Ebooks & Guides
Free resources to help you navigate software licensing, prepare for audits, and optimize your software spend.
23 resources · All vendors · All interests
Microsoft SPLA: MSP Obligations Cheat Sheet
Microsoft
Audit · Compliance
Microsoft SPLA responsibilities for managed service providers: monthly reporting, licence counting, customer contracts, hosting restrictions and audit evidence. Dated October 14, 2026.
Inside this resource
- SAL, core and processor counting rules
- Customer-owned licences & hosting restrictions
- Monthly reporting & 15-point MSP self-check
Post-Audit License Management Guide
Multi-vendor
Audit · Compliance · Baseline (ELP) · Strategy
What to do after an audit or renewal closes: preserve a defensible baseline, monitor the changes that create new exposure, and stay renewal-ready.
Inside this resource
- Audit findings turned into controls
- 30/60/90-day post-audit plan
- Monitoring checklist
Effective License Position (ELP) Guide
Multi-vendor
Compliance · Baseline (ELP)
How to build an ELP you can defend: scope, entitlements, deployment data, the contract terms that actually govern each license, and the evidence behind every conclusion.
Inside this resource
- 8-step ELP build process
- Vendor-aligned overlicensing traps
- 18-point ELP checklist
M&A Software Licensing Guide
Multi-vendor
Mergers & Acquisitions · Strategy · Compliance
Find licensing liabilities before close and optimize after it: due diligence, change of control, integration and divestiture separation.
Inside this resource
- Step-by-step by deal phase
- Publisher focus areas
- 12-point M&A checklist
Software Procurement Guide
Multi-vendor
Procurement · Negotiations · Baseline (ELP) · Strategy
A practical playbook for buying software smarter: baseline your position, leverage vendor motivations, avoid contractual pitfalls, and negotiate better outcomes.
Inside this resource
- 12-month procurement timeline
- Vendor fiscal-calendar leverage
- Contract red flags & release checks
Oracle Negotiation Playbook
Oracle
Negotiations · Baseline (ELP) · Strategy · Procurement
A comprehensive playbook covering every stage of Oracle negotiation—from internal audit and contract mapping to execution and post-signature safeguards.
Inside this resource
- Effective License Position strategy
- Negotiation tactics & red flags
- Post-signature safeguards
The Gorilla Guide to Oracle Licensing
Oracle
Audit · Compliance · Negotiations · Strategy
An introduction to Oracle licensing, audit triggers and preparation. This is the 2019 Express Edition; prices and policy references reflect its publication date.
Inside this resource
- Expert insight & cost optimization
- Audit preparation strategies
- Negotiation skills & clarity
Oracle Audit Survival Guide
Oracle
Audit · Compliance · Negotiations
Everything you need to know to navigate an Oracle audit successfully—from initial notice to final resolution.
Inside this resource
- Legal rights during audits
- Negotiation strategies
- When to engage experts
Software License Audit Guide
Multi-vendor
Audit · Compliance
Complete guide to software license audits—what triggers them, how to prepare, your rights, and vendor-specific strategies.
Inside this resource
- Audit triggers & types
- Preparation best practices
- Vendor-specific insights
SAM Buyer's Guide
Multi-vendor
Evaluating Providers · Procurement
What the vendors don't want you to know. Make informed decisions about software asset management solutions.
Inside this resource
- Vendor evaluation criteria
- Red flags to avoid
- ROI considerations
Oracle SAM Provider Guide
Oracle
Evaluating Providers
Compare top Oracle SAM managed services side-by-side. Decision wizard plus weighted comparison matrix.
Inside this resource
- 5-question decision wizard
- 12-criteria comparison matrix
- Oracle-specific scoring
Oracle ULA Guide
Oracle
Negotiations · Compliance · Strategy
Everything you need to know about Oracle Unlimited License Agreements—from negotiation to certification.
