SAM Flash Card
1. What is a software asset?
Any application the organization owns the right to use in order to support business
activities that
2. What is Software Asset Management?
Core business discipline that integrates financial, contractual, and procurement
processes (to enable strategic decision making).
Used for tracking accurate asset data through entire lifecycle.
3. Its an asset if you want to track or manage:
- procurement, receiving, retirement
- warranty, lease, contracts
- - monetary value or TCO (Total Cost of Ownership)
4. Contractual Compliance is?
Identify and adhere to what you are licensed to use, and how you are licensed to use
it.
5. Regulatory Compliance is?
Ensuring the software complies to external and internal regulations.
6. Industry Standards are?
ensuring your software is reconciled with standard publishers, products and versions.
7. Complexity (compliance) is?
Managing the large number of different licensing structures
8. Non-Standard Software (compliance) is?
Ensuring that only company-approved software is used in the environment
9. True-Up (compliance) is?
ensure allocations and usage do not exceed entitlements
10. Eight components of Software Asset Lifecycle:
1. Plan
2. Request
3. Approve
4. Source
5. Allocate
6. Manage
7. Support
8. Sunset
10. Plan - component of Software Asset Lifecycle
Designing, obtaining, maintaining sponsorship.
Key outcomes: metrics, goals, policies, processes
11. Request - component of Software Asset Lifecycle
Identify need, ensure it meets standard, and additional scrutiny on non-standard
requests.
12. Approve - component of Software Asset Lifecycle
Anything that needs approval, manual or systematic.
Includes software catalogs, projects, true-ups
13. Source - component of Software Asset Lifecycle
Encompasses receiving the software rights
14. Allocate - component of Software Asset Lifecycle
Assignment of software based on rights.
Important to know how software rights are licenced (per user, per device, ect.)
15. Manage - component of Software Asset Lifecycle
Encompasses activities to ensure organization is compliant and can respond quickly to
an audit request.
Includes discovering and normalizing software, reconciling entitlements, and
remediating found differences.
16. Support - component of Software Asset Lifecycle
Encompasses upgrades and major upgrade version releases
17. Sunset - component of Software Asset Lifecycle
Is about decommissioning or retiring
18. Process owner
Responsible for definition and health of asset management process
19. SAM Manager
Responsible for operation of asset management process
20. SAM Admin
Responsible for administrative activities associated with software acquisition and
allocation
21. System Admin
Responsible for loading of data, integration, discovery tools
22. Software Model
Classification of acquired software
23. Software Discovery Model
Automatically created during discovery to identify and normalize the software
installed in environment.
24. Software Entitlement
Something acquired with use rights
25. Software Allocation
One or more use rights assigned to a specific device or user
26. Software Discovery
Finding and recognizing software or software features on device
27. Normalization
The process of normalizing a discovered software installation to standardized values
28. Normalization pattern
Used to find discovery models that match a pattern and normalize all those discovery
models to a standard value.
29. Reconciliation
Producing a compliance position by comparing number of software rights acquired
against normalized software inventory
30. Remediation
Options for resolving license compliance issues found in Reconciliation
31. Reclamation
Process of identifying unused software and uninstalling it so that software rights can
be re-purposed
32. GRC
Governance, Risk, Compliance
33. Software Asset Management Professional
Different plug-in that requires a separate subscription
34. Four discovery phases:
Port Scan
Classification
Identification
Exploration
35. Discovery Phase: Port Scan
"Are you there? How will I classify you?"
36. Discovery Phase: Classification
Identification
Exploration
"How will I classify you specifically?"
37. Discovery Phase: Identification
Exploration
"Have I seen you before?"
38. Discovery Phase: Exploration
"What else can you tell me about yourself?"
39. sam_user
Has access to SAM pro
Has no other inherited roles
No admin access
40. sam_admin
Has access to Asset and SAM pro
Has inherited roles:
asset
sam_user
model_manager
contract_manager
41. sam_developer
Has script writing abilities (comparable to sys_admin role)
Has inherited roles:
sam_admin
42. discovery_admin
Configures and executes discovery on the network
43. itil role
Actions related to incident, problem, change, discovery management
Allow tasks to be assigned
44. procurement_user role
Creates PO's (purchase orders)
View Requests
Creates PO's when sourcing items
45. Phased approach:
Data, Operationalize, Optimize
46. Capability Blueprint Tiers
Tier 1: Trustworthy data
Tier 2: Practical management
Tier 3: Operational Integration
Tier 4: Strategic conformance
47. Identifying Requirements
Regulations, Policies, Processes
48. Purpose of external audit
Determine compliance with signed vendor agreements/contracts
49. User story
User and value-centric: users are placed as target of interest, not system
Example: "As <user role> I need to <activity> so that <business value>"
50. Technical story
Not necessarily interacting with end users
"As <system> I can <activity> so that <business value>"
51. Plugins
SAM Pro-
SAM Pro for Oracle, IBM, Microsoft, VMWare-
Microsoft SCCM-
Normalization Data Services Client
Normalization Data Services Configuration
Procurement**
Cost Management**
Contract Management**
Data Certification**
**May cost additionally
-Must be turned on by ServiceNow
52. Software License Metric
Set in software entitlements, defines how an entitlement should be used for
compliance
53. What to measure trustworthy data with?
Dependability - is the data consistent and accurate?
