13 Ways to Cut IT Costs Now - Open Source Tools, License Management
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9. Take Advantage of Open Source Management Tools
It doesn’t have to cost a bundle to reign in systems
management costs through automation. There are loads of open source management
tools out there free for the taking. Get
started with your homework by taking a look at Baseline’s series of slideshows
on free enterprise-appropriate tools, including log
management, virtualization and database
management.
10. Improve Software License Management
Many executives may not know it, but unnecessary software
licenses are a big source of dead weight on a lot of IT department budgets. Hayes
points to one big financial services company he knows of that literally had a
closet full of software tools that were never installed but which the company
were still paying license fees.
“The very, very first thing, and this one is so obvious and
I’m amazed that companies don't do it, is do an actual inventory of who's using
what software,” he says. “There are going to be a lot of copies of things that
aren't being used at all and then there are going to be a bunch of people who
are using things, but very sporadically, and who could do without it or with
another alternative.”
Check out Baseline’s tips for improved software asset management.
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Infrastructure 