Inside this resource
- ULA structures and terms
- Certification strategies
- Maximizing license counts
How to Conduct a Software License Compliance Review in 2026
Multi-vendor
Audit · Compliance · Baseline (ELP)
A seven-step compliance review, from defining scope and gathering entitlements to building an ELP and maintaining governance.
Inside this resource
- Scope, contracts and deployment discovery
- Effective License Position development
- Remediation and ongoing monitoring
12 Questions to Ask Before an Enterprise Software Renewal in 2026
Multi-vendor
Negotiations · Procurement · Strategy · Baseline (ELP)
Twelve renewal-readiness questions covering usage, pricing, contractual rights, internal alignment and long-term technology plans.
Inside this resource
- Renewal preparation timeline
- Contract red flags and negotiation questions
- Vendor motivations and fiscal calendars
Licensing by Design: 10 Questions to Ask Before Selecting, Building, or Integrating Enterprise Technology
Multi-vendor
Strategy · Procurement · Compliance
Ten licensing questions to review before selecting, building or integrating enterprise technology.
Inside this resource
- Features, metrics and non-production environments
- Third-party dependencies and AI consumption
- Expected scale and deployment evidence
How to Respond to Software Deployment Data Requests
Multi-vendor
Audit · Compliance · Strategy
An eight-step, confidentiality-first process for reviewing vendor deployment-data requests before sharing information.
Inside this resource
- Contractual scope and internal review
- Data accuracy, privacy and confidentiality
- Stakeholder coordination and communication records
Everything You Need to Know About the Java Audit Process
Oracle
Audit · Compliance · Negotiations
An overview of the Java audit stages, from notification and data collection to reviewing findings and ongoing license management.
Inside this resource
- Notification, scope and kick-off meeting
- Worksheets, scripts and audit findings
- Evidence, response and remediation
9 Ways to Find and Remove Unused Software Licenses
Multi-vendor
Compliance · Baseline (ELP) · Strategy · Procurement
Nine methods for identifying unused licenses, comparing detection approaches and assessing opportunities for reclamation.
Inside this resource
- Discovery, usage metering and lifecycle checks
- Contract and entitlement reconciliation
- Method comparison table and FAQs
12 Infrastructure Changes That Can Affect Your Software Licensing
Multi-vendor
Compliance · Strategy · Mergers & Acquisitions
Twelve infrastructure changes to review for licensing impact, including clusters, cloud migrations, disaster recovery and acquisitions.
Inside this resource
- Clusters, cores and hardware refreshes
- Cloud, failover and test environments
- M&A, automation and enabled features
Don't Approve Your Next Infrastructure Project Until You Can Answer These 7 Software Licensing Questions
Multi-vendor
Compliance · Strategy · Procurement
Seven pre-project questions covering contractual rights, licensing impact, negotiating position and defensible decisions.
Inside this resource
- Define what is changing
- Review rights and existing investments
- Independent review and supporting evidence
10 Capabilities Enterprises Need for Ongoing Software License Compliance
Multi-vendor
Evaluating Providers · Compliance · Baseline (ELP) · Audit
Ten capabilities to evaluate for ongoing compliance management, beyond software inventory and tooling alone.
Inside this resource
- Continuous monitoring and ELP development
- Contract review and audit evidence
- Optimization, renewal readiness and reporting
What to Look for in a SAM Managed Service in 2026
Multi-vendor
Evaluating Providers · Procurement · Strategy
A SAM-provider evaluation article covering economic alignment, contractual expertise, audit-defense capability and operational visibility.
Inside this resource
- Vendor independence and economic alignment
- Provider comparison and customer validation
- SAM procurement evaluation criteria
SAM Managed Services for Ongoing Audit Readiness
Multi-vendor
Evaluating Providers · Audit · Compliance · Baseline (ELP)
What ongoing audit readiness requires from a SAM managed service: continuous visibility, ELP development and contract-aligned governance.
Inside this resource
- Continuous monitoring and license usage visibility
- ELP, optimization and compliance-gap assessment
- Multi-vendor governance and audit readiness
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