Terms

SAM

Software Asset Management (SAM) is a business practice that involves managing and optimizing the purchase, deployment, maintenance, utilization, and disposal of software applications within an organization. The primary goals of SAM are to control IT costs, manage business and legal risks, and ensure compliance with software license agreements. By tracking software assets throughout their lifecycle, organizations can reduce waste, improve security, and make more informed decisions about their technology investments.

Historical Context of SAM

Software Asset Management emerged in the 1980s, driven by the widespread adoption of mass software in organizations. As businesses began using more applications, a structured approach to manage these digital assets became essential. This was the genesis of tracking software to control costs and ensure compliance.

The practice was later formalized by frameworks like ITIL, which standardized its principles across the industry. The introduction of ISO standards further solidified SAM's role within IT governance. Modern SAM continues to evolve with automation and cloud-based tools.

Applications and Use Cases of SAM

Software Asset Management provides critical functions that impact an organization's financial health, security posture, and operational agility. It offers a strategic approach to managing the entire software lifecycle, from procurement to retirement, delivering tangible benefits across the business.

  • Cost Savings: Reducing overspending on unused software licenses and optimizing maintenance renewals.
  • Compliance: Ensuring adherence to license agreements to avoid costly audits and legal penalties.
  • Security: Mitigating risks by tracking software versions, managing patches, and preventing unauthorized installations.
  • Efficiency: Automating inventory and deployment processes to streamline IT operations and resource allocation.

SAM vs. SaaS

While SAM is a management strategy, SaaS is a software delivery model, and they address different organizational needs.

  • SAM: This is a comprehensive process for managing software lifecycles. It excels at cost control and compliance, making it ideal for large enterprises with complex software portfolios, but it can be resource-intensive to implement and maintain.
  • SaaS: This model delivers software over the internet on a subscription basis. It offers scalability and lower upfront costs, appealing to mid-market companies and enterprises seeking agility, though it provides less direct control over the software environment.

Challenges and Limitations of SAM

While SAM offers significant benefits, its implementation is not without hurdles. Organizations often face operational complexities and resource constraints that can hinder its effectiveness. These challenges require careful planning and continuous effort to overcome.

  • Complexity: Managing a diverse software portfolio across on-premises and cloud environments is intricate. Aligning SAM processes with frameworks and ensuring constant compliance requires specialized knowledge and diligent oversight.
  • Resources: Effective SAM can be resource-intensive, often demanding a dedicated team and significant investment in tools. The ongoing effort to track assets, manage licenses, and conduct audits can strain IT budgets and personnel.

Future Developments in SAM

The future of SAM is moving towards greater intelligence and integration. As organizations increasingly adopt cloud services and complex software stacks, SAM platforms are evolving to provide more proactive and automated management.

  • Automation: Leveraging AI to proactively manage licenses, compliance, and cost optimization.
  • Cloud-centric: Shifting to cloud-hosted platforms to better manage SaaS and hybrid environments.
  • Integration: Deeper connections with IT Service Management (ITSM) and security tools for a unified view.

Frequently Asked Questions about SAM

Is SAM still relevant in a cloud-first world?

Absolutely. While SaaS simplifies deployment, it complicates cost and usage tracking. SAM provides the necessary oversight to manage SaaS sprawl, optimize subscriptions, and ensure you're only paying for what you actually use, preventing uncontrolled spending in cloud environments.

How can we justify the investment in a SAM program?

The ROI from a SAM program comes from direct cost savings on unused licenses, avoiding hefty non-compliance fines, and improving security. It shifts IT from a cost center to a strategic asset by providing clear data for better financial and operational decisions.

How does SAM integrate with other IT functions like security?

SAM is a cornerstone of IT security. By maintaining an accurate inventory of all software, it helps identify unauthorized applications, ensures timely patching of vulnerabilities, and supports security audits. This integration provides a comprehensive view of your organization's risk exposure.

Other terms

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Lead List

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Lead Scoring Models

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Account-Based Sales

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Applicant Tracking System

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Applicant Tracking System

Operational CRM

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Consumer Relationship Management

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Simple Object Access Protocol Application Programming Interface

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Simple Object Access Protocol Application Programming Interface

Customer Buying Signals

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Customer Buying Signals

Customer Relationship Marketing

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Bounce Rate

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Bounce Rate

Shipping Solutions

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Shipping Solutions

Lead Routing

Lead routing is the automated process of distributing incoming leads to the right sales reps based on predefined criteria.

Lead Routing

Product-Led Growth

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Product-Led Growth

SEO

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Technographics

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Network Monitoring

Network monitoring is the continuous process of tracking a computer network's performance and health to detect and resolve issues proactively.

Network Monitoring

Persona Map

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Persona Map

Cold Email

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Cold Email

Digital Advertising

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Digital Advertising

Total Addressable Market (TAM)

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Total Addressable Market (TAM)

Buyer Intent

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Stress Testing

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Stress Testing

Inside Sales

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Account Management

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Account Management

AI Data Enrichment

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AI Data Enrichment

Customer Relationship Management Systems

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Point of Contact

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Point of Contact

Sales Operations Analytics

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Sales Operations Analytics

Retargeting Marketing

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Retargeting Marketing

Lead Nurturing

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Lead Nurturing

HubSpot

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HubSpot

Qualified Lead

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Qualified Lead

Data Enrichment

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Data Enrichment

B2C2B

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B2C2B

Audience Targeting

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Audience Targeting

Event Marketing

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B2B Sales

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Enrichment

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GDPR Compliance

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GDPR Compliance

Outbound Lead Generation

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Outbound Lead Generation

Sales Development Representative (SDR)

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Data Appending

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Video Selling

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Objection Handling

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Objection Handling

Knowledge Base

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Landing Pages

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Landing Pages

Sales Objections

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Annual Recurring Revenue (ARR)

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Annual Recurring Revenue (ARR)

Buyer’s Remorse

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Data Security

Data security protects digital information from unauthorized access, corruption, or theft throughout its entire lifecycle.

Data Security

Account Development Representative

An Account Development Representative (ADR) identifies and qualifies new business opportunities, creating a pipeline for account executives.

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Key Accounts

Key accounts are a company's most valuable customers, vital due to their significant revenue contribution and strategic importance for growth.

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Account-Based Marketing Software

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Single Page Applications

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Product Recommendations

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Product Recommendations

Sales Metrics

Sales metrics are quantifiable data points that track and measure a sales team's performance against specific goals and objectives.

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Ideal Customer Profile

An Ideal Customer Profile (ICP) is a detailed description of the perfect, hypothetical company that would get the most value from your product.

Ideal Customer Profile

Pipeline Coverage

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Pipeline Coverage

Headless CMS

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Sales Enablement

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Business-to-Business (B2B)

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Sales Acceleration

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Email Verification

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Marketing Attribution Model

A marketing attribution model is a framework for assigning credit to the marketing touchpoints that lead a customer to convert.

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Customer Acquisition Cost

Customer Acquisition Cost (CAC) is the total cost a business spends to gain a new customer. It includes all sales and marketing expenses.

Customer Acquisition Cost

Sales Prospecting Software

Sales prospecting software automates the process of finding, contacting, and tracking potential customers to help sales teams build their pipeline.

Sales Prospecting Software

Content Management System

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Revenue Intelligence

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Revenue Intelligence

Consultative Selling

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Chatbots

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Chatbots

Performance Plan

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Performance Plan

Sales Enablement Technology

Sales enablement technology refers to software and tools that equip sales teams with the resources they need to close more deals efficiently.

Sales Enablement Technology

Trigger Marketing

Trigger marketing uses customer actions or events to automatically send highly relevant, personalized messages at the perfect moment.

Trigger Marketing

Canary Releases

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Canary Releases

Sales Partnerships

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Sales Partnerships

Marketing Mix

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Marketing Mix

Account-Based Everything

Account-Based Everything (ABE) is a strategy aligning sales, marketing, and success teams to focus on a specific set of high-value accounts.

Account-Based Everything

Dynamic Pricing

Dynamic pricing is a strategy where businesses set flexible prices for products or services based on current market demands and other factors.

Dynamic Pricing

Email Marketing

Email marketing is a digital strategy where businesses send targeted emails to prospects and customers to build relationships and drive sales.

Email Marketing

Monthly Recurring Revenue (MRR)

Monthly Recurring Revenue (MRR) is the predictable, recurring income a business expects to receive each month from all active subscriptions.

Monthly Recurring Revenue (MRR)

B2B Data Erosion

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B2B Data Erosion

Marketing Play

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Marketing Play

Gamification

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Gamification

Social Proof

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Social Proof

Lead Scrape

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Lead Scrape

Mobile Compatibility

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Mobile Compatibility

Behavioral Analytics

Learn about behavioral analytics, including implementing behavioral analytics successfully, & key metrics in behavioral analytics.

Behavioral Analytics

Lead Generation Software

Lead generation software helps businesses automate finding and capturing potential customers' contact information to build sales pipelines.

Lead Generation Software

Outbound Sales

Outbound sales is when reps proactively contact potential customers through cold calls or emails to generate leads and build a sales pipeline.

Outbound Sales

Website Visitor Tracking

Website visitor tracking collects and analyzes data on user behavior to understand their journey and improve the overall user experience.

Website Visitor Tracking

Programmatic Display Campaign

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Programmatic Display Campaign

Accounts Payable

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Accounts Payable

Awareness Buying Stage

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Awareness Buying Stage

Marketing Qualified Account

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Marketing Qualified Account

User Interface

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User Interface

Business Development Representative

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Business Development Representative

Sales Dashboard

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Sales Dashboard

Predictive Lead Generation

Predictive lead generation uses data and AI to find prospects most likely to buy, helping teams focus their efforts on high-value leads.

Predictive Lead Generation

Lead Generation

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Lead Generation