Dell Software tackles the risk of software compliance

The Dell KACE K1000 Management Appliance now includes integrated software asset management to boost software licence compliance.

With this latest release, the K1000 simplifies the task of responding to software audits by tracking, assessing and ensuring software license compliance across multiple versions, as well as inconsistent package and component names. Additionally, it eases the burden of determining software usage, which is exceedingly difficult due to complex software licensing structures.

Unlike legacy systems management solutions, which often encompass separate point solutions, the K1000 integrates all its systems management functionality in an easy-to-deploy physical or virtual appliance.

The new software asset management features include:

Software titling engine that automates detailed software audit and compliance reporting to avoid licence violations and associated fines. According to a software asset management survey by Ernst & Young, up to 60 percent of customers polled do not monitor software usage and usage patterns, although the software infringement liability can equal up to three times the retail value of each unlicensed software installation.

Integration with the Dell Application Catalogue (DAC), which provides access to approximately 110 million unique executable files. A web-based offering that is fully integrated with the Dell KACE K1000, the Dell Application Catalogue has the advantage of daily updates and the addition of approximately 4,000 new applications annually. DAC offers deep cataloging capabilities with the ability to map minor software versions to the parent package for more accurate license tracking and usage across major versions of Microsoft Windows and Apple applications. Additionally, software suite recognition easily discerns whether an application has been installed in standalone mode or as part of a broader software suite.

Automated metering that enables administrators to view usage information based on when an application is actually run, for accurate compliance reporting and fast identification of underutilized software.

In addition to its software asset management enhancements, the new release of the K1000 enables IT administrators to capture and report new hardware characteristics to better gauge organizational readiness for OS and application migrations and upgrades. For any company planning an imminent move to Windows 7 or Windows 8, the ability to produce an accurate inventory of hardware and software assets is an essential first step in the migration process.

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