Engineering Software Licensing

I bet if your business/organisation has more than 50 employees, you've had people leave and forgot to tell your IT team or external company? At Reformed IT we've seen this all too often. We've taken on new clients and reviewed their Microsoft 365 accounts, as we go through the list of users, we'll hear "Oh, John left months ago, is his account still active?" The impact of this is that; 1) You're probably still paying for licences that you no longer need. 2) You could possibly be billed for this person by your IT partner for support as they don't realise they've left. 3) You're not staying on top of your cyber security risks and if you're Cyber Essentials certified, you're not actually compliant as you should be promptly removing user access when someone leaves. At Reformed IT we've now built some automation into our HaloPSA management system which monitors all our client's inactive 365 accounts (by checking when they last logged in) and creating a task for us to review any inactive accounts. We ensure that every one of our clients is up to Cyber Essentials standards and we always look to implement anything which can automate processes to maintain compliance. This proactive service also reduces costs for our clients, as they won't be paying for licences and support for employees who are no longer with the organisation. The record we've found at a new client is 17 licences being paid for which didn't need to be. This was an immediate cost saving of around £350 per month in Microsoft licenses alone. If you haven't reviewed your licenced/active user list recently, I suggest you put it on your to do list. I bet you find some and wonder why your IT partner didn't pick up on this for you. #microsoft365 #efficiency #automation

💡 𝐖𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐌𝐢𝐜𝐫𝐨𝐬𝐨𝐟𝐭 𝟑𝟔𝟓 𝐥𝐢𝐜𝐞𝐧𝐬𝐞𝐬 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐳𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐢𝐭? 𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐏𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫𝐒𝐡𝐞𝐥𝐥 𝐬𝐜𝐫𝐢𝐩𝐭 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐬𝐩𝐨𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐦 𝐢𝐧𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐥𝐲. When it comes to cost optimization, one of the first things admins review is unused licenses. It is not just about unassigned seats. There are multiple scenarios where licenses end up wasted: 🔍 Assigned to inactive users (no login for 90+ days) 🔍 Assigned to users who never logged in 🔍 Assigned to disabled accounts 🔍 High-cost licenses like Power BI Pro or E5 left unused Tracking all this manually through the Admin Center or PowerShell cmdlets is tedious. 🤯 👉Here is a PowerShell script that automates the entire process and gives you a clear view of unused licenses in a CSV file. 📥 Download the script: https://lnkd.in/gHAigyiq 💡 Bonus: You can also filter licenses by their status (Purchased, Trial, Free). This makes it easier to identify where your actual spend is going and cut unnecessary costs. #Microsoft365 #O365Reports #CostOptimization #PowerShell #ITAdmin #CloudEfficiency #M365Admin #Sysadmin #M365administration #MSGraph

When the cloud revolution began, many of us envisioned a future free from the shackles of traditional software licensing. ☁️ The reality, however, did not meet our expectations. Instead of simplifying, the cloud era has amplified the intricacies of software licensing. The promise of flexibility brought with it a tenfold increase in licensing complexity. 🌀 Today, it's not just about buying a software license. It's about understanding usage patterns, scaling requirements, and navigating a labyrinth of terms and conditions. The cloud didn't eliminate licensing; it transformed it into a dynamic, ever-evolving challenge. 📜 Moreover, with the rise of FinOps, financial operations specifically tailored to cloud economics, the landscape has become even more intricate. Overspending is just a misconfiguration away. Without expertise in both FinOps and licensing, you can quickly find yourselves drowning in unexpected costs. 💸 So, what's the solution? Continuous education and collaboration. As professionals, we need to equip ourselves with the knowledge of both FinOps and licensing. Moreover, we need to make sure FinOps and ITAM teams collaborate, not compete, and truly harness the power of the cloud. 🌐 #CloudComputing #SoftwareLicensing #FinOps #SAMexpert Feel free to share, comment, and discuss your experiences below! 👇🏼

What metrics should we use to measure AI’s impact? Laura Tacho, CTO at DX, recommends 3 key dimensions to track: 1. Utilization Are developers using the tools? Which tools and how often? - Weekly and daily active users - Percentage of PRs that are AI-assisted - Percentage of merged code that is AI-generated 2. Impact Are the tools delivering real value? Are they improving workflows or just adding overhead? - Direct impact: AI-driven time savings, developer satisfaction - Indirect impact: Improvements in metrics like PR throughput, Developer Experience Index, or Perceived Rate of Delivery 3. Cost Is the organisation getting a positive return on its investment? What high-value use cases exist that we should be replicating? - AI spend (total, and per developer) - Net time gain per developer - Agent hourly rate (HEH / AI spend) To learn more, read the latest article that I did in collaboration with Laura, called "How to Measure AI Impact in Engineering Teams" here: https://lnkd.in/e9FyxJyz

