Real experts.
Real data.
Real savings.

Let’s stop overspending on IT purchases.

The SmartSpend™ blog is a resource to help readers save money on IT and Telecom purchases, brought to you by NPI’s consultants and vendor-specific subject matter experts.

The Latest IT Sourcing News

 

  • Microsoft Healthcare: Renewed Focus Offers Rewards and Risks Joshua Osborne
    Director of Client Services, Microsoft, NPI
    02.05.19

    In 2018, Microsoft reestablished and reengineered its focus on the healthcare industry. Sales teams have been restructured, leadership moved to create new alignments and reporting structures, and agreements and guidelines were re-messaged. As a result, we’re seeing a more systematic approach to the sales and pricing process. This is all part of Microsoft’s strategy to...

    Read more

  • Enterprise Video Conferencing and Collaboration – Competitive Options to Consider Gregg Spivack
    Director of Client Services, NPI
    01.15.19

    When it comes to enterprise video conferencing and collaboration, companies have more options than ever. While Cisco WebEx and Microsoft Skype for Business may still get the majority of mindshare based on tight integration with their embedded deployments within the enterprise, a growing number of companies are looking beyond these industry stalwarts to alternative solutions....

    Read more

  • 5 Overlooked Benefits of Software License Optimization
    NPI
    12.13.18

    5 Advantages of Software License Optimization That Go Beyond Cost On the surface, the goal of software license optimization (SLO) is simple enough: buy only the licenses/subscriptions needed based on current and future business requirements. Cost management is the most obvious driver. Software vendors are notorious for trying to sell you more than you need, sometimes...

    Read more

  • White Box Server Vendors: Are They Worth Considering?
    NPI
    11.01.18

    As server hardware becomes increasingly commoditized, NPI finds enterprise clients looking for ways to lower costs in this area. One solution is buying from white box server vendors. What Are White Box Servers? White box servers are data center servers that are not manufactured by a brand name vendor such as Dell, HPE, Cisco UCS,...

    Read more

  • Microsoft O365 F1 – Finally a More Useful K1/K2 Replacement! Joshua Osborne
    Director of Client Services – Microsoft, NPI
    10.29.18

    This year, Microsoft introduced O365 F1 – “a new offering that brings together Office 365, Windows 10, and Enterprise Mobility + Security to deliver a complete, intelligent solution to empower all workers.” This offering is a replacement for the O365 K1/K2 SKUs. The O365 K1/K2 SKU offering was created years ago, mostly as a new...

    Read more

  • Cisco Contract Negotiation: Top 4 Questions to Ask Rich Staas
    Director of Client Services, NPI
    10.25.18

    Have a Cisco purchase or renewal coming up? If so, there are a few things you should know before negotiation discussions to better understand and apply your position of leverage, and optimize the outcome of your purchase or renewal.

    Read more

  • Microsoft Step-up License: Step Up and Get Your Money’s Worth! Cindy Barron-Taylor
    Director of Client Services, Microsoft, NPI
    10.23.18

    Reducing TCO is an ongoing challenge for Microsoft customers especially as the enterprise Microsoft estate expands. Enter the Microsoft Step-up License. For some customers, it’s a helpful (and cost-effective) way to “grow” into Microsoft’s more advanced technologies.

    Read more

  • Highlights from ServiceNow Knowledge 2018 Conference Gregg Spivack
    Director of Client Services, NPI
    09.18.18

    A few months ago, ServiceNow held its annual global conference entitled “Knowledge18 (K18)” in Las Vegas. This event always produces exciting announcements about product direction and key areas of focus for the year, and K18 delivered several newsworthy items. Since so many of NPI’s clients are ServiceNow users we wanted to share some highlights. Best...

    Read more

  • Microsoft License Management and Bi-Annual MLS Inspections Cindy Barron-Taylor
    Director of Client Services, Microsoft, NPI
    08.23.18

    Microsoft license management is tough. At least twice a year, you should take the time to review license purchases and status of software assurance. You might be surprised – and that’s not necessarily a desirable outcome when it comes to Microsoft spend.

    Read more

  • How Will AI in Procurement Impact Enterprise Operations?
    NPI
    08.16.18

    As AI (artificial intelligence) works its way into the enterprise, it gives rise to many questions. For many job functions, the question is “Will AI replace my job?” If your job is IT sourcing, that’s doubtful. AI can potentially play a role in making the IT procurement process more efficient.

    Read more

  • The Benefits of IT GRC Solutions: A Primer for IT Sourcing Gregg Spivack
    Director of Client Services, NPI
    08.01.18

    Across NPI’s client portfolio, we’ve seen an uptick in IT GRC (Governance Risk & Compliance) solution purchases such as RSA Archer and ServiceNow Risk Management. This isn’t surprising given how difficult it’s become to streamline internal IT processes for things like audits (internal and external), risk assessments, regulatory scrutiny, vulnerability remediation, security and more. The...

    Read more

  • Before Your Microsoft Renewal, Make Sure You Have These Items Cindy Barron-Taylor
    Director of Client Services, Microsoft, NPI
    07.11.18

    Preparation is one key to a successful Microsoft renewal. Rather than reactively allowing the expiration date to sneak up on you, I encourage you to be as prepared as you can with all the data points and documents you will need well ahead of time. This means ensuring that you have your current contracts such...

