Brunswick Corp Interview: SAM Implementation in a global Company

Sherry Kennedy has over 25 years experience in working in several different roles within IT. She is a hands-on, self taught and an out of the box thinker. Sherry has a bachelor degree in Computer Science, and studied to become CSAM and ITIL certified.

Sherry started working at Brunswick Corporation in January 2015. She is responsible for the management of the IT hardware and software assets worldwide. Sherry is working on an ongoing global wide Asset Management implementation. This implementation includes building a centralized data repository, using data discovery tools, creating policies, procedures, processes and determining what software has been purchased, what is currently installed and the complianancy.

Before joining Brunswick Corporation, Sherry worked for J.J. Keller & Associates, Inc for 18 years. She was the Corporate Software Licensing / Service Desk Administrator along with many other responsibilities and roles. During her time there she defined and implemented a new Service Desk, an IT Asset & Configuration Management system, Corporate policies, procedures, processes and reporting. She also focused on Microsoft licensing and negotiating enterprise agreements, maintenance contracts and licensing of several other software products. Sherry underwent software audits by Microsoft, Adobe, and Vmware.

Sherry Kennedy: I am currently working on a Global Wide Asset Management implementation. The objective is to have one centralized SAM system to streamline all software approvals, purchases, in-stallation and licensing to go through our Asset Management team. This implementation includes building a centralized data repository, using data discovery tools, creating policies, procedures, processes, determining what software has been purchased, gathering proof of purchases, determining what is currently installed and the compliancy. Another part of the project is to consolidate all software contracts under one Corporate Contract (Microsoft, AutoDesk, Adobe, VMWare) which will allow us to have better control of licenses, co-term renewal dates and better pricing.

One of our biggest successes has been the roll out of our SAM tool and the implementation of a centralized data repository for all locations which collects all installed software, computer hardware and licensing entitlement information. The data which is collected is being scrubbed, validated and normalized.

Sherry Kennedy: Prior to 2014, SAM did not exist. There was no governance on software purchases, installs or keeping track of anything software related. Since starting the project, we have implemented a discovery tool, developed a centralized data repository which is collecting software and hardware information, consolidated 43 AutoDesk accounts into 2 Corporate account and started educating one business segment at a time about the importance of SAM.

Sherry Kennedy:

• Identifying software assets acquired through acquisitions or divestitures
• The complexity of the past decentralization across our large global company
• Software purchases – Country of usage regulations
• Standardizing what software will be used globally
• Determining what has been purchased in the past by all locations, who purchased it, licensing terms, where is it installed and are we compliant.
• Open source licensing
• Shareware, freeware and trial installs – are they allowed in a business environment and what are the term and conditions
• Communication with all business segments, getting buy in from all the business units, enforcing the new policies and procedures and having the support from upper management to make it all come together.

Sherry Kennedy: We react to the challenge with ongoing communication and educating of the importance of SAM. I also keep up on licensing changes and continue working on our SAM project and implementing SAM one location at a time.

Sherry Kennedy: To continue to work on establishing SAM across our global locations and continue to develop solid metering, identifying, and tracking processes. Working with a global environment is challenging and change will not happen overnight. We need to continue to work with one business segment at a time to get them educated and following the new SAM processes.

Sherry Kennedy: The need to fully understand the complexity of SAM, processes, compliancy, software metering, re-harvesting of licenses, EULAs, terms and conditions, and the lack of understanding how SAM functions within other roles of business.

Sherry Kennedy: I’ve been thought audits with Microsoft, Adobe, VMWare and Oracle in the past at a previous employer. For me, having the knowledge and understanding of the licensing agreements and usage help with the end results not being as bad as they could have been. In the future, I see audits increasing by publishers and vendors who are currently not doing it. The more they change their licensing models, the more it increases the chances of more and more companies being audited.

Sherry Kennedy: With the size of our corporation, C level executives are focused on many other aspects of the business. The VIP of infrastructure oversees our SAM project and promotes it through the various business segments.

Sherry Kennedy: The complexity of license terms and underlying technologies and the continuous changes in licensing.

Sherry Kennedy: The ITAM Review, IAITAM, The Tech Contracts Handbook