If traditional licensing was Sudoku, then licensing for a multi-platform mobile and cloud world is like a broadsheet newspaper’s Cryptic Crossword.  But this increased licensing complexity created by digital business model transformation, especially cloud and mobility, offers up an unintended opportunity.

Resellers can add value by alleviating customers of compliance burdens, cutting their risk and directing their scarce resources to the most efficient licences through effective software asset management (SAM). While perpetual and seat licensing for software will persist, there’s a new game in town.

In theory, software asset management is much simpler in the cloud, where SaaS can guarantee up-to-date versions and automatic billing. But an emerging concern with the shift from perpetual licences (charged out for each PC or ‘seat’) to cloud services is that organisations could be at their vendors’ mercy, says Gartner analyst Guriq Sedha.

SOURCE: crn.com.au