    Read more

  • Managing AWS Costs
    NPI
    06.14.18

    Questions surrounding effective management of AWS spend land upon our desks more and more frequently.  As an increasing amount of workload is being migrated to the cloud and price competition is slowly driving costs downwards (good news), we find many of our clients have difficulty managing their growing AWS costs. “Do you have a firm...

    Read more

  • Stay Current with Microsoft’s Product Terms to Avoid License Compliance Issues Dan Brewster
    Director of Client Services – Microsoft, NPI
    06.01.18

    As a former auditor for Microsoft, I’ve seen a lot of creative posturing around Microsoft’s product terms. A common statement often heard from Microsoft customers is: “Microsoft doesn’t say I can’t do it that way.” Unfortunately, that’s not how it works. Microsoft (and other software vendors) don’t have to think of all of the potential...

    Read more

  • ServiceNow Discovery or Service Mapping? Gregg Spivack
    Director of Client Services, NPI
    05.31.18

    ServiceNow has emerged in the market as the leader in IT and Enterprise Service Management (ITSM). Over recent years, ServiceNow has grown its IT Operations Management (ITOM) suite of products to complement how customers respond to incidents and manage their environments. Two ITOM products that help customers realize this value are ServiceNow Discovery and Service...

    Read more

  • Microsoft Going After Google Chrome Browser and Others…Again Joshua Osborne
    Director of Client Services – Microsoft, NPI
    05.16.18

    A big issue for a lot of us as we use modern internet browsers is continuity across platforms and devices.  Historically, Microsoft has been rather late to the game. Google Chrome and even Firefox have had cross-platform browsers that worked very well across your various devices. Things that are important such as UI, cookies, favorites...

    Read more

  • GSG Rebrands as Sakon and Takes on SaaS Spend Visibility Challenge Matt West
    Director of Telecommunication Services, NPI
    05.15.18

    Telecom expense management provider Global Sourcing Group (GSG) recently rebranded itself to Sakon. Sakon is also the name of the company’s new expense management portal. Sakon is already a market leader in delivering expense management solutions for fixed and mobile communications. The established solutions - WirelineManager™ and MobileManager™ - are now supplemented by the next generation...

    Read more

  • Verizon Upgrade Changes and Their Effects on Enterprises Matt West
    Director of Telecommunication Services, NPI
    05.10.18

    Recently, a change was made to Verizon’s device upgrade program – one that could substantially impact enterprise clients. Although most enterprise agreements have included incentives that require a 24-month subscription, as a common practice over the past few years Verizon has allowed many enterprise customers to upgrade their device after 20 months (matching other cellular...

    Read more

  • ServiceNow Kingston Release Highlights Gregg Spivack
    Director of Client Services, NPI
    05.02.18

    Since a large number of NPI clients have sizable ServiceNow investments, we wanted to share a few highlights on the ServiceNow Kingston release. ServiceNow announced its latest release in January. As with all ServiceNow releases, there is plenty to be excited about. While Kingston has new features across the product set and platform, ServiceNow talks...

    Read more

  • Want to Cut Microsoft Licensing Costs? Know Your User Profile Options Cindy Barron-Taylor
    Director of Client Services – Microsoft, NPI
    04.27.18

    There are a lot of ways to reduce Microsoft licensing costs – but there’s one that should be at the top of every enterprise customer’s list. If you are continuing year after year to license your organization exactly the same way for all users, it’s probably time for a change! By taking the time to...

    Read more

  • Cloud Based Data Center Backup and Recovery: Pros and Cons Gregg Spivack
    Director of Client Services, NPI
    04.13.18

    Thinking about buying cloud-based data center backup and recovery? You’re not alone. As companies seek to store and protect greater volumes of data, cloud storage solutions present an attractive alternative to on-premise data center backup and recovery solutions. Historically, data center backup and recovery has always been important, but hasn’t been a “tier 1” spend...

    Read more

  • PCs: When to Lease, When to Buy Kristian Tuinzing
    Client Services Manager, NPI
    03.29.18

    Is it better to buy or lease PCs? It’s a question that comes up often in client conversations as companies try to discern how end-user PC pricing is impacted in either scenario. There’s not a simple answer to this question, and it’s not an area where fair market value rests on price alone. The major...

    Read more

  • Has Your IBM Enterprise License Agreement (ELA) Lost Value? Rich Staas
    Director of Client Services, NPI
    03.27.18

    Has your IBM Enterprise License Agreement lost value? Are you still paying maintenance on licenses you don’t need or use? These are two questions IBM customers need to ask. Maintenance is valuable recurring revenue, especially for legacy vendors like IBM, and they work very hard to preserve the run rate with each customer. One tactic...

    Read more

  • IT Cost Reductions Ahead for Cloud Access Security Broker Solutions? Kristian Tuinzing
    Client Services Manager, NPI
    03.22.18

    The Cloud Access Security Broker (CASB) solution market is heating up. While this could be good news for enterprises seeking IT cost reductions across their cloud ecosystem (competitive pressures have a way of driving down price), it’s also a volatile, nascent marketplace. New technologies that fill a major demand in the market have a way...

