The Trusted Third Party, Guarantor of Software Compliance

Between 49% and 80% of the initial purchase cost of the software fleet. This is the estimated total cost of non-compliance [1]. A risk that 75% of companies are facing! Hence the importance of acquiring second-hand licenses from a trusted third party. Objective: ensure proper license compliance through thorough verification.

The current economic context is pushing companies to lower their IT budgets and cut costs, including on their licenses. The SI-LogisM group estimates the piracy rate in France at 37%. As a result, the software market is under pressure and publishers are on the lookout, multiplying audits.

Beyond the financial penalty in case of non-compliance, the cost related to mobilizing internal staff can also quickly grow. On average, an audit conducted by a major publisher (Microsoft, Oracle, IBM, VMware, SAP...) can involve a dozen employees for 15 to 30 days.

From Trust to Compliance

Software license compliance rhymes with security for the company... without neglecting quality. This is why, when a company resorts to purchasing second-hand licenses, it must have the assurance of having the proper usage rights. This is why, as a true trusted third party, the platform must have conducted the necessary checks before the transaction and require the seller to provide the original documentation with the product.

Among the guarantees to be provided to the buyer:

•  The legitimacy and legality of the initial acquisition of the licenses.
•  The completeness and accuracy of the documents characterizing the license.
•  The compliance of the transferred licenses with the communicated documents, especially regarding the scope and terms of the software usage rights.
•  The preservation of the original documents characterizing the license.

The list is not exhaustive, but the role of the trusted third party is to verify compliance with this procedure before proceeding with the transaction. For the company, it is a guarantee of purchasing licenses in full compliance and legitimacy.

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[1] According to a study by the SI-LogisM Group, January 2018 – https://www.groupesilogism.fr/2018/01/09/conformite-logicielle-leviers-maitriser-risques/