Press Release

Firms Languish in Software Ignorance

Compliance and security fears overlooked by over two thirds of UK firms

UK - January 6, 2006: Research published this week by Centennial Software, the asset discovery company, and Business Continuity Services has revealed that 42 per cent of British companies have not audited the software running on their network in the last 12 months.

Despite an increase in the number of high-profile investigations by software vendors and licensing watchdogs, the research found that only 25 per cent of firms conducted a regular monthly audit of the software in use on servers and PCs around the enterprise. Another 25 per cent audited their PCs once a year, while just eight per cent checked their installed software once a quarter.

Firms who do not audit and monitor their installed software run the risk of facing criminal charges and large financial penalties.  These firms also are exposed to greater software costs due to over-licensing, higher per unit costs from decentralized purchasing and unused maintenance agreements.

However, the research results hinted at changing attitudes amongst IT managers. For those organisations looking to better manage their software, 'reducing the cost of IT procurement and operations' was pinpointed as the primary business driver (33 per cent), followed by 'avoiding the risk of non-compliance fines' (29 per cent) .

In fact, 61 per cent of respondents cited the ability to re-deploy existing software licences, rather than purchasing new ones, as the reason why software asset management was likely to save the organisation the most money in the next 12 months. 27 per cent were looking to cancel unnecessary support contracts while 12 per cent wanted to phase out user and department-level software purchases.

Andy Burton, CEO at Centennial Software, commented: "IT managers have traditionally worried about compliance purely out of fear of getting caught out. These results prove that businesses are starting to realise that compliance actually comes out of good practice, and that good practice is the key to avoiding wasted purchases and unnecessary spend on IT."

Andy Fisher, Consultant at Business Continuity Services, continued: "Whatever the goal, the starting point must be to know what software you have and whether you have sufficient - or even superfluous - licences to cover your current use."

Press Release from Centennial Software