    Read more

  • Data Center Pricing – Know the Four Basic Elements Matt West
    Director of Telecommunication Services, NPI
    03.08.18

    More enterprises are migrating their corporate data center(s) to external co-location facilities. One of the many challenges they face is navigating disparate and confusing pricing models. Some providers only charge for power and network while others charge for power, space and network. Some charge different rates for cooling power versus cabinet power and all charge...

    Read more

  • What You Need to Know About Windows Server Licensing and External Users NPI 02.15.18

    Microsoft has made many changes in the last several years relating to Windows Server Licensing – specifically as it relates to external user access. Keeping up with numerous updates and changes can be difficult! We get it. In this post, we hope to help businesses better manage their Microsoft licensing by discussing everything you need...

    Read more

  • ICYMI: Updates on Microsoft Office 2019 and the Future of Skype for Business Joshua Osborne
    Director of Client Services - Microsoft, NPI
    02.07.18

    In case you missed the news that came out of Microsoft’s Ignite! last fall, here are two items regarding Microsoft Office 2019 and Skype for Business that impact enterprise customers. As we work with clients, we’re finding that they’re not necessarily aware of this news and its implications.First is the release of Microsoft Office 2019,...

    Read more

  • Software Procurement Advice for MongoDB Buyers Gregg Spivack
    Director of Client Services, NPI
    02.02.18

    Software procurement is tough in the best of circumstances – layer in the complexity of open source database software and it’s even more daunting. NPI is seeing an increasing number of these purchases – particularly with MongoDB. MongoDB is a New York-based “startup” that just recently completed a $192 million IPO.The company, which finds itself...

    Read more

  • Microsoft Volume Licensing Update: The Fine Print on Server and Cloud Enrollment (SCE) Cindy Barron-Taylor
    Director of Client Services, NPI
    01.24.18

    If you’re a seasoned Microsoft Volume Licensing customer, you’re probably familiar with Microsoft’s Enrollment for Core Infrastructure (ECI). This Enterprise Agreement enrollment was originally designed to simplify licensing and help  Microsoft Volume Licensing customers manage their core infrastructure more efficiently. In 2013, Microsoft announced that it would replace the ECI with a new enrollment –...

    Read more

  • Customer Experience Software is a Rapidly Growing Niche Gregg Spivack
    Director of Client Services, NPI
    01.12.18

    As a consumer, you’ve probably noticed that companies today are trying to get feedback on customer experiences any way they can, on any device and at any time. Just think about the last time you ordered a meal from a food delivery service, rented a car or booked a hotel room. There’s a good chance...

    Read more

  • The Importance of IT Price Benchmark Analysis for IT Purchases Kim Addington
    COO, NPI
    10.26.17

    This post was updated on May 3, 2021. Sixteen percent. Those are the odds that enterprises are paying a fair price for any given IT purchase or renewal if they aren’t performing IT price benchmark analysis. Or, put another way, the chances you’re overpaying during an IT buying event are 84 percent. How Much IT...

    Read more

  • Oracle and VMware/vSphere Licensing Concerns – Cloudy as Ever… Jeff Muscarella
    EVP, NPI
    10.20.17

    A while back, I wrote a post about the growing number of Oracle licensing audits involving customers’ use of VMware’s technology. What started as murmurs around compliance issues faced when running Oracle technology in a VMware environment has since turned into a roar. In the best of circumstances, Oracle licensing is tough to navigate. Add...

    Read more

  • Microsoft Contracts 101 Dan Brewster
    Director of Client Services – Microsoft, NPI
    10.05.17

    It’s no secret that sourcing Microsoft contracts, products and services is a complex undertaking. One of the first things IT buyers should get their head around are the various Microsoft contracts – and the multi-level “architecture” of how they relate to each other. There are several different types of agreement documents to review: The Microsoft...

    Read more

  • Are You Paying Too Much for Visual Studio? Cindy Barron-Taylor
    Director of Client Services - Microsoft, NPI
    09.28.17

    If your organization has more than a handful of developers, Visual Studio licenses are likely important to your organization. But what you may not be aware of is whether your Visual Studio licenses/subscriptions have been optimized for actual usage. That begs a larger question: How often do you reassess the needs of your developer team...

    Read more

  • Azure Update: Microsoft Acquires Cloudyn for Cloud Optimization and EMS Admin Finds New Home Joshua Osborne
    Director of Client Services – Microsoft, NPI
    09.11.17

    Microsoft’s promise to rapidly grow Azure services continues to play out as the vendor invests heavily in internal development and acquisition. The most recent evidence is Microsoft’s acquisition of Cloudyn, which was finalized at the end of July.Cloudyn helps enterprises and managed service providers optimize their investments in cloud services – a continuing challenge for...

    Read more

  • What Is “Fair Market Value” When You’re Buying Enterprise IT? Kristian Tuinzing
    Client Services Manager, NPI
    09.05.17

    What is fair market value (FMV)? It’s certainly integral to what we do here at NPI - let’s dig a little deeper.“Fair market value” is a term used in many fields, IT purchasing included, to describe a ‘fair’ price in a market. The IRS defines FMV based on precedent case law from United States v....

