Example Scenario for Software Metering in Configuration Manager
Updated: May 14, 2015
Applies To: System Center 2012 Configuration Manager, System Center 2012 Configuration Manager SP1, System Center 2012 Configuration Manager SP2, System Center 2012 R2 Configuration Manager, System Center 2012 R2 Configuration Manager SP1
Note
This topic appears in the Assets and Compliance in System Center 2012 Configuration Manager guide and in the Scenarios and Solutions Using System Center 2012 Configuration Manager guide.
This topic provides an example scenario of how software metering in System Center 2012 Configuration Manager can be implemented to solve the following business requirements:
Determine how many copies of a specified software application are in use on the company network.
Determine whether there are any unused copies of a specified software application on the network.
Determine which users regularly use a specified software application.
Woodgrove Bank has deployed Microsoft Office 2010 as its standard office productivity suite. However, to support a legacy application, some computers must continue to run Microsoft Office Word 2003. The IT department wants to reduce support and licensing costs by removing these copies of Word 2003 if the legacy application is no longer used. The help desk also wants to identify which users use the legacy application.
John is Woodgrove Bank's IT Systems Manager who uses software metering in Configuration Manager to achieve these business objectives. He performs the actions in the following table:
Process |
Reference |
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John checks the prerequisites for software metering and confirms that the reporting services point is installed and operational. |
Prerequisites for Software Metering in Configuration Manager |
John configures the default client settings for software metering:
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How to Configure Software Metering in Configuration Manager How to Create Software Metering Rules in Configuration Manager |
John waits for seven days, after which the client computers begin to report usage data for the woodgrove.exe executable. |
No additional information. |
John uses the Configuration Manager report Install base for all metered software programs to see which computers have the application woodgrove.exe loaded. |
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After six months, John runs the report Computers that have a metered program installed, but have not run the program since a specified date, specifying the software metering rule and a date six months in the past. This report identifies 120 computers that have not run the program in the past six months. |
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John makes some further checks to confirm that the legacy application is not required on the identified computers. He then uninstalls the legacy application and the copy of Word 2003 from these computers. John runs the report Users that have run a specific metered software program to provide the help desk with a list of users who continue to use the legacy application. |
No additional information. |
John continues to check the software metering reports weekly and takes remedial action if necessary. |
As a result of this course of action, IT support and licensing costs are reduced by removing the applications that are no longer required. In addition, the help desk now has the list that it wanted of the users who run the legacy application.