Independent IT audit and Software Asset Management consulting group Liken www.liken.com has launched the Software Efficiency Audit (S.E.A) to help CFOs tighten software budgets and to raise overall system efficiency within existing license arrangements.

Liken claim that as traditional Software Asset Management (SAM) focuses on licensing, it has been primarily a compliance tool for good governance with a significant cost attached. Seldom has it been effectively used as a basis for saving money or tightening budgets. The new Software Efficiency Audit, however, has been specifically designed to realign the management of software assets around cost savings and driving increased efficiency from existing software.

By combining Liken’s acclaimed software recognition service with sophisticated software usage monitoring, the Software Efficiency Audit is able to provide accurate information on what is underutilised or over licensed on the network.  From this specialised analysis, savings can be made rapidly through reduced maintenance costs, reduced license renewals, tuning software to existing needs or introducing lower cost alternatives such as Open Source.

Liken, who are keen to prove the point, will deploy data gathering tools for clients free of charge. The data gathered feeds into an initial report of potential costs savings and practical guidelines on how these can be attained; without compromising the client’s compliance goals. Following  this initial overview assessment, Liken will then offer to provide detailed reports that the client needs to take full advantage of the savings opportunities. As the information is so detailed, it provides the CFO with a useful structure for strategic discussions with the organisation’s CIO or board members.

Liken believe that their independence ensures objective reporting on the maximum possible savings for each client. However, Liken does also offer a full traditional SAM service that includes license management for those who require it. Liken believe though, that the Software Efficiency Audit is the simplest way to ensure that,  without compromising compliance, software costs are as kept low as possible and that exposure to over licensing is minimised.

Says James Rowlands CEO of Liken, “CFOs and therefore CIOs, are now under extreme budgetary pressure. Yet nearly every organisation we talk to has some over licensing or under utilisation of software. In most cases, they are using full blown packages where cheaper alternatives or Open Source solutions would be just as good but a fraction of the cost. All this adds up to far greater maintenance and support costs even before you get to the issue of licence fees.

“With the Global recession raging at full force, the requirement to get more from an existing investment, or more likely to reduce that investment, has become acute. We set out to alleviate this problem and believe that with S.E.A in place organisations can now focus on usage and costs far more easily.”

Organisations that are interested in a free overview assessment, the first stage of the audit process, should visit: http://www.liken.co.uk/community.php