Entitlement data for IBM software is captured and stored in a single repository and securely managed within the Certero Software Asset Management solution. Certero SAM consultants then:

Ensure all your entitlement, not just Passport Advantage is factored in. We do this by looking at your contracts and your Proofs of Entitlement as well as exploring IBM software, which may be provided under IBM Managed Service contracts and other service provider contracts and IBM software provided bundled under third party contracts.

Ensure all the entitlement shows in a single place. Certero for IBM supports a vast number of IBM part numbers and a very simple method of entering the entitlements, giving you a single place for all these to be housed. This is easily interrogated using our market-leading reporting engine.

Using the captured inventory and license entitlement data, our consultants work in the Certero for IBM solution to create an Effective License Position, a true picture of your current software consumption versus entitlement. This will highlight potential areas of risk as well as opportunities for optimization.

With the help of Certero solution and consultants, we:

Ensure you are working IBM licensing to your advantage by correctly applying bundles and other classifications to your inventory we can expect to reduce the amount of chargeable IBM software by up to a half in extreme cases. Similarly, we’ll identify and classify Cold and Warm standby servers which can typically reduce maintenance bills by a further 5%. These are just two examples of how we can reduce potential license exposure.

Provide you with a current IBM Effective Licensing Position which can be maintained easily on an ongoing basis tracking where this changes.

Support you in mitigating risks drawing on our considerable experience in practical ways to improve our IBM licensing position. Decommissioning IBM software is only one of a number of ways of doing this. There are a number of other options and tactics which we can support you with.

In addition to recognizing risks, our consultants will help you identify opportunities to reduce costs, improve software availability or take advantage of changes in licensing schemes. Recommendations are based on:

• Options that may exist to deploy in a more cost-efficient manner
• Process improvements based on observations during the engagement
• Potential software re-harvesting opportunities
• Suggested vendor negotiation tactics if appropriate

Certero consultants can also provide Audit Defence services such as; an independent review in parallel with the auditor or; ratifying or contesting the auditors results either anonymously or as an extension to your team.

Similarly, we can act as a ‘third set of eyes’ on the IBM Authorised SAM Partner (IASP) initiative where organisations can elect to work with an approved ‘SAM’ partner to manage the environment. By engaging Certero you can be rest assured that any results are accurate, and any potential risk is mitigated.