    Read more

  • Trending: Token-based VMware Enterprise Licensing Agreements on the Rise Gregg Spivack
    Director of Client Services, NPI
    08.25.17

    Over the last few quarters, NPI has seen an increasing number of VMware Enterprise Licensing Agreements (ELAs) that include some amount of tokens. For the uninitiated, token-based ELAs include what are essentially “credits” to be exchanged later when the customer needs a new license. The benefits of this arrangement are (1) flexibility for the customer...

    Read more

  • Understanding the Evolution of ServiceNow’s IT Service Automation Suite Gregg Spivack
    Director of Client Services, NPI
    08.18.17

    Let’s cut to the chase. ServiceNow’s evolution over the years has been impressive, but keeping up with its changing product portfolio can be confusing to customers. One reason is that the vendor’s target audience has changed from IT to an Enterprise scope as it creates new products and addresses new problems. This has led to...

    Read more

  • Device vs. User – The Microsoft Counting Game Cindy Barron-Taylor
    Director of Client Services - Microsoft, NPI
    07.24.17

    Whether you are a new Microsoft enterprise agreement customer or have been one for years, Microsoft licensing counts are tricky business. How can you be sure that the true up-counts you provide to your Licensing Solutions Partner are correct?

    Read more

  • Software Licensing for Healthcare: Before You Buy or Renew with Epic Rich Staas
    Director of Client Services, NPI
    07.10.17

    Over the years, Epic Systems has grown to be a leader in EHR and other healthcare software solutions. Known for its high-value products and services, and historically strong customer loyalty, more than 190 million patients have a current electronic record in Epic.

    Read more

  • Signing a Microsoft EA? Two Reasons to Check Your Enrollment Cindy Barron-Taylor
    Director of Client Services – Microsoft, NPI
    05.31.17

    Whether you are a new Microsoft Enterprise Agreement customer or a customer who has renewed their Enterprise Agreement multiple times, it’s important to be sure to review your Enrollment Details prior to signing your paperwork. Here are the top two reasons why...Your enrollment is where you define your enterprise (under section Enrolled Affiliate’s Enterprise). This...

    Read more

  • Microsoft: Roaming Use Rights Discontinued Dan Brewster
    Director of Client Services – Microsoft, NPI
    05.03.17

    Roaming Use Rights for the Windows Enterprise operating system and the Windows VDA licenses are discontinued on January 31, 2017 or at the end of a customer’s existing enrollment (whichever is later). What are the implications for you if you’ve recently lost Roaming Use Rights for these products? It probably makes sense to first understand...

    Read more

  • Court Ruling Prompts Warning for SAP Customers Rich Staas
    Director of Client Services, NPI
    04.19.17

    IT vendor audits are a fact of life these days – a fact made more difficult because compliance has become somewhat of a moving target. It can be a full-time job managing your entitlements and matching them with your license utilization. For SAP customers, that job is getting more difficult and risky, especially as it...

    Read more

  • Want More Savings From MPLS? Try Burstable. Matt West
    Director of Telecommunication Services, NPI
    04.13.17

    When MPLS was introduced as a replacement to Frame Relay in the late 1990s, it was deployed in much the same way. Customer Edge (CE) routers were connected to Provider Edge (PE) routers with a fixed bandwidth access line and a fixed bandwidth port speed that generally matched the access line. The only variable was...

    Read more

  • Why Windows 7 and 8 Users Don’t Want a Windows 10-like Upgrade Experience Joshua Osborne
    Director of Client Services – Microsoft, NPI
    03.29.17

    It’s no secret that Microsoft is over Windows 7 and 8 (https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/13853/windows-lifecycle-fact-sheet). OEMs (original equipment manufacturers) can no longer install and sell the popular operating systems and Microsoft itself stopped selling the retail versions long ago. Another development in this story has been Microsoft’s decision to force a Windows 10-like update process on Windows 7...

    Read more

  • How to Determine the Real Cost Savings of Software Defined Networks Matt West
    Director of Telecommunication Services, NPI
    03.08.17

    When it comes to network technology, one of the hottest areas of growth is Software Defined Networks (SDN). The definition of SDN is an elastic one as the market evolves, but it encompasses various network technologies that are capable of enabling functions like automated provisioning and network virtualization. Research firm IDC has estimated the worldwide...

    Read more

  • Microsoft Sourcing Insights: Cloud Productivity Suite vs. Secure Productive Enterprise Dan Brewster
    Director of Client Services – Microsoft, NPI
    02.16.17

    Have you heard about Microsoft’s Cloud Productivity Suite? Most clients haven’t – and the reason is that Microsoft is too busy promoting its Secure Productive Enterprise at every turn. Regular readers of this blog will know that Microsoft is focused on increasing its cloud market share and securing new market wins through bundling. The Secure...