Reliability - is the data validated?
Credibility - how believable is the data?
Transferability - how complete and useful is the data?
54. License Details: what needs to be tracked?
Entitlements
Allocations
Software Models
Foundation Data
55. What info is used to create display names?
Publisher, Product, Version, Edition
56. Purchased rights
Total number of rights purchased. A single entitlement may include multiple purchase
rights.
57. What are entitlements?
Used to manage active software rights
58. What is the software entitlements table?
[alm_license] table
59. Per Core
On a physical server or VM
60. Per Device
Licenses a device for a number of installations
61. Per Named Device
Licenses a specific device for a number of installations
62. Per Named User
Licenses a specific user for a number of installations
63. Per Processor (CPU count)
Licenses a processor on a physical or virtual machine
64. Per User
Licenses a user for a number of installations
65. What is the User allocations table?
[alm_entitlement_user] table
66. What is the Device allocations table?
[alm_entitlement_asset] table
67. During the discovery process, what happens if the information already exists in the
Discovery Model table?
A reference to the Discovery Model record is identified
68. During the discovery process, what happens if the information doesn't already exists
in the Discovery Model table?
A new record is created for the installation in the Discovery Model table
and the reference number to the new record is identified in the Software Installation
table.
69. What is the Software Discovery Model table?
[cmdb_sam_sw_discovery_model] table
70. Two challenges with providing trustworthy data directly from Discovery?
Software nomenclatures that are unidentifiable or differ based on discovery model
AND
Correct processor names and core counts must be identified so that the correct amount
of required software licenses can be calculated.
71. Normalization results (6)?
Normalized
Partially Normalized
Publisher Normalized
Match Not Found
Manually Normalized
New
72. [Normalization result] Normalized result
Fully normalized on publisher, product and version. Fields are not editable.
73. [Normalization result] Partially Normalized
Partially normalized on publisher and product fields only.
74. [Normalization result] Publisher Normalized
Partially normalized on publisher fields only.
75. [Normalization result] Match Not Found
This result is when none of the three key fields on the discovery model .
Could occur if normalization rule for software doesn't exist.
76. [Normalization result] Manually Normalized
If any fields are manually edited and saved, the normalization result will become
'Manually Normalized'
77. [Normalization result] New
The software discovery model has not yet run through normalization yet
78. Revert Normalization
Discovery Model fields can be reverted to original values
79. Pattern Normalization Rules
Used to normalize specific software products within an environment based on a
common pattern
80. Processor normalization challenges [2]:
The names of discovered processors don't always map to correct core factor value
AND
Different publishers have different core factors for the same processor
81. Software Asset Management Content Service
Must opt-in to use. Not opted-in by default.
Anonymously sends non-normalized software to ServiceNow for research purposes.
They are then destroyed. Can exclude specific software.
Continuously improves customer normalization.
82. Software reconciliation
Automatic process which calculates compliance based on how many right are in use
vs rights owned.
83. Reconciliation Results (3)
Product results
Software Model results
License Metric Results
84. How can Product result be Not Compliant but Software Model be Compliant?
Installs associated with product that didn't map to software model
85. Coalese
Match based on specific criteria. If match is found, update record. If no match is
found, create record.
86. Data import formats (6)
CSV
Excel
XML
JSON
LDBC
LDAP
87. 3 steps to import data
Load Data
Create Transform Map
Run Transform
88. License Keys
Used to validate software entitlements. Can be tracked in entitlements.
89. Reasons for removing allocation? (5)
Remediation
User left
User no longer requires specified software
Device has been retired
Device has been repurposed
90. Why manage contracts? (4)
Manage contract expiration
Track contract approval
Match enterprise software to contracts
Identify and track contract expenses
91. Contract admin gets notifications for expiring contracts when?
90, 60, and 30 days before expiration, as well as day of expiration.
92. Contract Lifecycle (6)
Draft - begin here, add details, get approved
Active
Extend/Renew
Expired/Cancelled
93. Contract Extension vs Contract Renewal
Extension - Keep same contract with adjustment to the end date and possibly also to
associated costs.
