2015: The year that software licensing democratises, the reality of SaaS is revealed, and app stores show their worth to the IT function within business (not just the employees). This year, enterprises can make a choice between offensive and defensive strategies when it comes to managing their most costly asset. Those who get ‘predictive’, implementing processes and technologies to get full visibility on their software licenses, will be able to significantly reduce costs and corporate risk. For those who take a reactive approach, be warned- software audits will continue unabated and with even greater frequency.

To best prepare IT pros for the year ahead, here are our predictions on the new directions the industry will take.

1. All is not what it seems with SaaS

While we can expect enterprises to continue implementing Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) applications, such as salesforce.com, some of the major benefits touted by the SaaS movement – that SaaS lowers overall costs and eliminates waste around software spend – will prove to be incorrect. Organisations will learn that hidden waste remains within their SaaS budget, and they need to be proactive about understanding the licensing complexities around SaaS apps. This means implementing the appropriate Software License Optimisation processes and technology to manage that complexity, minimise spend, and ensure they are only licensing the number of seats they need.

SOURCE: abc.net.au