The ITAM Roundup: 4/22/24

roundup Apr 20, 2024

📰

News

SoftwareOne ITAM Virtual Summit

April 23 - 25 | 12pm - 1pm EST

Check out SoftwareOne's three-day event designed to empower C-level executives, IT professionals, and financial experts with actionable strategies to achieve data visibility and streamlined operations - featuring speakers from Flexera, Forrester, Apptio, Microsoft, and more.

Broadcom ends perpetual licenses for VMware products

Broadcom has ceased perpetual licenses for VMware products, opting instead to offer zero-day security patches for customers on supported vSphere versions with perpetual licenses, while extending support for those affected by the changes. They're also reducing subscription costs for VMware Cloud Foundation and introducing a BYOL option for hybrid cloud endpoints. This shift prompts IT professionals to reevaluate their VMware licenses and plan accordingly, with Flexera offering assistance in IT asset management.

Licenseware Partners with ICE Information Technology to Expand into the Middle East

Licenseware has formed a strategic partnership with ICE Information Technology to expand into the Middle East, aiming to leverage ICE's regional expertise and service offerings. ICE, with over 75 years of combined leadership experience, aligns well with Licenseware's mission to streamline software license management in the MENA region. This collaboration promises to deliver state-of-the-art technology, enhancing back-office efficiencies and supporting corporate growth by addressing common challenges faced by local enterprises.

Decoding Salesforce’s plausible $11 billion bid to acquire Informatica

Salesforce's potential $11 billion bid for Informatica could lead to consolidation in the iPaaS market and provide Salesforce with a new revenue stream, addressing challenges in managing disparate data sources. The acquisition aligns with Salesforce's strategy to capitalize on the demand for generative AI, potentially expanding its customer base and product offerings. While the impact on Informatica's products and pricing may not be immediate, the acquisition could benefit Informatica's investors by increasing stakeholder value, although it may also result in some employee redundancies.

Atos staves off bankruptcy, casts wider net for refinancing

Atos faces financial challenges but secured interim agreements to address immediate liquidity needs, seeking €1.2 billion in new funding. Despite attempts to divest parts of its business, recent deals fell through, prompting Atos to seek new investors. The company's long-term prospects remain uncertain, with a forecast indicating continued cash-flow negativity and declining revenue for the next few years, while CEO David Layani aims to retain the company's assets and restructure its debts under the banner OneAtos.

Atos staves off bankruptcy, casts wider net for refinancing

IT services company Atos has won a few months’ reprieve from its bankers, but still needs a long-term solution to its debt problems if it is to continue serving customers.

CIOPeter Sayer

📖

Tips

Java Alternatives

Oracle has introduced a new licensing metric for Java called "Employee for Java SE Universal Subscription," significantly increasing subscription prices. Despite Oracle's auditing of customers, documentation clarifies that Oracle Java SE can be used without separate purchases for Oracle customers. With rising costs, Gartner predicts that over 80% of Java applications will deploy on third-party runtimes by 2026, prompting exploration of open-source Java alternatives before Oracle's free-to-use Java 17 expires in September 2024.

It’s true: Teams is not part of Microsoft 365 anymore. What’s your next step?

Microsoft has separated Teams from Microsoft 365, requiring separate purchases. This change responds to an anti-trust investigation. Different customer categories have varied impacts, with options to add Teams for an extra charge or downgrade to a "no Teams" SKU. It's essential to assess costs and consult with your provider to determine the best approach for your organization.

5 Steps to Tackle The Technical Debt Mountain

Tech debt, resulting from rushed cloud migrations and a focus on release speed, can hinder transformation efforts, particularly in regulated industries. Steps to tackle technical debt include tracking and monitoring it, defining an architecture, embracing the cloud, viewing it as a business risk, and implementing automated software testing to ensure quality.

What Is IT Asset Disposition (ITAD)? Meaning, Process, Applications, and Best Practices

IT Asset Disposition (ITAD) is about securely and responsibly disposing of old IT equipment. It's crucial due to increasing digitization, remote work trends, data security concerns, regulatory compliance, and environmental sustainability goals. Best practices include clear policies, certified providers, employee education, post-disposal reviews, disposal hierarchy, documentation, redundancy, legal oversight, chain-of-custody protocols, and centralized management.

🐛

Bugs & Exploits

Change Healthcare faces another ransomware threat—and it looks credible

Change Healthcare is facing another ransomware threat from a group called RansomHub, demanding payment for 4 terabytes of stolen data. This adds complexity to an already messy situation for Change Healthcare, which has been dealing with ransomware issues affecting hundreds of pharmacies and medical practices across the US, further illustrating the risks associated with trusting cybercriminals even after paying ransom. The attack has led to significant disruptions in medical facilities, impacting clinicians, patients, and medical business owners, with many practices facing financial strain and potential closure.