    Read more

  • In a Twist of Irony, Inking a Deal with DocuSign Is Becoming More Complicated Gregg Spivack
    Director of Client Services, NPI
    02.01.17

    For a company whose electronic signature technology has simplified contracts for thousands of customers around the globe, DocuSign appears to be making its own customer contracts a little more complicated. If you’re a DocuSign customer approaching a renewal, or making an initial purchase, here are some things to consider: There are two kinds of Premier...

    Read more

  • ServiceNow Implementation and Adoption Considerations Gregg Spivack
    Director of Client Services, NPI
    01.13.17

    Congratulations! You’ve purchased this great new service management technology called ServiceNow – now what? It’s like a big box of Legos where anything can be built, so what’s the right approach to take to ensure success? Is there a tried and true model? You’ve seen many other software applications turn into shelfware or get replaced...

    Read more

  • When it Comes to SaaS Pricing, It’s Still the Wild West Michael Schulman
    IT/Telecom Delivery Analyst, NPI
    01.11.17

    In the past, most IT Sourcing pros operated on the assumption that SaaS subscription pricing is relatively inflexible. But, things are changing. As much as some vendors would like customers to believe there is a regimented program that defines the price point of their subscriptions, IT Sourcing pros are realizing that those same vendors will...

    Read more

  • Oracle Targeting Java Users with Audits Jeff Muscarella
    Partner, IT and Telecommunications, NPI
    12.21.16

    Depending on whom you ask, Oracle’s transition to the cloud has been either specious or successful. Last week’s quarterly earnings gives us a little insight into the true state of things – as do recent claims the vendor is increasing software audit activity involving its Java software. While NPI hasn’t seen this activity first-hand, there...

    Read more

  • Windows Server 2016: Navigating the Processor-to-Core Transition Joshua Osborne
    Director of Client Services - Microsoft, NPI
    12.20.16

    In October 2016, Microsoft changed its licensing for Windows Server 2016 from processor- to core-based. On the surface the transition is similar to when SQL moved to core-based licensing. Windows Server 2016 now has a core-to-processor conversion ratio of 8:1. This means that each processor converts to 8 cores in the new licensing model. Microsoft...

    Read more

  • What’s the Role of Your Reseller When You’re Buying from Microsoft? Dan Brewster
    Director of Client Services – Microsoft, NPI
    12.16.16

    Microsoft has several volume licensing programs for large corporate customers – the Select Plus program (which is being discontinued), the Microsoft Products and Services Agreement (MPSA), and the Enterprise Agreement. The Select Plus and MPSA Programs are known as “indirect” agreements. You are actually buying from a third-party such as Dell, Software Spectrum, Insight, PC...

    Read more

  • Can You Answer These Questions About Your Key Technology Vendors? Jeff Muscarella
    Partner, IT and Telecommunications, NPI
    12.15.16

    After working with hundreds of IT and sourcing professionals, I’m still amazed at how difficult it is for all of us to summarize key IT vendor relationships – especially in a format that works for senior business, IT, sourcing and finance executives. The dialogue always starts with a simple question like:What is our agreement with...

    Read more

  • Know Your Rights – What You Need to Know About Microsoft’s Product Terms Document Daniel Brewster
    Director of Client Services - Microsoft, NPI
    11.09.16

    Microsoft’s Product Terms document replaces the vendor’s previously-issued Product List and Product Use Rights (PUR). Microsoft migrated to this then-new single document back in July of 2015. But what exactly is it? The Product Terms document consolidates and distills the content previously published in the Product List and PUR, and outlines the specific use rights...

    Read more

  • What to Expect During Your Next ServiceNow Renewal Gregg Spivack
    Director of Client Services, NPI
    10.20.16

    ServiceNow’s beginnings may be cloud-based helpdesk, but the company has firmly planted its feet in the ITOM (IT operations management) space. In 2014, ServiceNow acquired Neebula and its acclaimed ServiceWatch offering, which discovers, maps and monitors the dependencies between business services and the IT services that support them. The acquisition was a significant move for...

    Read more

  • Healthcare IT Security Overspending – What Are the Culprits? Rich Staas
    Director of Client Services, NPI
    06.23.16

    The healthcare industry has always been a target for data breaches, second only behind retail. However, research suggests that healthcare organizations are eclipsing retailers when it comes to cybercriminals’ focus. In research published by IBM, the healthcare industry represents a growing percentage of all data breaches – up from 5 percent in 2013 to 15...

    Read more

  • Microsoft’s Server & Cloud Enrollment: Are There Cost Benefits? Daniel Brewster
    Director of Client Services - Microsoft, NPI
    05.09.16

    The Server & Cloud Enrollment (SCE) is the successor agreement to Microsoft’s EAP (Enrollment for Application Platform) agreement, and it’s designed for those customers that are standardizing on Microsoft’s server and cloud technologies. The products offered under the SCE include Biztalk, the Core Infrastructure Suite, many of the CRM products, SQL Server and development tools....

    Read more

  • Confused About SAP HANA? Here’s What IT Sourcing Pros Need to Know Jeff Muscarella
    Partner, IT and Telecommunications, NPI
    05.04.16

    What is SAP HANA? Most enterprise IT sourcing pros have heard the name. Many of us have seen the pitch or read a bit about it, and some of us have participated in purchasing it. But there’s still a ton of confusion surrounding SAP’s HANA offerings. Some say it’s a new database while others call...

