver
significant reductions in operational and capital expenditure through more
efficient utilization of server hardware. In a recent straw poll of its own
customers, License Dashboard found that 97% had virtualized at least some or all
of their servers, with at least 58% using Dynamic Resource Allocation (or
Distributed Resource Scheduler - DRS - in VMware's product language) which can
automatically move applications across several virtual machines according to
resource availability and demand. License Dashboard has found that DRA
technology can lead to a significant shortfall in an organisation's software
licensing compliance - sometimes up to 500% - because device-centric licensing
will often require a license to be applied to every application on every virtual
machine that could potentially run that application during peak times. Because
DRA or equivalent technologies are often enabled by default, DRA can leave firms
significantly under-licensed and open to fines for non-compliance when they are
next audited.
Reacting to this pressing customer need, License Manager 5.7 is the
first SAM solution to offer native functionality to manage the complexities of
software licensing on virtual servers. The new Visualization Node Map, available in both the License Manager windows client and the Cloud
Console, provides a visual representation of the datacentre, including clusters,
physical machines and all guest devices, together with OS and configuration
information.
Addressing Dynamic Resource Allocation directly, License Manager 5.7
includes an in-product Dynamic Resource Allocation modeller that quickly
illustrates how enabling DRA on virtual servers affects the overall licensing
obligations of the organization. This makes it far easier for managers to make
informed decisions about which servers and applications are sufficiently
business-critical to justify the additional licensing requirements of DRA,
versus those where DRA causes an unnecessary expense. The impact of Dynamic
Resource Allocation is portrayed visually in the new Visualization
Node Map.
"A large percentage of organisations using virtualization with
Dynamic Resource Allocation enabled are unaware of the full impact it can have
on their software licensing requirements," comments Sean Robinson, managing
director of License Dashboard. "It is not until you can actually see the
significant increase in liability that DRA invokes that the issue becomes
apparent. That is why we made virtualization analysis and the accompanying
Visualization Node Map a priority for License Manager 5.7. By seeing the impact
of virtualization on licensing liability for the first time, we are helping
organisations to understand the full impact of their virtualization projects so
they can make the most informed decisions."
In addition to support for virtualization, License Manager includes
the following notable enhancements:
- Cloud Console enhancements: Officially launched in November 2012, Cloud
Console has been further enhanced with License Manager 5.7, including an
improved ‘per Business Unit' user management system to enable a wider selection
of stakeholders to use the anytime, anywhere interface without compromising
confidentiality or security, improved reporting such as report searches or the
ability to save favourite reports, plus additional mobile device
support.
- Intelligent Import: License Manager can import, cleanse and analyse software install,
usage and hardware configuration data from more than 40 third-party software
inventory solutions, including Microsoft SCCM. With License Manager 5.7 this is
now easier than ever, as data can be imported from multiple sources
simultaneously with the product intelligently understanding and interpreting the
source of each data file automatically.
- Further reporting enhancements: There are now a total of 80 pre-configured management reports
available in both the Windows administration console and the Cloud Console. To
make accessing the right report easier and faster, the Windows interface
features similar enhancements to those found in the new Cloud Console version,
including a re-organized reporting structure, favourite reports and a search
facility.
License Manager 5.7 is available immediately and can be downloaded
from the License Dashboard customer support website. Existing customers with a
current contract can upgrade to License Manager 5.7 at no additional charge.
Retail pricing for License Manager and Small Business Edition remains
unchanged.
License Manager was recently confirmed as the first SAM tool to
successfully
complete the KPMG SAM Tools Assessment and received high praise in an independent review of SAM tools by
The
ITAM Review, confirming its status as a class-leading software license
management solution.