Publisher tool certifications and SAM tool selection

Best practice

Publisher tool certifications and SAM tool selection

During my current review of 10 SAM Tools for large enterprises – the issue of publisher certification has been raised.

This is when a software publisher gives their blessing for the quality of data or output from a SAM tool. See the original call for participants here.

This article provides an independent opinion on the matter and perhaps some guidance for ITAM Review reader when selecting tools.

Question: Should I consider the Oracle LMS tool verification when selecting a SAM Tool?

Answer: No.

Oracle has verified seven tools that “provide the required data set to supplement a LMS engagement”. But the program has a few flaws. Namely, sources inside Oracle tell us the whole program is on ice with 50 tools in the queue waiting to be verified. It’s hardly fair to discount a technology that is not verified when it is not possible to be verified. So rather than a benchmark, it’s a special club. So it should be disregarded as a program. This is unfortunate as vendor blessings are good thing, Oracle should be congratulated for introducing the program but now needs to get off the fence and either develop it or junk it.

Question: How should I prove whether the SAM tool is fit for purpose for managing Oracle?

Get your prospective SAM tool to demonstrate it working and delivering value either as a POC or as a low cost project. Populating the Oracle worksheet using their data would be a good first hurdle. Showing compliance and optimization / re-architecture opportunities for high-risk titles would be even better.

See also:

• https://www.oracle.com/us/corporate/license-management-services/index.html
• https://itassetmanagement.net/2013/10/29/oracle-tool-verification/
• https://itassetmanagement.net/2014/04/08/oracle-licensing/

Question: Should I consider IBM verification when selecting a SAM tool?

Answer: No.

We were pleased to see IBM potentially following Oracle in verifying tools.

Unfortunately

• There is no program that we are aware of and….
• There is no public record of the program or process.

Again, if nobody can join it’s not a good basis for tool selection and should be discounted.

ITAM Review readers tell us you can get approval to use Flexera in substitute of ILMT for measuring sub-capacity with permission from IBM. But I’ve also heard of ITAM Review readers getting permission for other tools. So unfortunately this program (if indeed it is a program), along with Oracle, has become a bit of a farce.

This is a shame because this sort of guidance, verification and standards setting from publishers would be most welcome.

So for this reason I won’t be using vendor verifications as a competitive differentiator to discriminate between tools. Stay tuned to The ITAM Review newsletter to be notified when the review of 10 tools for Enterprise SAM is published.

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