Solution Spotlight: Software License Management
Customer: Non-Profit Health Solutions Company
Location: Western New York
Highlights
The customer needed guidance in understanding its Microsoft license deployment to ensure it was purchasing licenses in the most cost-effective manner. MCPc worked closely with the company on the new software licensing agreement to maximize the investment. This included aligning business and IT goals, advising on purchasing decisions, ensuring compliance and mapping Software Assurance benefits to related projects.
Benefits
- By modifying licensing by device rather than by user, MCPc was able to reduce costs and avoid unnecessary expenses.
- Scalable licensing enables the implementation of future infrastructure upgrades without the need for additional licenses.
- The customer was educated on the benefits of Software Assurance leading to improved employee productivity.
Business Need
The healthcare benefit provider, who has been a long-time supply customer of MCPc, was approaching the end of its Microsoft Enterprise Agreement. It was therefore looking for a software license management partner that could help it understand its needs and ensure it was effectively purchasing licenses for an organization of their size.
In addition, recent turnover in the customer’s IT department led to an overall unfamiliarity with licensing agreements. The customer was unsure if it should purchase licenses by device or by user as several employees often share computers. The correct number of licenses had to be purchased to prevent unnecessary expenses while remaining compliant with the license agreement.
Solution
MCPc worked closely with the customer’s IT department to discuss the current license situation. Its team also recommended that the healthcare company take full advantage of Microsoft’s Software Assurance benefits – including online training, home-use rights, employee purchase rights and upgrade options – on the existing agreement before it expired.
During the renewal process, the Enterprise Agreement was revised by MCPc, better positioning the organization to move forward with its plans to upgrade to Microsoft Exchange. In addition, new licenses were purchased for 1,180 computer systems, which was more cost effective than purchasing licenses by user.
MCPc also educated the organization on the difference between Select Agreements – a transaction-based pay-as-you-go option – and Enterprise Agreements, and which type would work best for an organization of its size.
Results
Purchasing the software licenses by device, rather than by number of users, led to a 16% cost savings, as 200 fewer licenses were purchased. It also ensured that the organization remained compliant without purchasing more licenses than needed.
MCPc guaranteed that the organization effectively purchased its licenses by making sure that core programs used by the majority of the staff were part of the Enterprise Agreement. In order to leverage the best discount available, less-used programs were purchased separately through a Select Agreement.
The customer was also educated on the benefits of Microsoft Software Assurance, which allows users to upgrade to the latest software versions throughout the duration of the contract, thereby increasing employee productivity.
A road map was put in place to align with the customer’s future goal of converting to Microsoft Exchange – which would add functionality and security – without the need to purchase additional licenses.
If your business is in need of a software license management partner, MCPc is available to discuss your company’s IT needs and software purchases.