SAM Managed Services: ITAMS (Vendor Profile)

ITAM News & Analysis

SAM Managed Services: ITAMS (Vendor Profile)

IT Asset Management Solutions (ITAMS) is an independent UK based ITAM specialist and veteran of the UK SAM Industry. The team consists of 25 full time members of staff and an extended team of associates. ITAMS is also the home of IAITAM Training and Certifications in the UK.

ELM 360

ITAMS provide a suite of consultancy, project management, tools and managed services under the brand Enterprise Licence Management 360 (ELM 360).

As with other providers in this review, these services are suited to small tactical projects to long term managed services arrangements, with many variants in-between.

I found the offering from ITAMS to be pragmatic and short on rhetoric. Their services have been built up over a number of years in the industry, originating from tool selection and implementation, and developing as the market has matured to full managed services. A point reflected in their references. Services are grouped broadly into three phases of client maturity and adoption of ITAM:

• Initial exploratory advisory services or tactical projects (understanding what to do and where to go);
• Transition services or development projects (getting there),
• Business as usual services (staying there).

The SAM Standard & Software Advisory Group ITAMS make use of two key resources to assist clients in their maturity and ensure ITAM continues to add value:

• The SAM Standard – a minimum code of practice for working with software licensing which all parts of the business must adhere to;
• The Software Advisory Group – manages compliance against the standard above and provides a senior level decision making group regarding all aspects of software in the business. Ensuring stakeholders and business units have a voice.

These aspects were a key differentiator in this review, going beyond just churning data for clients to actually holding their hand and helping them continually improve. Although ITAMS admit that some clients simply want their data processed and interpreted to build a license position.

Moreover, business units throughout the business are much more likely to engage with the ITAM function if they feel their voice is being heard and items are being acted upon. This approach is long-term business development for ITAMS – since not only does it help the client mature, it also ensures the longevity and value of their service.

As with other providers in this review ITAMS have a RACI driven on-boarding process, recognizing that Managed SAM is not a one sided process or one-off process. They also offer a licensing service desk for handling licensing, negotiation and contract queries. Aspera powers the SAM tool components of the ELM 360 service, recommended in situations where clients do not have a suitable engine which can deliver the necessary intelligence and automation required to optimise their current licence management requirements.

ITAMS support around 20 customers with their full-managed service. Customers are typically enterprise size with global operations, although the majority of projects are UK or Europe centric.

Download the full SAM managed services report for free here.

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