Average software audit takes 7.13 months and consumes 194.15 hours

Research I’ve just published with The Campaign for Clear Licensing (CCL) reports that the average software audit (according to 170 worldwide ITAM, SAM and Licensing Pros) takes 7.13 months to complete and consumes 194.15 hours of IT department time.

See the full report here: http://www.clearlicensing.org/audit-report-nov-2016/

The CCL report shares who is the most and least aggressive software vendor when it comes to audits

CCL Audit Census Summary

• Software vendor audits block software market competition and hinder customer innovation
• Software audits have become a business as usual feature in the IT department with the average audit taking an average 194.15 working hours to resolve with a duration of 7.13 months. IT departments are wasting time trying to interpret licensing terms and defending audits rather than exploring competitive solutions or reviewing their true requirements.
• Oracle maintains atrocious audit reputation, followed by IBM and Attachmate (now Microfocus
• Friendlier ‘reviews’ from the likes of Microsoft are also anti-competitive

CCL Recommendations

The report suggests:

1. Thwart audits before they begin –

• The Campaign for Clear Licensing urges organizations to adopt proactive Software Asset Management practices to thwart audit requests as they arise and prevent the huge waste of time and energy spent on defending audits.
• Through trustworthy data and transparent licensing terms, organizations can put themselves in the driving seat in software contract negotiations and strategic direction rather than leaving themselves exposed to the whims of the software vendor’s commercial goals.

2. Stamping out anti-competitive behavior

• The Campaign for Clear Licensing also calls upon worldwide governments and lawmakers to review the activities of large software publishers to ensure they are not abusing their dominant position to stifle competition.
• By regularly inflicting time consuming audits and opaque license programs, customers vendors are prevented from making free market choices to more innovative alternatives. Licensing complexity is limiting innovation both in terms of customer development and freedom of choice.

See the full report here: http://www.clearlicensing.org/audit-report-nov-2016/