Global Logistics Company Achieves a Zero Risk Environment with VMware
Company Profile
This market leading global logistics organization expanded its engagement and strengthened its Software Asset Management (SAM) capabilities with Anglepoint following an unbudgeted $3.1 million non-compliance risk potentially imposed by VMware. Facing the added urgency of an upcoming contract renewal and the strategic shift from a perpetual licensing model to a subscription-based framework, the organization relied on Anglepoint to mitigate the immediate risks and secure an optimal vendor agreement with VMware, one of its top-tier software publishers.
Anglepoint worked as an extension of the organization’s Enterprise IT Asset Management (ITAM) team to oversee a third-party implementation of ServiceNow Software Asset Management Professional (SAM Pro). This implementation enabled comprehensive tracking and management of software licenses, deployments, and entitlements—providing visibility into areas of non-compliance with VMware and informing a more strategic contract renewal process.
Anglepoint continues to support the organization in its transition to a subscription-based model, navigating a complex licensing landscape and establishing robust processes to support long-term compliance. As a result, the organization has developed a mature Software Asset Management (SAM) program that serves as a blueprint for managing all major publishers across the organization. Most importantly, Anglepoint has successfully reduced the organization’s compliance risk on VMware to zero.
The Challenge
A significant expansion occurred in 2023, when the organization faced a $3.1 million risk imposed by one of its top-tier software vendors, VMware. At that time, the organization lacked the capability to effectively track and manage its software license compliance across its various publishers. The fine coincided with the organization’s upcoming contract renewal with VMware, which was changing its operating model and encouraging users to transition from their existing perpetual VMware licenses to subscription-based VMware Cloud Foundation (VCF) licenses.
With only a small internal IT Asset Management (ITAM) team, the organization turned to Anglepoint to help address these software licensing challenges. The immediate focus was to mitigate the risk of non-compliance, followed by assisting the contract renewal and the shift to a subscription-based model. This was achieved while navigating a highly complex licensing landscape and setting the organization on the path towards developing a mature Software Asset Management (SAM) strategy that could be scaled across its entire portfolio of publishers.
The Solution
Anglepoint began by maximizing the organization’s investment in its existing ServiceNow platform. In collaboration with a third-party implementation partner, Anglepoint supported and oversaw the deployment of ServiceNow’s SAM Pro ITAM technology. This tool provided the necessary visibility into the organization’s software consumption and would highlight areas of compliance risk.
To achieve effective risk remediation, the organization needed to remove out-dated software licenses and procure new ones where required. With the existing VMware contract approaching renewal—and VMware actively promoting a transition from perpetual licensing to a subscription-based model—Anglepoint used this as an opportunity to renegotiate the client’s contract to better align with their current and future organizational needs.
To ensure cost-effectiveness, the organization leveraged VMware’s software bundling offers. However, this added to the complexity of the contract. The shift from traditional perpetual licenses to a subscription-based model introduced new licensing frameworks—including TIB, Core, and Processor-based metrics—each governed by distinct rules. Recognizing the complexity of this shift, Anglepoint worked with the client to phase in the new model in stages, ensuring a smooth and sustainable licensing transition.
Due to the complexity of the organization’s IT estate, Anglepoint also developed an ongoing compliance review program. This is designed to support the organization in its goal of maintaining a zero-risk posture. Working in partnership with procurement and the organization’s seven-person enterprise ITAM team, Anglepoint helped to develop a cohesive, scalable SAM strategy to ensure ongoing governance through SAM Pro. Now Anglepoint facilitates regular engagements with the organization’s SAM and procurement teams to upload purchased entitlements into ServiceNow, ensuring a real-time view of compliance.
By the end of 2024, Anglepoint presented its results to the key stakeholders within the organization’s SAM program. The new SAM strategy was confirmed to be fully aligned and functional. Most notably, Anglepoint successfully steered the client to a zero-risk compliance position with VMware.
Results
- Established Ongoing Licensing Compliance: Developed a scalable blueprint for managing software compliance and mitigating risk across the organization’s entire portfolio of software publishers.
- Accomplished Risk Avoidance: Through identifying areas of non-compliance, renegotiating its contract renewal with VMware and navigating complex licensing agreements, Anglepoint helped the organization avoid fines of $3.1M.
- Created a Zero-Risk Environment: Successfully eliminated licensing risk by aligning entitlements, usage, and procurement—positioning the organization for long-term compliance and cost optimization.
- Long-Term SAM Strategic Partnership: Since 2021, Anglepoint has served as a trusted SAM Managed Services provider, working as an integrated extension of the organization’s ITAM team to support and evolve its Software Asset Management capabilities.
Anglepoint successfully eliminated licensing risk by aligning entitlements, usage, and procurement – positioning the organization for long-term compliance and cost optimization.