In Depth

In Depth

Software licensing

• Forrester: Why tagging should be used to manage hybrid assets

  With complex hybrid environments, there is a need to apply IT asset management best practices across cloud and on-premise systems  Continue Reading

• How APAC firms are coping with the Covid-19 outbreak

  The air of change looms large in companies operating in the Asia-Pacific region, with some doing better than others in keeping the lights on amid the coronavirus pandemic  Continue Reading

• The future of open source licences is changing

  The Open Source Insider blog on Computer Weekly recently asked industry experts for their views on the future of open source licensing  Continue Reading

• How Sporting Group tackles the Rugby World Cup

  Sporting Group has readied its system monitoring to ensure the technology is able to cope with the huge demand for bets during the Rugby World Cup final  Continue Reading

• Choosing the right kind of hybrid cloud management

  We look at the various factors businesses should consider when looking to solve their cloud management problems  Continue Reading

• Counting the costs of IaaS and SaaS

  Cost management is a priority for organisations seeking to use infrastructure and software as a service  Continue Reading

• Steering a safe course through hybrid cloud

  We look at why hybrid cloud can create a tricky infrastructure to manage  Continue Reading

• Tips on reducing unnecessary cloud service costs

  As IT departments prepare their 2019 budgets, we assess how to avoid paying too much for cloud services  Continue Reading

• How SAP’s digital access licence influences your ERP strategy

  Following the high-profile legal cases against brewers Diageo and Anheuser-Busch InBev, SAP has brought some clarity over indirect access to its core ERP system  Continue Reading

• From consumers to contributors: The evolution of open source in the enterprise

  The use of open source software is commonplace in enterprises, but many organisations are still reluctant to contribute their own code, despite the benefits it can bring  Continue Reading

• Microsoft SPE helps joined-up thinking

  We assess how Microsoft’s secure productive enterprise licence can help enterprises coordinate their digital transformation  Continue Reading

• DevOps practitioners open up about enterprise adoption challenges

  Ahead of next week’s DevOps Enterprise Summit in London, practitioners have warned enterprises to stop thinking of DevOps as something only Silicon Valley firms and startups can do successfully  Continue Reading

• Can you work around SAP indirect access software licensing?

  The SAP legal case against Diageo highlights the seemingly arbitrary rules governing software licensing  Continue Reading

• Software asset management maturity in the age of SaaS

  For asset tracking, software as a service is no different from any other type of software licensing – but the process of software asset management needs adapting  Continue Reading

• How to beat Oracle licence audits

  An eight-step guide to tame the Oracle auditors. Don't take the bait...  Continue Reading

• Automation and acceleration the Asian aspiration

  Storage infrastructures within Asean organisations are changing to support technologies designed to speed up, automate and centralize.  Continue Reading

• CIOs say SaaS compliance is a two-way street

  We’ll ensure we don’t break contract terms, but providers must better meet our needs in terms of simplicity and flexibility, say IT bosses  Continue Reading

• Tackling compliance issues in software as a service

  There remain a number of compliance issues with Saas, none of which have a common, single fix  Continue Reading

• Metropolis Studios runs music business expansion on FileMaker

  Metropolis Studios has turned to FileMaker 14 to run the functional and creative sides of its business, replacing SAP  Continue Reading

• What ingredients go into the successful app store?

  An enterprise app store should provide the controlled availability of apps for employees.We look at what is available for organisations to use  Continue Reading

• Software asset management is key to datacentre planning

  An ordered approach to managing software and hardware assets is essential to maximising your datacentre  Continue Reading

• Royal Brompton & Harefield NHS Trust secures government backing for £6m IT modernisation programme

  CIO interview: Joanna Smith, CIO. Royal Brompton and Harefield NHS Foundation Trust  Continue Reading

• How to navigate the IT supplier jungle

  Being a CIO is interesting and satisfying, but there is a relentless pressure on them to improve  Continue Reading

• The IT industry must come clean on software licensing

  Businesses are accused of software piracy if there is a licence shortfall, but software companies are making it difficult for IT departments to comply.  Continue Reading

• Forrester: Control over your software assets has become a must

  Despite the rising importance of software asset management, there is a lack of sufficient attention and funding being devoted to it.  Continue Reading

• Well-managed software for flexible and resilient IT

  Managing software assets is vital for maintaining a flexible and up-to-date IT platform. We look at best practices for software asset management  Continue Reading

• Best practices in software asset management for a flexible, resilient IT

  Managing software assets is vital in order to maintain a highly flexible and up-to-date IT platform and more importantly remain compliant  Continue Reading

• Windows XP end of support: What to do next

  CIOs may not wish to carry on running a 12-year-old desktop OS, but thousands of incompatible applications leave many with no choice  Continue Reading

• Outsourcing IT services: goals and negotiations

  Tactical and strategic negotiations are important to businesses of all sizes, from SMEs to the largest enterprises  Continue Reading

• CW500: Transforming IT at HMRC, with CIO Phil Pavitt

  Phil Pavitt, HM Revenue & Customs CIO, revealed the secrets behind running the UK's largest IT estate to CW500 Club members.  Continue Reading

• Computer Weekly / TechTarget IT priorities survey 2012

  Learn which IT priorities are at the top of UK IT managers lists for 2012. Coverage from across our network includes cloud, budget cuts, networking, security, disaster recovery and more.  Continue Reading

• When X.509 security certificates fail, servers break

  Why are X.509 certificates causing computers to stop dead?  Continue Reading

• Buyer's Guide: What next for virtualisation?

