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Managing technical debt and legacy investments: Microsoft SQL Server 2012

July 05 2021

In our previous blog, Understanding and eradicating your technical debt, we looked at the concept of ‘technical debt’ in software estates. At how, without proper attention to detail or if upgrades have been passed over one too many times, technical debt can accumulate massively. That, if b... Read More Read More
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The importance & value of Trustworthy Data – Part 1

June 07 2021

Accurate and insightful intelligence based on Trustworthy Data is an essential component of successful ITAM strategies. Only when organizations understand and manage this data can they use it to effectively inform compliance, contract, consumption and control – the four stages of ITAM maturity t... Read More Read More
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The importance of choosing the right ITAM partner

May 25 2021

The need for software and cloud management has never been greater – spending on software and cloud solutions continues to rise in the changing world of work. With more people being empowered to make purchasing decisions, the ways in which we consume and deploy applications is continually evolvin... Read More Read More
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Mergers, Acquisitions and Divestitures: Why it pays to keep ITAM in mind

June 07 2021

Mergers, acquisitions and divestitures are complex transactions that result in fundamental structural company change or transformation. There are many aspects to consider, from staffing and office space, to operations and finances – and, crucially, software and cloud contracts. Ensuring that ... Read More Read More
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For an Optimized ITAM Strategy, Independence Matters

September 01 2021

July saw the launch of the 2021 Gartner Magic Quadrant for Software Asset Management Managed Services, in which – I am very proud to say – Livingstone Group was named as a Leader. Following the publication of the 2021 Gartner Magic Quadrant, the ITAM Review provided an interesting take ... Read More Read More
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Mergers, Acquisitions & Divestitures activity hits record high; placing ITAM further up organizations’ agendas

September 03 2021

Earlier this year, my colleagues Gareth Redshaw and Chris Gough discussed the importance of a robust ITAM strategy for organizations navigating complex mergers, acquisitions and divestitures. Since then, the volume of Mergers and Acquisitions (M&A) activity across the world has hit new heights,... Read More Read More
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The importance of Trustworthy Data – Part 3

September 20 2021

Managing compliance, renewals & consumption successfully In Part 1 and Part 2 of ‘The importance and value of Trustworthy Data’, we looked at why it is necessary to create a set of accurate Trustworthy Data, and the cleansing and normalization processes of obtaining this information... Read More Read More
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Microsoft Briefing Series

October 11 2021

Free On-Demand Video Series Subscribe and view the videos today using the form opposite Series of six short Microsoft briefingshelping you to prepare for 2022. Please complete the form opposite and we will notify you when each of the videos and related content is released. For many o... Read More Read More
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Why it pays to start budgeting for your 2022 software & cloud renewals early

October 18 2021

Now is the time of year that many managers and business leaders are staring at spreadsheets even more intently than usual, as they find themselves deep in the process of planning their 2022 budgets, whether their financial year starts in January or in April 2022. Expenditure on software and cloud s... Read More Read More
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The Perils of Oracle Java

October 28 2021

In 2019, Oracle changed its licensing practices for its open-source programming language and development platform software, Java. The changes meant that, while individual developers could still use the tool for free, organizations now had to buy Java as a product. However, in September 2021, Oracle... Read More Read More
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Livingstone’s Software Asset Management Managed Service Value Add

November 03 2021

Recently, during an initial meeting with a CIO from a large multinational headquartered in the US, our team was asked the question, ‘what makes you think you can optimize and manage our software, cloud and service licenses better than our current provider?’ Being asked a question like t... Read More Read More
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Women in Information Technology Roles

October 21 2021

Careers in IT and technology have traditionally been male-dominated, and although gender diversity is gradually increasing across the sector, there is still much work to be done to improve equality and opportunity for everyone. The ITAM and licensing industry has seen a big increase in females filling... Read More Read More
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Livingstone Industry Highlights November 2021

October 22 2021

Livingstone Group's Software Asset Management and Licensing specialists provide insights and experiences through our monthly Industry Highlights. These insights are a compilation of news and press releases that may impact your business’s upcoming software renewals and estate. Fina... Read More Read More
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An introduction to our Microsoft Briefing Series

November 10 2021

What you need to know when planning your 2022 renewal Managing Microsoft investments and environments has become more complicated than ever for organizations. Not only are costs spiralling out of their control as a result ofunchecked consumption, but a lack of strategicintelligence, planning andfor... Read More Read More
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Episode 1: Microsoft Briefings: Microsoft Price Increases

November 22 2021

In Episode 1 of our Microsoft Briefing Series, we discuss Microsoft’s upcoming price increases, planned to hit specific products on 1st March 2022. We discuss the impact these planned price increases will have on existing Microsoft customers, as well as the best way organizations can prepare. Th... Read More Read More
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Episode 2: Microsoft Briefings: PowerBI & Power Apps

November 29 2021

In Episode 2 of our Microsoft Briefing Series, we take a look at Microsoft PowerBI and Power Apps, specifically looking at what’s changed and how organizations can optimize, forecast and leverage certain information during negotiations to get the best deal that suits their requirements and consu... Read More Read More
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Oracle Briefing Series

