Managed ITAM services that turn licensing complexity into confidence

When a leading East Coast law firm needed more than a one-time audit, SHI's managed ITAM service delivered the ongoing expertise and clarity to position them for smarter renewals.

Challenge:

A full-service East Coast law firm with more than 300 attorneys across thirteen offices had a problem familiar to many organizations operating at their scale: a complex software environment with limited visibility into what they were actually licensed for, what they were using, and where the gaps between those two things were quietly creating risk. With a diverse technology footprint spanning multiple vendors and cloud platforms, the firm needed more than a periodic audit. They needed a managed, ongoing partnership that could maintain trustworthy, continuously updated data across their entire software landscape, deliver substantive governance reporting, and surface compliance risks and optimization opportunities before they became expensive problems. They turned to SHI for help.

Solution:

The customer entered into a managed service agreement with SHI, establishing a structured framework for ongoing license position management. SHI integrated all entitlements, installations, access, and both direct and indirect usage data through JDisc and the Management Information Exchange platforms, providing the customer with a consistently maintained and accurate picture of their software landscape. Our team applied deep licensing expertise to identify and evaluate non-compliance exposure across software and cloud vendors, developing targeted remediation strategies to address gaps as they were discovered.

Beyond managing the positions themselves, SHI has worked to build the customer's internal capabilities. Through regular quarterly business reviews and advisory touchpoints, our team helps their staff understand how to manage technical and commercial actions in-house, translating complex licensing terms and vendor policy changes into practical guidance they can act on with confidence. Security risks are identified and reported as part of the regular quarterly delivery cadence, keeping stakeholders informed across the lifecycle of the engagement.

Outcome:

The results of this partnership have compounded over time, delivering value across both immediate risk reduction and long-term cost avoidance. In 2025, SHI helped the customer reduce its Microsoft licensing risk exposure from a peak of $546,327 down to $310,474 – a net reduction of $235,853 across core products including Windows Server, SQL Server, and Visual Studio. That improvement reflects better license alignment and reduced compliance exposure.

SHI also identified $113,557 in potential overspend tied primarily to low- or no-usage Microsoft 365 E3 subscriptions. The analysis has positioned the customer to pursue cost avoidance and harvesting opportunities at upcoming CSP subscription anniversaries and their May 2026 MPSA renewal, a meaningful pipeline of savings that would not have been visible without the managed service framework.

The engagement has also delivered significant value through licensing education. Our advisory work surfaced important clarity around SQL Server 2022 licensing changes, specifically that Software Assurance is required to license by virtual machine. That guidance revealed coverage gaps tied to historical licensing decisions, enabling the customer to confirm the need for additional licenses and Software Assurance ahead of an audit rather than in response to one. Additional outcomes included guidance on the strategic implications of transitioning Visual Studio from perpetual licenses with Software Assurance to subscription-based models, as well as correct licensing alignment for conference room devices using Office, reducing misassignment risk and ensuring appropriate application of license terms. Taken together, the engagement has strengthened the customer's licensing governance posture and given their team greater confidence in the renewal and purchasing decisions that matter most.