    Read more

  • The Skinny on Fiscal Year-end IT Purchases Gregg Spivack
    Director of Client Services, NPI
    04.26.16

    In the enterprise IT space, the last two weeks of any given month are the equivalent of Black Friday (or Cyber Monday now). Pick a month and you can bet it’s some behemoth vendor’s fiscal year-end, and deals are to be had for those purchasing with that vendor. These deals are often driven by Wall...

    Read more

  • Making Sense of BMC’s Remedy Options Gregg Spivack
    Director of Client Services, NPI
    04.14.16

    While ServiceNow may be the newer darling taking the IT Service Management space by storm, there are a lot of companies still using or considering a BMC Remedy solution. Whether you're considering BMC as a competitive option or revisiting the vendor as an incumbent, it’s useful to understand the various ways they are delivering their...

    Read more

  • Microsoft Licensing for Both Apple and Microsoft in the Enterprise Dan Brewster
    Director of Client Services – Microsoft, NPI
    03.31.16

    I often have clients ask how they might integrate Apple devices in the enterprise. Virtually every client has some Apple investment – an iPhone, an iPad, or a Macbook Pro. Fortunately, Microsoft has made great strides on the Mac front in recent years. Microsoft Office 2016 is an elegant solution for Mac users that is...

    Read more

  • What the Future of Cloud Pricing Could Look Like Matt West
    Director of Telecommunication Services, NPI
    03.24.16

    One of the toughest aspects of navigating cloud pricing is that there’s no standard – it’s still the Wild West. This also presents an opportunity for enterprises to shape the future of cloud pricing and subscription models. First, let’s take a look at where we are today with cloud subscription and fee models. Some IaaS...

    Read more

  • Will you need to upgrade your System Center Configuration Manager environment to support Microsoft Windows 10? Daniel Brewster
    Director of Client Services - Microsoft, NPI
    03.22.16

    With Windows 10, Microsoft has moved to a SaaS-style update strategy, meaning updates will be issued on a more frequent basis. This is good news for some customers, yet could force them to update their System Center Configuration Manager environment to support new Windows 10 features. Since the Windows 10 launch in July 2015, Microsoft...

    Read more

  • Update – Postalized Pricing for Ethernet Access Has Arrived Matt West
    Director of Telecommunication Services, NPI
    03.21.16

    NPI has been asking for and predicting the coming of postalized ethernet pricing since early 2015. We are now beginning to see it in the marketplace. What is postalized pricing? In telecom speak, to “postalize” means to structure prices so they are not distance sensitive. For example, an enterprise that has more than 100 domestic...

    Read more

  • Is Oracle Playing Fair in the Cloud? Let’s Hope Not Chris Vicknair
    Director of Client Services, NPI
    03.16.16

    It’s not a secret that cloud computing is the future of IT. Some companies are doing well in the cloud (Microsoft, Google and Salesforce…). But others haven’t quite figure out how to make it work (HP’s enterprise offering, Helion, for example). Oracle is in on the game as well. Oracle CEO, Mark Hurd, in an...

    Read more

  • Using Oracle and VMware? An Audit May Be on the Horizon Jeff Muscarella
    Partner, IT and Telecommunications, NPI
    02.25.16

    Will you be audited by Oracle in 2016? If you’re also a VMware customer (which many companies are), the answer could be yes. Oracle has become more aggressive in its auditing pursuits – specifically towards those customers running Oracle’s database in conjunction with VMware’s virtualization software. NPI has seen an uptick in audit activity and...

    Read more

  • How Do You Decide Whether to Purchase Microsoft Client Access License Suites vs. Individual CAL Licenses? Daniel Brewster
    Director of Client Services - Microsoft, NPI
    02.15.16

    Microsoft learned a long time ago that it was easier to increase its market share for a particular product by bundling that product into a suite. Microsoft Office 1.0 included Word 1.1, Excel 2.0, and PowerPoint 2.0 and was first available in 1990. The suite offering enable Microsoft to more efficiently compete against products like...

    Read more

  • Microsoft Increases Device and User Minimum for Enterprise Agreements (EA) Jeff Muscarella
    Partner, IT and Telecommunications, NPI
    02.11.16

    At the beginning of February, Microsoft announced that it will increase the minimum EA commitment for commercial customers from 250 users or devices to 500. Effective July 1, 2016, the change applies to customers signing new Enterprise Enrollments or Enterprise Subscription Enrollments. Those commercial customers within the 250 to 499 user/device range will be guided...

    Read more

  • What You Need to Know Before Your Next Juniper Purchase or Renewal Gregg Spivack
    Director of Client Services, NPI
    11.13.15

    Routers, switches, SDN and network management – it may not be exciting, but networking technology is still the heartbeat of enterprise IT. It’s also an area of pricing commoditization among vendors, including Juniper Networks. Juniper’s pricing continues to be very competitive. But that doesn’t mean its customers aren’t overpaying, overbuying and signing sub-optimal agreement terms....

