Cost-based licensing optimization for Microsoft

  • Release version: Xanadu
  • Updated August 1, 2024
  • 6 minutes to read
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    Summary of Cost-based licensing optimization for Microsoft

    The cost-based licensing optimization for Microsoft in ServiceNow Software Asset Management (SAM) Professional helps customers optimize licensing for Microsoft software products across hybrid infrastructures. This feature automatically balances license compliance and cost-effectiveness to maximize savings without manual allocation management, although manual management remains an option.

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    This optimization supports specific Microsoft license types, including per core licenses for Microsoft SQL Server and BizTalk Server, and per core (with CAL) licenses for Microsoft Windows Server, Core Infrastructure Server, and System Center.

    Key Features

    • Automatic optimization of Microsoft licensing to ensure compliance and cost savings.
    • Support for complex license types such as per core and per core with Client Access Licenses (CALs).
    • Integration within the Software Asset Management Professional (com.snc.samp) plugin, requiring no additional setup for optimization.
    • Ability to manually manage allocations if organizational licensing strategies differ from automated recommendations.
    • Multiple reports and views to analyze and understand licensing optimizations:
      • Microsoft Core License Optimization Reports table: Provides detailed insights into recommended license types and consumption layers.
      • SAM Cluster 360º view: Displays recommended licensing optimizations for specific Microsoft clusters.
      • Optimization and Savings Dashboard in Software Asset Workspace: Shows potential savings from licensing optimizations and realized savings from current entitlements.

    Benefits for ServiceNow Customers

    • Identify cost savings already realized through current Microsoft software entitlements and infrastructure setups.
    • Discover further cost-saving opportunities by reviewing recommended licensing optimizations.
    • Gain in-depth understanding of each optimization recommendation to make informed decisions about following or ignoring them based on organizational policies.
    • Leverage real-world examples, such as optimizing Microsoft SQL Server licenses in clustered environments, to guide practical application.

    Practical Use

    ServiceNow customers can use this optimization to efficiently manage Microsoft license compliance while minimizing costs. By reviewing the provided reports and dashboards, asset managers can evaluate both potential and realized savings, ensuring licensing strategies align with business goals and compliance requirements.

    The cost-based licensing optimization for Microsoft helps you determine the most optimal way to license your Microsoft software products across hybrid infrastructures. With this optimization, you can automatically balance license compliance with cost effectiveness to maximize cost savings.

    Note:
    This licensing optimization is automatically included in the Software Asset Management Professional (com.snc.samp) plugin, meaning that you do not have to optimize and manage allocations for your Microsoft software rights manually. However, you can choose to manage your allocations manually if the recommended licensing optimizations do not follow your organization's licensing strategy. See Allocation Management on ServiecNow SAM Pro for more details on manual allocation management.
    This licensing optimization is supported by the following Microsoft license types:
    • Per core licenses for Microsoft SQL Server and Microsoft BizTalk Server
    • Per core (with CAL) licenses for Microsoft Windows Server, Microsoft Core Infrastructure Server, and Microsoft System Center
    See Supported Microsoft license types for more information on per core and per core (with CAL) licenses.

    Licensing optimization benefits

    This licensing optimization provides the following benefits:
    • Helps you determine the cost savings that you have already achieved through your current software entitlement and infrastructure setup.
    • Helps you determine if you can achieve further cost savings by following recommended licensing optimizations.
    • Helps you gain insight into each of the recommended licensing optimizations so that you can understand the reasoning behind them and determine if you want to follow or ignore them.

    Understanding your licensing optimizations

    You can view and gain insight into your recommended licensing optimizations by using the following tables and views: