Audit it doesnt have to be a fourletter word that actually contains five letters. The core difference is that microsoft sam programs are voluntary. Accredited providers in the microsoft sam managed service program are experts in helping organizations gain and maintain control over. If not, well work together to help bring you into compliance. Microsoft will request that the target allow a third party to audit its software installations and report the results directly to them.
Microsoft offers software asset management for corporations across the globe. Computer software must be treated as a tangible asset. Audit sam, which enables you to audit events that are generated by attempts to access security account manager objects. Just like an audit, during the sam process, microsofts. Among the numerous software asset management sam tools available, network inventory advisor shines as the best microsoft licensing audit tool thanks to its easytouse user. The microsoft software inventory analyzer will scan a network and give you a report of which microsoft products are currently installed on each computer. While software asset management once showed promise for customers, braden warns that the way microsoft.
Software asset management engagements are usually conducted by thirdparty auditors or consultants, but there is no obligation that the auditor in a sam. You can confirm the legitimacy of microsoft sam by asked the sam rep to provide a snapshot of your volume. Microsoft sam programs are voluntary services designed around industry standards that help customers gain data insights, optimize licensing. A sam audit is microsoft s way of saying, lets take a look to make sure youre in compliance.
Software asset management engagements are usually conducted by thirdparty auditors or consultants, but there is no obligation that the auditor in a sam engagement be independent. Sam as a service, audit defense, spla, microsoft, sam. This is usually the first type of audit you will receive. When you get a phone call or letter from microsoft asking you to submit to a sam audit it is important to know your software legal rights. While the sam audit is voluntary, the llc audit is not and often means that youre being accused of software piracy. Plus, your chances of going through one are a lot higher than they are for a tax audit, especially when it comes to microsoft. Efficiencynext finished its first microsoft sam software asset management engagement this last year, having been contacted by a sam engagement specialist contracted by microsoft. We provide automated software asset management solutions, software audit defense, licensing control and datacenter solutions oriented to the best practices of gartner, itil, iaitam and iso. Systems audit manager sam free download and software. In recent years, microsoft seems to have been shifting an increasing volume of its licensecompliance resources toward what it calls software asset management sam. Calculate microsoft windows server license needs with the. Is our company legally obligated to agree to a software license audit.
Some sources claim that microsoft software asset management sam and license compliance verification commonly known as audit are the same. Underlicensing is when companies have not bought enough software licenses for the number of users they are allowing onto the network, which can likely be much more. Microsoft software asset management sam solutions offer the. Audit defense, microsoft audit, sam audit, software audit. Microsoft software audits and sam assessments network. The sam rep should be able to provide you with a sample that includes the details of at least one of your volume license agreements. In a blog post from may 22 nd 2017, patama chantaruck, microsoft s new general manager of worldwide software asset management and compliance tries to mythbust the connection between microsoft s sam engagements and compliance audits in her blog post, patama chantaruck states that. Tools for coping with a microsoft audit spiceworks.
Microsoft licensing what do auditors look for during a microsoft audit. Dell has received reports from different customers that they received email notice from microsoft about a microsoft software asset management sam. Some individuals or organizations may be using software. What became apparent in these conversations is that there is a misperception around software asset management and compliance audits. Degroot disputed microsofts cleancut separation between sam. In degroots experience, microsoft sees an investigating continuum, with sam those that microsoft pays for but a step in the sequence that ultimately leads to an actual audit. What happens when you get a microsoft sam audit letter. Is our company legally obligated to agree to a software. Navigating microsofts map for a microsoft audit or sam. You dont want microsoft to introduce a more formal audit procedure and there is limited room to negotiate any resulting feespenalties after you have chosen to decline the. As more and more personal devices access company networks, cybersecurity threats continue to increase dramatically.
Sam managed service program continual, governancebased, outsourced services accredited providers in the microsoft sam managed service program are experts in helping organizations gain and maintain control over it costs, risks, and complexity, while providing insights and recommendations for getting the most value from software investments. Software assessment management sam microsoft pays a software assessment management sam partner to help you assess and reconcile what you have. Sam is a process that, if carefully and comprehensively implemented, is able to minimize or even eliminate the. Just like an audit, during the sam process, microsofts auditors will ask for voluminous information regarding software deployments, will. Part of our managed it services portfolio includes managing our. Mythbusting software asset management and compliance. Audit sam windows 10 windows security microsoft docs. Very quickly after microsofts software audit practice was disbanded and its sam engagement program. The five vendors mostly likely to audit corporate software licenses are microsoft, adobe, autodesk, oracle, and sap, in that order. Theyve been pushing it so much that weve noticed a lot of businesses have been getting audited by microsoft with regard to their software. The more you work with microsoft, the better off youll be from a financial and compliance perspective. License compliance verification faq microsoft volume.
Tips for handling a microsoft software audit storagecraft blog. Customers who take licensing compliance seriously and have a robust internal software asset management sam process are likely to be better prepared for license compliance verifications. If you are not cooperative with the sam audit, microsoft will issue an llc. Microsoft software asset management sam solutions offer the proven processes and software you need to help your customers manage, protect, and optimize it assetsand drive their businesses forward. Systems audit manager sam for microsoft systems management server sms is an inexpensive auditing tool to aid your company in software auditing. However, no company should be under any delusion regarding what a microsoft sam engagement really is. Is a microsoft sam engagement really an audit in disguise. Microsoft audits its customers using a variety of strategies.
A sam audit is microsofts way of saying, lets take a look to make sure youre in. The security account manager sam is a database that is present. Microsoft software asset management sam notices dell us. A microsoft license compliance verification is a routine process of checking customers compliance with microsoft licensing agreements.
A sam audit is microsofts way of saying, lets take a look to make sure youre in compliance. In the minds of the software vendors, only those with something to hide refuse to be examined. Nasa and flexera software sam software asset management success stories at microsoft inspire 2017 duration. Software assessment management sam and legal contracts and compliance llc. Microsoft software audit with network inventory advisor.
Going through a software audit can be equally stressful and costly. Avoid microsoft software license compliance audit what. Auditing your software licenses as an it manager, you should know that you can be subject. Learn about the differences between these two processes and how you should react. Make it easy to ensure you are always prepared for a potential microsoft audit. What is microsoft license compliance verification commonly known as audit microsoft license. Microsoft software audits and sam assessments microsoft has increased the number of software audits and sam assessments tips for being prepared and avoiding common pitfalls. Sam stepbystep check list this list will help you keep track of each step of the sam process. Microsoft licensing what do auditors look for during a. The core difference is that microsoft sam programs are voluntary services designed around industry.