    Read more

  • Should I Upgrade to Office 2016? Joshua Osborne
    Director of Client Services - Microsoft, NPI
    11.06.15

    Despite being one of Microsoft’s flagship products, Office has been losing its luster and excitement over the years. I mean, how many times can new fonts, art, graphics and other creative features be the most exciting updates to the newest version? It’s no wonder customers are approaching an upgrade to Office 2016 with a yawn....

    Read more

  • What is a Microsoft License Statement? Why do you need one? Daniel Brewster
    Director of Client Services - Microsoft
    10.22.15

    Have you ever asked your Microsoft account team to help you understand what licenses you own? If so, you may have received a spreadsheet listing the contents of your current Select or Enterprise Agreement. While that information is useful, it’s not complete. It only includes data on what you have bought during the current agreement...

    Read more

  • Colocation: Retail or Wholesale? Rich Staas
    Director of Client Services, NPI
    09.14.15

    When looking for a colocation (colo) provider for your datacenter needs, there are several things to consider when making the choice. One decision is whether to go with a retail or wholesale provider. Both allow you to rent space for servers and other computing hardware, but their business models and pricing/contracting behavior are very different....

    Read more

  • Offshore Development – Assign the Right Tasks, Pay the Right Price Chris Vicknair
    Director of Client Services, NPI
    08.26.15

    So you’ve decided to outsource and/or hire offshore IT developers. The decision was the “easy” part. Now comes the search, research and selection of a vendor. There are lots of things to consider and important decisions to be made. Often, the first thought is, “I’ll use one of the big 3 (Accenture, Deloitte, Atos) and...

    Read more

  • SAM Needs to be Watched Jeff Muscarella
    Partner, IT and Telecommunications, NPI
    08.19.15

    Software Asset Management has been with us for well over two decades now. Large companies spend millions of dollars a year on SAM teams, tools and ongoing training. So how is it that fewer than 20 percent of the companies we work with actually have useful deployment data when it comes to a license audit...

    Read more

  • Microsoft Server & Cloud Enrollment (SCE): Navigating the Licensing Shift from EAP, ECI and EWA Joshua Osborne
    Director of Client Services – Microsoft, NPI
    07.24.15

    In Microsoft’s continued efforts to consolidate agreement offerings and give customers incentives to commit to Microsoft’s product portfolio, they announced the Server & Cloud Enrollment (SCE). The announcement came back in Q4 of 2013 (you can read more in a separate blog post here), but it’s only now that many companies are facing this change...

    Read more

  • MPSA – Where Microsoft Licensing is Going Joshua Osborne
    Director of Client Services - Microsoft, NPI
    07.20.15

    Microsoft licensing is a touchy subject. Many customers’ thoughts or comments on the topic aren’t too positive (to be nice). Even Microsoft employees and channels struggle to fully understand the changing offerings and product use rights across the product portfolio. It’s so complex that Microsoft employs hundreds of staff solely dedicated to product licensing. Will...

    Read more

  • Healthcare IT Sourcing – Optimizing the Epic EHR Purchase Rich Staas
    Director of Client Services, NPI
    06.24.15

    Bigger isn’t always better. It’s a truism acknowledged by Epic Systems, a reputable provider of EHR and other software solutions for the healthcare industry. The vendor is renowned for its high-value products and services, and the loyalty it receives from a smaller (as compared to Cerner), but devoted (and growing…) customer base. It’s also known...

    Read more

  • Buying Through a Reseller? What You Need to Know About Registered Deals Rich Staas
    Director of Client Services, NPI
    05.29.15

    Buying IT through a reseller has its advantages – and it also has its pitfalls, one of which is the registered deal. Here’s how it works… Many IT manufacturers, whether hardware or software, only sell through channel partners. When that occurs, the first reseller contacted by a customer will register the deal with the manufacturer....

    Read more

  • Are you considering a CLM (Contract Lifecycle Management) system? Gregg Spivack
    Director of Client Services, NPI
    05.27.15

    We’re in the business of optimizing the business terms of contracts here at NPI – so when our clients bring us in to review a contract lifecycle management (CLM) purchase or renewal, we come to the table with a unique perspective. The success of these CLM initiatives goes well beyond getting the best price or...

    Read more

  • IT Sourcing 101: Why is Pricing So Opaque? Matt West
    Director of Telecommunication Services, NPI
    05.20.15

    IT and telecom suppliers like to keep the details behind pricing as opaque as possible. The more they can bundle, the less the customer can compare pricing to competitors. That helps the vendor at selection time, but it’s even more beneficial down the road. Take the following example – an actual quote. It includes 20,000...

    Read more

  • Considerations When Evaluating Workday or Renewing Your Agreement Gregg Spivack
    Director of Client Services, NPI
    03.24.15

    As Workday approaches $7B in annual revenue, it’s obvious that this nice cloud ERP/HRM story has become an IT stalwart. One sign of this maturation is the growing number of renewals NPI has reviewed – in the early days, we were just reviewing new purchases. While each contract situation is unique, following some basic tenets...

