SAM Expert/Tool Assessment

The number of SAM consultants is growing with the need for SAM services. One question arises in companies confronted with the decision whether to involve an external SAM consulting firm or not: How qualified are the employees of this service provider? In addition, companies are implementing internal controls to ensure software license compliance and are looking for qualified software license managers or require training for employees involved in SAM. After all, SAM services require SAM Experts. 

Our service

In order to enable external or internal SAM Experts to provide high-quality services, KPMG has developed a training and assessment concept giving SAM Experts the possibility to be qualified and assessed. The training session offered by KPMG takes 2 to 5 days plus a 4 hour final exam, providing SAM Experts with a quality feature appreciated and recognized by companies looking for SAM support. The KPMG SAM Expert Assessment is based on the specifications from various internationally recognized SAM methodologies and certifications. It is personal and confirms that the assessed SAM Expert has a profound SAM knowledge, is capable to put knowledge into action, is using a holistic approach and meets all requirements regarding SAM implementation. 

Objectives 

• Train SAM Experts to respond to the dynamic of IT 
• Test of the SAM Expert's abilities to assess the SAM needs of a company
• Test of the SAM Expert's abilities to
  • organize and conduct SAM projects
  • identify and manage project risks
  • manage stakeholder expectations
  • document and communicate project results
• Test the SAM Expert's license knowledge 
• Evaluate the SAM Expert's SAM tool experience 

Process

The SAM Expert Assessment training has been developed under Non Disclosure Agreement to avoid influence of software vendors and SAM consulting firms. It covers the following topics

• IT solutions
  • IT strategy
  • Business processes
  • IT infrastructure
  • Software and software feature
  • IT services 
• Project management
  • Project setup
  • Stakeholder management
  • Risk management 
• SAM project
  • Conceptual framework
  • Project phases, milestones, deliverables 
• Software licensing
  • License agreements
  • License terms and metrics
  • Licensing scenarios 
• SAM tools and templates
  • Types of tools
  • Implementation 

The training takes place at the clients site or a nearby KPMG office. KPMG provides the training material as a handout to all SAM Experts participating in the training. After the training the SAM Experts can enter an 4 hour exam that consists of two parts:

• Part 1: 50 multiple choice questions 
• Part 2: 4 case studies 

The SAM Expert has only accomplished the SAM Expert Assessment if both part one and part two end with a result of 75 percent each or more. After completion of the exam test results will be communicated within 4 weeks including information on any deficiencies. In case of failure the exam can be retaken (once) for free within 3 months after the first exam.With the successful completion of the SAM Expert Assessment the respective SAM Expert will be allowed to make reference, both within and outside of his organization, to the conduct of the KPMG SAM Expert Assessment for a period of 2 years. The SAM Expert Assessment has to be repeated after 2 years at the latest if the respective SAM Expert wants to continue referencing to the KPMG SAM Expert Assessment.

KPMG provides exam of the SAM Expert Assessment at a standard rate per person. The rate for the preparation training is determined by the number of participants in the training and the number of training days. Please contact us for further information.

KPMG offers SAM Tool Providers an enhanced tool assessment regarding the capabilities to ensure software license compliance. The KPMG SAM Tool Assessment has been developed by KPMG in cooperation with major software brands. Upon successful passing of the SAM Tool Assessment KPMG confirms that the tested SAM Tool provides features, functionalities and a software catalog to support software license compliance. The SAM Tool Assessment is a standardized factual approach based on decisions made from the analysis of available data and information. It does not reflect the implementation and operational use of the SAM Tool in a real-time environment.

Our service

The SAM Tool Assessment is associated with a Lab Simulation including scanning of a test environment and deriving a license balance. In addition, the SAM Tool functionalities will be matched with a Request Catalog derived from relevant license metrics. The lab simulation takes two days plus one day evaluation with regard to the request catalog. The KPMG SAM Tool Assessment is release-specific and inapplicable for other releases of the SAM Tool.

Lab Simulation

Objectives

• Test of the completeness and accuracy of the recording of scan data
  • Scan data
  • Client Access Licenses
• Test of the completeness and accuracy of the matching between scan data with recognition engine / software catalog and correct determination of
  • single applications
  • software suites and correct accumulation of identified applications to software suites
  • server editions
• Test of the correct determination of license requirements with regard to
  • Scan data and exclusion of free licenses
  • Client Access Licenses
• Test of the correct application of license terms, e.g. parallel installation, downgrade, virtualization, remote access, developer licenses  

Process

KPMG operates a lab environment in Cologne, Germany, consisting of 12 physical and virtual clients and 19 physical and virtual servers. The SAM Tool Provider will provide a device with a Windows Desktop OS or Windows Server OS with a fully working deployment of his SAM Tool. The device will be integrated in the lab environment (Active Directory) temporarily for software discovery purposes, including - if necessary - the deployment of group policies or the deployment of scan agents on clients and servers. Furthermore, KPMG will provide the license inventory in an Excel format, including information regarding

• software product
• licensed version and edition
• number of licenses
• license program 

KPMG has prepared a license balance based on the predefined software and license inventory. Based on the software deployments and software use discovered by the SAM Tool and the license inventory the SAM Tool Provider will be requested to generate a license balance. The lab simulation test will be accomplished if the license balance created with SAM Tool has an accuracy of at least 95 percent in comparison with the actual KPMG license balance. The level of accuracy will be determined based on the actual difference between the SAM Tool's and KPMG's license balance, cumulative for all software products.  

Request Catalog

Objectives

• Review of SAM required tool features - derived from relevant license terms and metrics, e.g.
  • Documentation and reporting requirements
  • License assignment
  • Presentation of tool features not demonstrated in the lab simulation
• Review of tool development and testing processes
• Review of necessary supporting processes, e.g.
  • Manual determination of server accesses and CAL assignment
  • Manual determination of remote use and license assignment
  • Manual determination of developer PCs and license assignment
  • Manual assignment of main user
  • Manual accumulation of products to product suites 

Process

KPMG will analyze the functionalities and features provided with the SAM Tool by using a request catalog. The request catalog has been created under Non Disclosure Agreement to avoid influence of software vendors and SAM Tool Providers. It covers the following areas and has been derived from freely available license terms and conditions of major software brands

• software catalogue
• metric engines
• technical inventory
• license inventory
• license balance 

The request catalog will remain with KPMG and only be used for interviews in the time of the SAM Tool Assessment. During the interview the SAM Tool Provider will be requested to show the features and functionalities listed in the
request catalog and to describe their integration in the SAM Tool. The SAM Tool Provider should treat the interview as if they were demonstrating to a
customer. With this approach KPMG ensures a level assessment since some SAM Tool Provider have more time or resources to prepare a demonstration to pre-released questions.

The request catalog test will be accomplished if the SAM Tool covers at least 95 percent of the features and functionalities listed in the request catalog. The result will be determined based on the number of features and functionalities listed in the request catalog and the number of features and functionalities included in the SAM Tool. 

The SAM Tool has only accomplished the SAM Tool Assessment if both tests end with a result of 95 percent each or more.

With the successful completion of the SAM Tool Assessment the SAM Tool Provider will be allowed to make reference, both within and outside of his organization, to the conduct of the KPMG SAM Tool Assessment for the assessed version of the SAM Tool respecting software license compliance only. 

Upon completion, a certificate will be issued to the successful SAM Tool vendor.

KPMG provides the SAM Tool Assessment at a standard rate. Please contact us for further information.