  You’d be forgiven for thinking that virtualisation is a done deal, but research shows its uptake is still not moving at the speed many would like.  Continue Reading

• Buyer's guide to IT consumerisation: Rewriting the rulebook

  Desktop computing is no longer about IT providing a set of tools for employees. Consumer technology has advanced, and staff are more tech-savvy.  Continue Reading

• What does the future hold for Microsoft’s business model?

  With the technology industry shifting away from traditional software licensing, what is the future for Microsoft as tech top dog?  Continue Reading

• Software licensing - Essential guide

  Software asset management can help IT departments to monitor where software products are being used and ensure they are licensed correctly  Continue Reading

• Lower your software licence fees

  The downturn has given organisations the opportunity to revisit their software licences and maintenance contracts to make cost savings.  Continue Reading

• Northern Ireland Civil Service pilots virtualisation

  Before embarking on a full-blown virtualisation roll-out, many organisations try a small pilot first.  Continue Reading

• Enterprise licensing stranglehold set to loosen in 2007, says Forrester

  For IT directors, 2007 may be the year that they are able to escape inflexible terms and conditions on their enterprise software usage, ­according to Forrester Research.  Continue Reading

• Software licensing: How to stay ahead

  Software licensing issues are growing increasingly complex. On a day-to-day basis, there are issues around software asset management and patching strategies to consider. At the same time, big-picture issues include the advantages or otherwise of ...  Continue Reading

• Technology advances add to licensing headache

  Server virtualisation, multicore processors and capacity on demand do not fit with traditional models of software licensing, and IT managers are facing growing complexity as suppliers struggle to find a solution  Continue Reading

• Standard Life reaps the benefits of asset tracking

  The benefits of getting a grip on the complexity of software licensing arrangements has been highlighted by insurer Standard Life, which earlier this month gave up its mutual status to list on the London Stock Exchange.  Continue Reading

• Time for software suppliers to eliminate sharp practices

  20 August 1998: The next step in our campaign to stop suppliers from exploiting users is to get suppliers to sign up to our Software Licence Code, writes Ian Mitchell.  Continue Reading

• Oracle entices SAP users with licence credit plan

  Technology providers are trying to capture their rivals' customers with upgrade licence exchanges. Customers should use these incentives to gain leverage with their current supplier.  Continue Reading

• Oracle spells out licensing approach for multicore servers

  The recent introduction of multicore servers - where two or more processors are embedded on a single chip - has raised concerns...  Continue Reading

• Watch your step

  Microsoft's licensing changes have tempted other major software companies to examine their own charging models. Karl Cushing...  Continue Reading

• Microsoft: Why we need Software Assurance

  Microsoft chief executive Steve Ballmer explains why he saw a need for the company's radical change in software licensing and...  Continue Reading

• Users challenge unrepentant Microsoft on licence changes

  Microsoft: With just over a month to go before new volume licensing charges come into force, James Rogers finds users still...  Continue Reading

• Getting the best deal out of Oracle

  With the current furore over Oracle's licensing practices, what should Oracle users be doing to get their house in order and put...  Continue Reading

• Oracle accused of fudging licence policy

  Chairman of the UK Oracle User Group, Ronan Miles, is seeking a clarification of Oracle's licensing policy after leading US...  Continue Reading

• Keep track of software licences

  Beware, your unpaid licence fees will find you out - and when they do you will have to pay dearly for them  Continue Reading

• The search for a software super model

  The problem for users is that there are as many models for software licensing as there are products. And it's going to get worse.  Continue Reading

• Microsoft on the spot

  Lindsay Clark talks to Microsoft's UK managing director Neil Holloway about the impact of the company's licensing changes  Continue Reading

• Can CRM vendors weather the storm?

  Analyst group Ovum says that vendors cannot keep their growth going through service revenues, because this is tied to licence...  Continue Reading

• Is Microsoft deal best medicine for NHS?

  The Government claims Microsoft's licensing deal will save the NHS millions, but some within the service remain concerned.  Continue Reading

• Enough rope to hang yourself?

  Microsoft's extension of the deadline for its licensing changes to July 2002 may offer a brief respite, but IT directors around...  Continue Reading

• Ballmer says Microsoft listened to feedback

  Microsoft was overwhelmed by user anger over its proposed changes to corporate licensing programmes, said the company's chief...  Continue Reading

• Opening up your options

  The deadline for Microsoft's changes to its enterprise licensing model came and went last week, with no sign of compromise from...  Continue Reading

• Time, gentlemen, please

  Microsoft licensing: As the start date looms, Computer Weekly looks at the impact of the changes to Microsoft's licensing regime...  Continue Reading

• Which path to take?

  Users wondering how to respond to Microsoft's licensing changes still have a wide range of options open to them, although many...  Continue Reading

• Open source attracts disillusioned users

  Microsoft's new licensing terms have encouraged some firms to consider other operating systems  Continue Reading

• Processor licensing suits e-business

  Users are constantly calling for more easily understandable software licensing models, and perhaps the message is starting to hit...  Continue Reading

• Selling your brain power

  The intellectual property residing in companies can be turned into profit by licensing it to customers. Just make sure you follow...  Continue Reading

• Stiffing calls for guerilla action

  
  
  Users are fed up with unfair software licensing, or stiffing, as it has become known. Last week a group of IT strategists swapped experiences behind the closed...  Continue Reading

• Software: new licences, more complexity

  The shift towards subscription-based software licences by IBM and Computer Associates could mean all corporate IT users will have more opportunities, but also more complexity to deal with  Continue Reading

• Online firms face software licence fight

  
  
  David Bicknell

  Fast-growing online services risk incurring the wrath of software suppliers if they exceed the terms of their licence...

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• Lotus eases licence plan to help users

  Lotus is simplifying its licensing model and integrating its software with Microsoft technology in an attempt to make life easier...  Continue Reading