    Read more

  • Break Down the Elements of Cloud Cost Control Rich Staas
    Director of Client Services, NPI
    03.19.15

    As enterprise applications and infrastructure services move to the cloud, it’s important that companies take a different view of the IT purchase. Many of the traditional sourcing considerations that apply to on-premise solutions change with the cloud. Before entering an agreement with a vendor, companies need to understand and analyze potential hurdles to realizing the...

    Read more

  • Microsoft’s New Strategy Creates New Licensing and Contracting Challenges for Enterprise Customers Jeff Muscarella
    Partner, IT and Telecommunications, NPI
    02.12.15

    Cloud-first. Mobility-first. Device-agnostic. These are the imperatives that are driving business and innovation strategy at Microsoft today. They’re also driving big changes to Microsoft’s licensing and contracting practices, and enterprise customers are feeling the impact. The gap between Microsoft’s vision and the reality of its core enterprise customers is still wide. The majority of these...

    Read more

  • Per-User Windows Licensing Will Soon Be Available to Microsoft Enterprise Customers – What You Need to Know Now Forrest Silverman
    Director of Client Services, NPI
    11.18.14

    Microsoft recently announced Enterprise Cloud Suite (ECS) – a subscription-based, per-user licensing option for its most popular productivity services. They include Windows and Office (on-premise) as well as Windows Server, Exchange and SharePoint (on-premise or cloud). One very important piece of news embedded in this announcement was the introduction of the User Subscription License (USL)...

    Read more

  • Salesforce.com and Mobile Healthcare – Get Ready! Rich Staas
    Healthcare, Salesforce.com
    10.22.14

    Earlier this year, Salesforce.com officially ventured into the healthcare industry through a partnership with Philips. The alliance between the world’s top CRM company and a long-time leader in the healthcare technology sector came as a surprise to many. But dig a bit deeper and the partnership is indicative of the numerous transformations and convergences happening...

    Read more

  • Navigating the Risks of a Microsoft Enterprise Agreement: Software Assurance Jeff Muscarella
    EVP of IT and Telecom Division, NPI
    10.09.14

    Remember when it didn't take a rocket scientist to navigate a Microsoft Enterprise Agreement? Times certainly have changed. What used to be fairly straightforward perpetual licensing became considerably more complex when Microsoft began adding “strings” to its software assurance (SA) maintenance model. As a result, the task of figuring out whether it makes financial sense...

    Read more

  • Tips for Working With Your Vendor to Cut Hardware and Software Maintenance Costs Kevin Davis
    Director, IT Delivery, NPI
    10.08.14

    Some of the maintenance renewals I review for clients blow my mind. Too often, large ($1M+) support renewals for hardware seem out of line with common sense in terms of value given for price paid, or don’t clearly identify which hardware is covered, or include hardware that is no longer used. If this situation sounds...

    Read more

  • What You Can Learn from Monday’s Microsoft Azure Outage Forrest Silverman
    Director of Client Services, NPI
    08.21.14

    What happens when your cloud service provider suffers an outage? The question was on more than a few minds this Monday when Microsoft’s Azure cloud computing service experienced a global outage that lasted approximately five hours. If you’re an Azure customer, or are considering migrating to Microsoft’s cloud services, here are a few things to...

    Read more

  • 5 Questions to Ask Before You Sign an Oracle Unlimited License Agreement Gregg Spivack
    Director of Client Services, NPI
    06.16.14

    Attention Oracle customers – are you getting ready to sign an Unlimited License Agreement (ULA) for the first time, or renew an existing one? While the ULA is ideal for some companies, there are risks to consider. Not every company needs or will benefit from a ULA, yet overspending is endemic to customers that pursue...

    Read more

  • How Can I Cut My SAP Costs? Jon Winsett,
    CEO, NPI
    05.29.14

    “How can I cut my SAP costs?” It’s a question we hear routinely, and one we expect to hear more of in the coming months. SAP has done a lot to enhance its capabilities. This includes a hyper focus on cloud capabilities, as well as the development and expansion of its HANA data and analytics...

    Read more

  • How IBM Passport Advantage Works Rich Staas
    Director of Client Services, NPI
    05.21.14

    IT vendors have long been criticized for the complexity of their licensing agreements and pricing – especially by large enterprises that have to manage large vendor footprints across their organization. In response, some vendors have created enterprise-friendly programs and agreements designed to make purchasing and license management easier and less costly. For IBM, this comes...

    Read more

  • Reseller Negotiations – What You Need to Know about Registered Deals Rich Staas
    Director of Client Services, NPI
    02.28.14

    If you’ve bought hardware lately, there’s a good chance you’ve purchased it through a reseller. Buying through a reseller has its advantages, but it also adds another layer of complexity to the process. In some cases, it challenges the sourcing best practices many buyers use for direct-from-vendor purchases. For example, many companies' procurement policies require...

    Read more

  • Avoiding Professional Services Contract Negotiation Pitfalls Rich Staas
    Director of Client Services, NPI
    01.31.14

    If you’re like most enterprises, you enter into several IT professional services contracts each year. Whether you’re purchasing project implementation services, bespoke solution development, upgrade services or staff augmentation, there are several pitfalls to be aware of before signing your next agreement. Here’s some advice: Service rates are always negotiable. As with almost any IT...

    Read more
Show more