Last week, a stakeholder asked me ? “Can we track software license usage in real-time… without buying another tool?” It’s a question I hear a lot as a ServiceNow Architect. So I showed them what we could do using Software Asset Management (SAM) within ServiceNow. We connected to SCCM and Azure AD, normalized the software data using the ServiceNow Content Library, and enabled reclamation rules to automatically free up unused licenses. 🎯 The result? We identified $87K worth of underutilized licenses—in 2 days—without any third-party tools. It wasn't just about cost savings. It was about: Enforcing license compliance Automating reclaim processes Giving Procurement real-time insights 💬 Have you used SAM to reclaim unused licenses? What’s your biggest challenge with license optimization? #ServiceNow #SAM #ITAM #DigitalTransformation #LicenseManagement #ITOperations #TechLeadership

💸 𝗟𝘆𝗼𝗻 (𝟮𝗻𝗱 𝗹𝗮𝗿𝗴𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗰𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗶𝗻 𝗙𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲) 𝗶𝘀 𝘀𝗮𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴 €𝟭.𝟲𝟱 𝗺𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗮 𝘆𝗲𝗮𝗿 𝗯𝘆 𝗯𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗳𝗿𝗲𝗲 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗠𝗶𝗰𝗿𝗼𝘀𝗼𝗳𝘁. Yes, it’s real. And no, it didn’t happen overnight. Jean-Marie Séguret, CIO of Lyon, is leading a radical shift: • 80% of users off Microsoft Office by March 2026 • Replaced with OnlyOffice, Nextcloud, Jitsi, Zimbra • Hosted locally via Territoire Numérique Ouvert • Licensing costs: from €335/user ➝ down to €60 “It took 2 to 3 years of deep work to unbundle the Microsoft stack,” says Séguret. 💡 But this isn’t just about cost savings. It’s about 𝗿𝗲𝗰𝗹𝗮𝗶𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗹𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗴𝗲. Because when you depend on hyperscalers like Microsoft or Oracle, you don’t negotiate — you renew. Smaller or open-source vendors won’t work 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦. Some tools are too embedded. Some use cases too niche. But every time you break away — even just for productivity, hosting, or messaging — you gain: • Room to maneuver • Better roadmap alignment • Actual negotiation power Especially when the next renewal comes with a surprise +30%. 𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗶𝘀𝗻’𝘁 𝗮 𝘁𝗲𝗰𝗵 𝘀𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗰𝗵. 𝗜𝘁’𝘀 𝗮 𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗱𝘀𝗲𝘁 𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗳𝘁. Because when a vendor says, “You can’t leave…” That’s often the best time to try. If you’re still signing renewals without comparison, you’re not in control. 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁’𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗹𝗮𝘀𝘁 𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗲𝘄𝗮𝗹 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗮𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗯𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗵𝗺𝗮𝗿𝗸𝗲𝗱 — 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗱𝗶𝗱 𝗶𝘁 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗼𝘂𝘁𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗲?

GSPRs guide your design. Not just your documentation. GSPRs aren’t just "regulatory boxes" to tick. They’re inputs. Early ones. Here's my framework: → Start by identifying which GSPRs apply to their device. (Use the left column in this infographic as a starting point.) → Then, go through the key questions. No need to cover all of them. Just the ones that steer your design decisions. Example: If your device includes software, you might ask: ↳ How will updates be managed safely? ↳ Will cybersecurity be a concern? Once this framework is in place, it becomes second nature to design with compliance in mind. Then comes the other critical step: Always write with GSPRs in mind. Every time you draft a report, pause and ask: “Which GSPRs does this document support?” Simple habit. Massive impact. Because GSPRs aren’t just documentation. They’re part of the project. From day one, to the very end. Design with them. And yes → document them, But that must be the simplest part. You want to get a head start on this one, think of everything? Our GSPR templates for MDR & IVDR enable you to : → Access a complete list of standards to ensure the presumption of conformity of your IVDMD / MD with the GSPR. → Access a list of evidence requirements for each GSPR → Access a pre-defined methodology to ensure compliance with each of the GSPRs. 📗 MDR : https://lnkd.in/eE2i43v7 📕 IVDR : https://lnkd.in/erqgFWKr