January 10 2022

Free On-Demand Video Series Subscribe and view all the videos today using the form opposite Series of six short Oracle briefingshelping you to prepare for 2022. Please complete the form opposite to view the videos As with all leading vendors it is no secret that understanding, analys... Read More Read More
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Livingstone Industry Highlights December 2021

November 26 2021

Livingstone Group's Software Asset Management and Licensing specialists provide insights and experiences through our monthly Industry Highlights. These insights are a compilation of news and press releases that may impact your business’s upcoming software renewals and estate. Fina... Read More Read More
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Explaining the ITAM managed service value-add

December 07 2021

There’s a common misconception that, when an organization deploys a SAM or ITAM tool, the service wrap provided by the vendor constitutes a managed service. Tool vendors do provide some exceptionally high standard services that are designed to help organizations get their solutions up and run... Read More Read More
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Livingstone Industry Highlights January 2022

December 31 2021

Livingstone Group's Software Asset Management and Licensing specialists provide insights and experiences through our monthly Industry Highlights. These insights are a compilation of news and press releases that may impact your business’s upcoming software renewals and estate. Financia... Read More Read More
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SAP Briefing Series

February 08 2022

On-Demand Video Series This series of SAP briefings will helpyou to prepare for 2022. Simply complete the form opposite to access the videos and content on-demand. Our SAP experts Mietske van Ravesteijn, Marco Claassen and Alex Meijer, explore the complex world of SAP licencing and addr... Read More Read More
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Oracle Video Briefing Series - Insights & Recommendations for 2022

January 14 2022

Understanding, analyzing, and optimizing Oracle licensing models is both complex and challenging, and is a situation often further complicated by how Oracle operates its audit practice, as well as how business operation and IT changes impact on license agreements.Without a clear understanding and over... Read More Read More
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Oracle ULAs - what you need to know for 2022

January 26 2022

In Episode 1 of our Oracle video briefing series, we’ll take a look at those all-important ULAs, including some considerations if you’re planning on signing a new ULA or whether you’re gearing up for a renewal. What is an Oracle ULA? In basic terms, a License Agreement (ULA) gi... Read More Read More
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S/4 HANA, Digital Access and Cloud Transformation: Our SAP experts set out the licensing trends to watch out for

February 07 2022

I recently sat down with the SAP team at Livingstone to glean some exclusive insights and top trends for organizations to look out for. So, without further ado: Meet our SAP team leads Mietske Van Ravesteijn, SAP Practice Lead: “As SAP Practice Lead, my roles entails setting up the stra... Read More Read More
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Digital Access: How to make the most of the new model and master indirect use

February 21 2022

InEpisode 1 of our on-demand SAP video series, we discuss Digital Access and how SAP customers can best manage the challenges of Indirect Use. But first of all, what is Digital Access? Indirect Use vs. Digital Access Though the two terms are often used interchangeably, at Livingstone we diffe... Read More Read More
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Livingstone Industry Highlights February 2022

January 26 2022

Livingstone Group's Software Asset Management and Licensing specialists provide insights and experiences through our monthly Industry Highlights. These insights are a compilation of news and press releases that may impact your business’s upcoming software renewals and estate. Financia... Read More Read More
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Oracle 3rd Party support: Choosing the best option

March 07 2022

In Episode 4 of our Oracle video briefing series, we’ll take a look at Oracle third-party support. In particular, we’ll dig into what support is available, how it compares to Oracle’s own support, and key things to be considered. Third-party support overview In simple terms, th... Read More Read More
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Oracle cost reductions: Where can I find savings?

March 14 2022

In Episode 5 of our Oracle video briefing series, we’ll take a look at Oracle Cost Reductions. Achieving cost savings on spend is a key priority for many Oracle customers, and this blog will explore what savings are out there to be made. This includes savings on support stream – whether vo... Read More Read More
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SAP S/4Hana: What do I need to know?

March 11 2022

Our SAP experts, Marco Claassen and Alex Meijer, explore the complex world of SAP S/4HANA.Whilst the 2030 support deadline seems distant, decisions need to be made that will take considerable time and resources to ensure the right fit for your business. In this on-demand video (part of our briefing se... Read More Read More
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Oracle Managed Services

March 21 2022

In Episode 6 of our Oracle video briefing series, we’ll take a look at our own Oracle Managed Services offering at Livingstone. In the final video of the series, we’ll take a brief look at what to expect when it comes to Livingstone’s Oracle Managed Service, and what makes us stand o... Read More Read More
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Livingstone Industry Highlights April 2022

March 23 2022

Livingstone Group's Software Asset Management and Licensing specialists provide insights and experiences through our monthly Industry Highlights. These insights area compilation of news and press releases that may impact your business’s upcoming software renewals and software estate. ... Read More Read More
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Livingstone's IBM Practice: Meet our team

March 28 2022

IBM is one of our key focus vendors here at Livingstone Group, representing one of the top five vendors by spend for our customers. In many cases, significant portions of our customers’ businesses are run on IBM software, representing a value to them beyond the cost of the licenses. Because of t... Read More Read More
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Livingstone's IBM Practice: More about our team of experts

