ISEB Practitioner Certificate in Software Asset Management

Prerequisites:

Candidates must hold the ISEB Certificate in Software Asset Management Essentials qualification and:

* have an ability to demonstrate exposure to all aspects of the phases of Software Asset Management
* have an understanding of ITIL Best Practices Software Asset Management

Course Description:

The ISEB Software Asset Management (SAM) Certificate syllabus and qualification is designed to provide Software Asset Managers, who work in the typically complex computing environment of medium to large companies, the knowledge to implement and maintain an effective SAM programme.

The Practitioner certificate in Software Asset Management is a five days residential course. The trainer and candidates will use real-world scenarios in order to share their knowledge and appreciate the thin line between theory and practice in SAM. Candidates will also leave the training with a sense of accomplishment and an appreciation of the benefits of being a SAM practitioner.

Holders of the ISEB Practitioner Certificate in Software Asset Management will be able to demonstrate their competence in planning, implementing, and maintaining a SAM programme and have the ability to:

• Understand the risks, costs, challenges and benefits associated with SAM;
• Understand the different types of licensing metrics commonly used by commercial software vendors;
• Recognise the potential problems that arise when implementing a SAM programme;
• Gather the appropriate information about the organisation's environment;
• Make a comprehensive Business Case for SAM;
• Understand the key SAM processes required to ensure an effective SAM programme;
• Specify the requirements for evaluating and selecting the correct tools for SAM;
• Develop and communicate the organisation's Software Policy
• Plan for the development and implementation of all relevant SAM policies, procedures and tools
• Establish and maintain a SAM database
• Understand how to control all activities associated with the software lifecycle;
• Detect, escalate and manage all exceptions with SAM policies, processes, procedures and licence rights;
• Manage all relationships within the business and with partnerssuppliers to agreed service levels;
• Continually assess the effectiveness of policies and procedures

This course includes the following modules:

Introduction

• Identify the need for SAM and understand the SAM principles
• Recognise the industry standards and available best practice
• Understand the risks, costs, challenges and benefits associated with SAM

Understand the Scope of SAM

• Recognise the different stages of the software life cycle
• Understand the different categories of software and their associated rights
• Recognise all the key relationships and partners associated with SAM
• Identify all key dependencies and interfaces required to implement effective SAM
• Understand the key SAM processes
• Discuss the different approaches and expected outcomes required
• Recognise the common challenges and pitfalls of implementing SAM
• Identify the importance of awareness and training
• Recognise the possible effects on an organisations culture
• Identify how best to implement a SAM project

Making a Business Case

• Develop a vision and strategy for SAM
• Perform a Risk Assessment
• Analyse the Gap between current and desired future state
• Determine the requirements for SAM
• Clearly identify business benefit from SAM
• Document the Business Case
• Sell the Business Case

Planning

• Identify the scope and size of the task
• Identify sponsor and key stakeholder requirements
• Develop and prioritise an outline project plan aligned to the Business Case
• Establish key objectives and deliverables and milestones
• Identify and manage the projects key dependencies
• Understand the SAM processes and procedures required
• Determine key performance indicators and critical success factor
• Identify project resource requirements
• Identify and implement a ?¢‚Äöá®Ä∫Stopgap process
• Produce a communication plan to raise awareness within the organisation
• Produce an Implementation Plan
• Review the SAM tools and data sources
• Define the agreed reporting content and the frequency of distribution
• Review and gain commitment to the Implementation Plan with all key stakeholders

Implementation

• Develop an overall software policy encompassing all aspects of software
• Understand how to effectively distribute and enforce the software policy
• Confirm IT Infrastructure and change controls are in place to ensure SAM tools remain operational
• Implement and configure the SAM tools and data sources
• Create an effective procedure for the protection and retention of all software licences and media
• Implement the agreed SAM processes and ensure roles and responsibilities are effectively assigned
• Collect and analyse the software audit data
• Establish the organisations compliance status and understand the procedures to remedy any associated risk
• Monitor and review all objectives and measure the deliverables against the defined key performance indicators
• Establish and implement service level management for software asset management
• Manage the transition from implementation to business as usual.

Establish and Maintain Control

• Understand how to continually maintain and monitor the SAM processes
• Establish a method of continued improvement for each SAM process
• Prevent complacency and regression within each process
• Understand how to facilitate the SAM processes ensuring that the overall SAM objectives and benefits are being achieved
• Understand how to detect, escalate and manage all exceptions to SAM policies, processes, and procedures

Software Licencing Overview

• Establish when a licence is required
• Understand the responsibilities, liabilities and the rights associated with using software
• Understand the different types of licence agreements (e.g. perpetual, upgrade, client access licenses and maintenance)
• Prevent the procurement of counterfeit software
• Understand the software distribution chain and where to go to get license help
• Recognise what constitutes a ?¢‚Äöá®Ä∫Proof of licence