Everybody has been there - paying for software licenses that barely get used! It's a painful reality that too many businesses face. In fact, 30% of global software spending is wasted due to inefficient license management practices. That's a massive drain on resources that could be better invested in driving innovation and propelling your business growth. Drawing insights from discussions with IT experts and tech leaders, we've distilled a proven approach to streamline license optimization. Here's what you can do: - Establish a single source of truth for all your software licenses to keep it organized - Identify unused or underused licenses that are silently draining your budget. - Automate license provisioning and deprovisioning swiftly as needed. By implementing these steps, you'll not only optimize your software spending but also unlock a world of benefits, including enhanced compliance, improved operational efficiency, and data-driven decision-making. Check out our comprehensive guide on the Zluri blog to learn more: https://lnkd.in/gbXgVAkN How are you optimizing your software spending this year? Let me know in the comments! #saas #licenses #licensemanagement #ShadowIT #costoptimization 

AI Innovations Deserve Strong Patent Protection 📍 In the booming world of Artificial Intelligence, protecting your innovation isn’t just smart , it’s strategic. But filing a patent in AI-related services is not as straightforward as it seems. 📌 Why? Because AI inventions often lie at the intersection of software, data models, algorithms, and real-world applications , each with its own legal considerations. 📌What Makes a Strong AI Patent Application? 🔅Clarity in Technical Contribution: Clearly define how your AI model or system improves a technical process, solves a real-world problem, or enhances efficiency. 🔅Avoid Abstract Descriptions: Patent offices (especially USPTO, EPO) are cautious about granting rights to abstract ideas. Always focus on the technical implementation. 🔅Draft claims that cover: 🔺System architecture 🔺Specific training methods 🔺Unique pre/post-processing steps 🔺Data handling improvements 🔅Detailed Specification with Flow Diagrams: Include flowcharts and use-case diagrams that demonstrate how your AI works in context , it helps both the Examiner and investors understand your edge. 📌Global Strategy: Think ahead where do you want protection? USA? Europe? India? UAE? Saudi Arabia? Tailor the language and scope accordingly. 📌Pro Tip: Conduct a patentability search before filing. It can save time, cost, and give you a competitive edge in drafting strong claims. 📌Whether you're building recommendation engines, computer vision tools, generative AI models, or decision-making systems , we help turn your tech into IP assets. 💬 Got an AI-based innovation? Let’s talk about protecting it the right way. #Patents #AI #ArtificialIntelligence #IPStrategy #Innovation #TechIP #PatentDrafting #StartupTips #MachineLearning #DeepLearning #IPR

How License Models Transform Presales and Demos As this year draws to a close, I’ve been reflecting on my 30 years in software sales. From the days of perpetual licenses to consumption-based models, it’s been a remarkable journey. The role of 'presales' has evolved into more strategic, impactful, and essential than ever before. 1. The 1990s: Perpetual Licenses & "Shelfware" In the 1990s, software licenses were tied to the number of users. Discounts on bulk purchases led companies to buy far more than they needed, resulting in unused software—or "shelfware." The presales profession was born, focussing on: - Understand customer pain. - Customize demos to fit the needs. - Teaching how software solved those pains. The downside: 🚩 Features were sometimes implied to exist when they didn’t. 🚩 Customers bore all risks—implementation costs often matched the software price. The mission was simple: sell and move on. 2. The 2000s: SaaS Subscription Licenses Change Everything Software was sold as a service—not a one-time product. Temporary licenses meant renewals were critical—and that only happened if customers were happy. Presales evolved into Solution Consultants and Customer Advisors. Key changes included: ✅ Overpromising was no longer an option—churn was a killer. ✅ "Greenfield" implementations were replaced by faster, standardized deployments. ✅ Trials made software more accessible. ✅ Demo automation let customers explore software independently. But not all changes were positive: ❌ Features and functions became the stars instead of solving customer problems. ❌ One-size-fits-all demos became the norm, often delivered multiple times a day. ❌ Customization became a selling point—ironically, contradicting SaaS best practices of sticking to standards. 3. Today: The birth of Consumption-Based Licensing We’re now at another tipping point: consumption-based licensing. Customers pay only when they use the software, putting more responsibility on the provider. This changes the profession fundamentally, it’s no longer about selling—it’s about ensuring customers achieve real results. Solution consultants guide customers throughout the software lifecycle. Their priorities include: ✔ Selling only what will generate usage-based revenue. ✔ Disqualifying customers who don’t fit the software. ✔ Helping customers configure and deploy software effectively. The focus? Revenue tied to usage. Think: - Revenue per shipment tracked - Revenue per gigabyte stored. Demos, too, are evolving: 👉 They’re becoming more cautious, showing only what’s realistic. 👉 Unqualified demos are fading away. Instead, software providers carefully choose the customers they want to serve, ensuring mutual success. This is a far cry from the "shelfware" days of the 1990s. What are your thoughts on consumption-based licensing and the impact on our profession and demos?