Top Software Companies

1.  Microsoft

2.  IBM

3.  Oracle

4.  SAP

5.  H-P

6.  Symantec

7.  CA

8.  Nintendo

9.  Electronic Arts

10.  Adobe

11.  EMC

Are you surprised that H-P is so high.. ? I am for some reason.. anyway, good stuff!

Reduce Cost and Risk in Software Contracts

1)  Document entitlements and include not to diminish clauses.  Often vendors are acquired and the new vendors clauses take effect.  

2)  Rights to terminate or park maintenance on part of a portfolio minimize reinstatement fees. 

3)  Rights to charge to a cheaper support offering if available. 

4)  Written right to terminate maintenance when/if you choose

5)  Make sure there is not an “unlimited reinstatement fee”

6)  List out the business level product description that you will get the product renewals for. 

7)  What are your “usage rights” ? 

8)  Avoid minimum licenses.  If you cannot eliminate the minimum then reduce it. 

9)  Clearly define the audit process.  Clearly define what a proof of a license is, who pays for the audit, how it will be conducted etc.

10)  If you are signing a virtualization contract where there is an estimated cost savings, try to obtain recognition of retrospective measurement of usage and include that in your contract.  Ensure you have additional discounts that will apply as you move to processors with more cores.

11)  Do not over commit on number of users.  Negotiate band pricing if there is a not a current discount with volume (especially in CRM software).

12) Price cap on a renewal

13) Negotiate storage that is include with SaaS contracts.

14) Understand the vendors policy if their is a security breach (in SaaS) contracts.

Information was provided by Gartner Research.