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Software Asset Management

Software Asset Management is the effective management, control and protection of the software assets within UCL.

UCL uses a Software Asset Management (SAM) database called SNOW to store all licences bought in UCL, which can be used by all departments.

The service is split into three parts: Licence Management, Discovery and Licence Compliance.

Licence Management

Licence Management is the managing of licences, from adding, transferring and deleting licences.

How to guides

Discovery

Discovery is the managing of applications installed on your departmental machines. It involves the installation on the SNOW agent on your hardware.

How to guides

Licence Compliance

Licence Compliance is the last phase of Software Asset Management is the managing of licences installed against licences purchased within your department.

How to Guides

    Reports

    Within SNOW you can use a number of reports to manage your licences and assets.

    Hardware

    To ensure licensing is correct in SNOW we need to ensure machines are removed as they are disposed:

    Access available

    Departments will get access two types of access read only or write for their departments. Each department will not be able to see each other departments licences or information.

    Costing Options

    Their is no cost to use this service

    Missing Applications

    If you notice SNOW is not reporting back an application that you know is installed please contact us with the following information:

    Name of the application, version, full EXE path and website of the product.

    Software Usage Tracking details

    UCL uses a software asset management system to report on software usage and ensure software licence compliance on the Desktop @ UCL, servers and other departments.

    This System allows ISD to remotely identify and monitor the following information on the Desktop @ UCL services:

    • Software usage on each device
    • Software usage by user
    • Software that hasn’t been used for a period of time
    • Machine specifications
    • Software licences on each machine and by each user
    • All Software bought for UCL from IT Purchasing

    Why do we do this?

    UCL has a duty to abide by its software vendor’s licence conditions and to eliminate the risk of becoming non-compliant.

    The benefits of recording this information are:

    • Ensure UCL meets its legal obligation to only use software it has a licence for.
    • Minimise over spend on software licences by ensuring the current number of licences are purchased.
    • ISD can ensure software upgrades take place at a time when the application is least used, to minimise disruption.
    • ISD can ensure the correct software is available for those who need it.

    Please note that this product is not used to monitor work undertaken within an application, just that the application is being used. We will not be monitoring websites browsed or documents you have written.

    Support available

    IT Supplier and Asset Mgt Team support this service and will provide training, support and advice.

    Support is available via contact us between 9-5 Monday to Friday.