Renewal - A new contract begins when old one ends, to accommodate changes to
terms and conditions, associated costs, ect.
94. What changes are tracked in Contract History? (3)
Contract start date
Contract end date
Terms and conditions
95. Software Catalog
A category of software products published and made available in the Service Catalog
96. Service Catalog
Provides tailored portals to for self-service opportunities, requesting services and
products
97. Product Catalog
A set of information about models
98. Vendor Catalog
A list of products available from various vendors
99. Remediation
Options for remedying license right issues identified during reconciliation
100. Allocation
Assigning of license rights to users or devices
101. Suite Parent
A software suite is a group of related software offered as one unit.
The parent is the master model that represents the suite of software, which contains
one or more suite children.
102. (SIM) ServiceNow Implementation Methodology [6 steps]
CTC, IEP
Close
Transition
Create
Initiate
Examine
Plan
103. (SIM) Close
Review the overall engagement and close project.
104. (SIM) Transition
Manage the transition from config (dev/test really) to production and prepare
customer for ongoing prod and support
105. (SIM) Create
Configure ServiceNow as per stories
106. (SIM) Initiate
Get a clear understanding of business goal and problems
107. (SIM) Examine
Understand process and product gaps between ServiceNow functionality and
customer needs
108. (SIM) Plan
Finalize stories and plan upcoming releases
109. Tier 1
Know what you have so you can manage it
110. Tier 2
Improve management control and drive immediate benefits
111. Tier 3
Improve efficiency and effectiveness
112. Tier 4
Achieve best in class
113. What are license metrics?
Metrics that identify how software rights are licensed are how they should be utilized
114. What is a discovery map?
Identify and define how software discovery models get mapped to the software
models
115. What are three ways to get software asset data into ServiceNow?
- Small sized data - Manually
- Medium sized - Import Data
- Large sized - Discovery to find software on network
116. What should you do to prepare for audits in ServiceNow?
Do internal audits in the software platform to make sure results come out as expected,
before an external audit.
117. What are the two dashboards available OOB to view Software Asset data?
- Software Asset Management Overview
- My Assets
118. How to remove an allocation?
On user allocation tab, click red X next to the allocation you want to reclaim. Save.
119. What are the two ways a request can be sourced?
- Add Allocation -
- Add Purchase Order –
120. Five remediation options?
Create Allocations
Remove Allocations
Purchase Rights
Remove Unallocated Installs
Remove Unlicensed Installed
121. Four remediation option statuses?
New
In Progress
Complete
Void
122. What is a custom software product?
If a software product does not exist in the software library, a software product can be
created. This is a custom software product.
123. What are downgrade and upgrade rights?
Software entitlements to use previous or future versions
124. What are publisher packs?
Software publisher compliance dashboards
125. What are custom license metrics?
Custom metric with calculation script created for unique entitlements
126. Three steps recommended for to retire software assets in ServiceNow?
Expire Entitlements
Run Reconciliation
Retire Model
127. When a software entitlement is created, what is it matched to?
A. software model
B. software discovery model
C. Transform map
Ans) software model
128. Who activates plug-ins for SAM pro?
A. ServiceNow
B. sam_admin
C. sys_admin
Ans) A. HI ticket from ServiceNow
129. What role can manage, publish, and schedule all reports?
report administrator [report_admin]
130. After a user is informed their software is unused and might be reclaimed, they
decline. What happens next?
Manager looks at decline, and approves or declines the reclamation of their software.
131. What role can view, but not write, scripts?
sam_admin
132. What role can create a custom license metric?
sam_developer
133. Can you turn custom license metrics off in serivcenow?
True/False
Ans ) True
Custom metrics can be disabled using the custom license metric property. This feature
is enabled by default.
134. If a customer doesn't like how assets are reconciled in SN, you can write scripts to
customize it.
True/False
Ans) False - this is illegal
135. When receiving a purchase order, what data is absolutely required?
A. Asset tag
B. Cost
C. Serial number
D. License key
Ans) A. Asset tag
136. When making a purchase for three things from the service catalog, how many
requests are created?
A. One
B. Two
C. Three
D. Four
Ans) A. One request
137. Can you have both per user and per device rights on the same software?
True/False
Ans) True.
It would be one software model, but with 2 entitlements
138. Will a virtual machine ever have a Per Core count? True/False
True: both per core and per processes (aka CPU count) can be used on virtual
machines.
139. SAM Plug-in ships with all normalization library content. True or False?
False: ships with some, but majority needs to be pulled from server.
140. What role can create reports, but cannot share, or edit/delete reports shared with
them?
ITIL role [itil]
