Regardless of how deeply SAM practices are embedded in your operations, the need for trustworthy data is of the utmost importance. With cloud and software environments growing more complex by the day, so too are the data sources organizations need to monitor and manage, which has led to an increasing number turning to SAM tools to help simplify the process. However, for this approach to work, these tools must be able collect the right information.
This is by no means a straightforward undertaking. Tools often require specialist scripts in order to integrate with the many different software packages and services deployed across an organization’s infrastructure. Furthermore, the data produced by these tools is of limited value when looked at in isolation. To provide real business intelligence, this information needs to be considered in the context of the organization’s commercial entitlements.
Truly trustworthy data – that is complete, accurate and contextualized – is only achievable by complementing tools with human expertise. It is this combination of technology and people that is the bedrock of any successful SAM strategy, whether it encompasses compliance, contracts, consumption and control, or just a selection of these elements.