Businesses may struggle with where Software as a Service
("SaaS) belongs when it comes to Software Asset Management
("SAM"). One may assert that SaaS is a service by name
and has no place in the asset management lifecycle because it's
merely a service and not an asset to be managed. Here's why
companies should include SaaS in their SAM reviews.
Access Rights are Similar to Right-to-Use Licenses
SaaS usage is generally managed by the provider via login
credentials. The customers' rights to use the software are
often governed by a Right to Use License. In many cases, the
users are authorized for the different access to the SaaS product.
Including SaaS in a SAM review will help to ensure that the users
have the proper access. Also, when employees change job
functions internally or terminate from the company, the
employee's credentials need to be redistributed to other users
or held in reserve for future users, if allowed by the Right to Use
License.
