The IT Infrastructure Library (ITIL) defines Software Asset Management (SAM) as "all of the infrastructure and processes necessary for the effective management, control and protection of the software assets within an organization, throughout all stages of their lifecycle."

If that sounds complex, don't worry. At License Dashboard, our aim is to simplify Software Asset Management and make it easier than ever both to get your software working harder for you and avoid the risks associated with over-spend and compliance.

That's why we created SAM Portal, a single-console browser-based application designed to bring together all the stakeholders involved in using, approving, procuring and managing software across the corporate network. SAM portal unites users, IT managers, procurement staff and compliance officers to ensure that money is well-spent and that risks are minimized.

License Dashboard's SAM Portal defines our integrated approach to effective Software Asset Management, providing a single solution for:

Managing User Software Requests

End users across the organization can access the online SAM Portal to request new software. These requests are then automatically routed to the appropriate line managers for approval prior to being forwarded to IT.

License Availability Management

With a fully-integrated version of License Manager, authorized SAM Portal users can instantly view the effective license position (ELP) on all software applications, checking whether existing licenses can be allocated to users or whether new purchases are required. Where licenses exist in others business units, SAM Portal makes it easy for IT staff to request and manage inter-departmental transfers.

Intelligent Procurement

Where approved software requests mean a new license needs to be purchased, SAM Portal can intelligently route the procurement request to the right people and suppliers, depending on the application and source of request. SAM Portal can even be integrated with suppliers' systems to process purchases automatically.

Completing the Lifecycle

Once the software purchase has been made and the license is available, SAM Portal indicates to deployment teams that the requested application can now be deployed using the organization's preferred deployment technology. If the software request was time-limited, this information can also be used by IT teams to proactively re-harvest licenses for future use.

There's no doubt that effective Software Asset Management is complex, requiring many stakeholders to work together, even though they might have distinct systems and processes. License Dashboard's approach is to simplify the SAM process by giving everybody involved in managing software a common platform to work on - SAM Portal.

Learn more about SAM Portal.