March 29 2022

IBM is one of our key focus vendors here at Livingstone Group, representing one of the top five vendors by spend for our customers. In many cases, significant portions of our customers’ businesses are run on IBM software, representing a value to them beyond the cost of the licenses. Because of t... Read More Read More
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Another year of IBM: trends, predictions and how your organization should respond

April 05 2022

Part 1: 2021 IBM Trends Livingstone Group recently joined the ITAM Reviewfor the Online Summit: Software Vendor Insights 2022 to discuss year end results from some of the key vendors and what to expect from them in 2022. We focused on the trends seen from IBM in 2021 and how that will impact audits... Read More Read More
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Navigating S/4 Hana Migrations to secure the best contract terms

April 14 2022

In Episode 2 of our on-demand SAP video series, we discuss S/4 Hana migrations and how best to navigate these from a licensing perspective, in order to secure the best possible contract terms for your organization. But before we share our top tips, let’s get back to basics. What is S/4 Han... Read More Read More
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Another year of IBM: Predictions and how to build your IBM management plan

April 21 2022

Part 2: Predictions and how to build your IBM management plan Livingstone Group recently joined the ITAM Reviewfor the Online Summit: Software Vendor Insights 2022 to discuss year end results from some of the key vendors and what to expect from them in 2022. We focused on the trends seen from IBM i... Read More Read More
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Livingstone Industry Highlights May 2022

April 26 2022

Livingstone Group's Software Asset Management and Licensing specialists provide insights and experiences through our monthly Industry Highlights. These insights area compilation of news and press releases that may impact your business’s upcoming software renewals and software estate. ... Read More Read More
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The past, present and future of ITAM

May 06 2022

Part 1: Software Asset Management’s (SAM)origins and the evolution of services Livingstone Group recently joined The ITAM Reviewfor an episode of its podcast to discuss ITAM, the cloud, and creating business value from ITAM. We covered everything from the origins of SAM, to the evolution of I... Read More Read More
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When to use a SAM Managed Service Provider

May 13 2022

Why a SAM Managed Service makes commercial sense; download the Gartner® Report: Infographic A regular discussion point on this blog – and one that is often raised in conversations with our clients and prospects – is SAM tools. Or to be exact, the comparative merits and limitations o... Read More Read More
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ITAM in the virtualization era

May 20 2022

Part 2: The past, present and future of ITAM Livingstone Group recently joined The ITAM Reviewfor an episode of its podcast to discuss ITAM, the cloud, and creating business value from ITAM. We covered everything from the origins of SAM, to the evolution of ITAM in the cloud era, to the (healthy) f... Read More Read More
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Why the Great Resignation needn’t impact your IT procurement capabilities

June 17 2022

Initially identified as a trend in the US in late 2020, the ‘Great Resignation’ has since spread far and wide, with employees all over the globe re-assessing their post-Pandemic career paths. Whether they are moving jobs to minimize their commute, to improve their work-life balance, to boo... Read More Read More
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Easing your migration to SAP Cloud

May 27 2022

For most organizations, migrating to SAP Cloud is a hugely complex process, not least because SAP itself has had a long and complicated journey to the cloud. SAP’s own cloud chapter began in 2012, with the acquisitions of Concur, SuccessFactors and Ariba. In parallel, SAP has developed and ev... Read More Read More
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Livingstone Industry Highlights June 2022

May 25 2022

Livingstone Group's Software Asset Management and Licensing specialists provide insights and experiences through our monthly Industry Highlights. These insights area compilation of news and press releases that may impact your business’s upcoming software renewals and software estate. ... Read More Read More
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Defining ITAM value in changing times

July 19 2022

Livingstone's Senior ITAM Consultant, Hugh Skingley will join Rich Gibbons for a webinar that takes a deep dive into how ITAM, as a discipline, is being challenged and the true business value it delivers. Hugh says "It’s time that ITAM was viewed as an integral business asset in the ... Read More Read More
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Top tips for Microsoft Azure Optimization

June 10 2022

Microsoft Azure Cloud Computing Services: a simple guide to optimization Cloud computing continues to grow exponentially, accelerating the digital transformation of organizations all over the world. Whilst the benefits are obvious – providing the flexibility and scalability that organizations... Read More Read More
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Making ITAM an integral business asset

May 31 2022

Part 3: The past, present and future of ITAM Livingstone Group recently joined The ITAM Reviewfor an episode of its podcast to discuss ITAM, the cloud, and creating business value from ITAM. We covered everything from the origins of SAM, to the evolution of ITAM in the cloud era, to the (health... Read More Read More
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SAM tools in practice: Experiences from the frontline

June 27 2022

Recently on our blog, we discussed the latest Gartner® Report: Infographic, ‘When to use a SAM Managed Service Provider’, which suggests organizations often under-invest in Software Asset Management (SAM), so could be missing out on commercial benefits. In our experience – gai... Read More Read More
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Livingstone Industry Highlights July 2022

June 26 2022

Livingstone Group's Software Asset Management and Licensing specialists provide insights and experiences through our monthly Industry Highlights. These insights area compilation of news and press releases that may impact your business’s upcoming software renewals and software estate. ... Read More Read More
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