IAITAM Annual Conference 2009 – a Community Moving Ahead!

 

Whenever practitioners, vendors, independent consultants, industry experts and journalists come together in a neutral, open exchange of information - good things are bound to happen. That is exactly what occurred at the IAITAM Annual Conference held in Green Valley Resort in Las Vegas this October!

 

For those of you unable to attend this year’s IAITAM annual conference, you missed a great opportunity to hear what real people are doing with IT asset management to solve the real challenges their organizations are facing. The sessions covered topics encompassing much of the IT asset lifecycle, focusing on practical guidance and lessons learned with minimal product or service hawking by the vendors presenting (http://www.iaitam.org/Conference_Schedule.htm).

 

Of particular interest was the presence and participation of Microsoft. Michael Beare, Director, Software Asset Management (SAM) at Microsoft, delivered the day two keynote, “Microsoft’s Software Asset Management Program Evolution - From Discovery to SAM Optimization”. Ignore the naysayers; from my long experience as a Microsoft customer, technology and service partner, and even sitting across the table from them assisting other customers during external audits, I believe Microsoft is truly striving to be a vibrant and supportive member of our community. I just wish the other major software publishers that we all must work with would be equally involved.

 

I must admit I’m biased, but I thought the best sessions were those that dealt with the emerging ISO 19770-2 standard led by TagVault.org executive director Steve Klos and supported by Textron’s Doc Burnham and Sassafras Software’s VP of Business Development (and 19770-3 convener) John Tomeny. There was tremendous interest from all parties, especially from those tasked with managing licenses and reporting on compliance. The ability to accurately identify installed software products and definitively report on the associated licensing model delivered by ISO 19770-2 compliant software identification tags is the “Holy Grail” everyone has been desperately seeking. The “formal” presentation was scheduled on the last day of the conference, yet the room was full. Attendees peppered Steve with questions throughout the presentation and they continued until the very last scheduled minute of the session. In fact, the Q&A spilled over into the break…with Steve (and the crowd) having to be ushered out the door to make room for the next presenter!

 

It was a wonderful feeling to see so much enthusiasm for the result of a community-based effort that spanned more than three years. And, I can’t help but toot our own horn!

 

Make sure to mark your calendars so you don’t miss next year’s IAITAM annual conference in Nashville October 20-22, 2010 (http://www.iaitam.org/Conference.htm). It promises to be bigger and better than ever!