The ISO/IEC 19770-1 SAM processes standard is due this week

Software asset management (SAM) experts have set up a new organisation to develop best practices and professionalism and encourage the global adoption of SAM practices.

Investors in Software (IIS) is a vendor-neutral association and has helped to develop the ISO/IEC 19770-1 SAM processes standard, which launches this week. Its aims include the creation of a certification scheme for the new standard and development of qualifications and training in SAM.

"IIS came about because people in the software industry were very keen to put across the commercial value in properly managing software," said Andy Burton of software compliance firm Centennial Software. " Resellers, technology vendors, consultancies and others were looking to put out best practices in association with standards and provide business guidance."

Burton, whose company is planning to release technology to support ISO/IEC 19770-1, added that the SAM standard would encourage firms to take a more proactive approach to managing their software assets.

"The beauty of [ISO] is it that all parties agree on it," said Burton. "The philosophy behind ITIL [best practices] and ISO is that they're trying to help people understand there is a lot of value under-utilised [in enterprises] and that there are more efficient methods of control [available]."