Lessons from US Government Oversight: How Effective Software License Management Protects Your IT Budget

Software licenses represent a significant investment for organizations of all sizes. Yet, as a recent congressional oversight hearing on the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) revealed, even government agencies spending over $1 billion annually on software can struggle with fundamental license management [ 🔗 Read press release here ]. For IT managers, CIOs, and procurement…

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VMware’s Mandatory Compliance Reporting: What You Need to Know

Broadcom’s acquisition of VMware has led to significant changes in licensing terms and conditions, notably affecting compliance reporting obligations. A crucial update that has slipped under the radar for many users is the Mandatory Compliance Reporting requirement embedded in VMware Cloud Foundation (VCF) licensing documentation. Understanding Mandatory Compliance Reporting Under Broadcom’s VMware licensing, customers must submit compliance…

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Broadcom Faces EU Scrutiny Over Controversial VMware Licensing Practices

Broadcom’s recent overhaul of VMware’s licensing model has sparked significant backlash from European cloud service providers, leading to calls for regulatory intervention. The European Cloud Infrastructure Services Providers in Europe (CISPE) and its monitoring body, the European Cloud Competition Observatory (ECCO), have raised concerns about substantial price hikes and restrictive licensing terms imposed by Broadcom…

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Microsoft’s EU Antitrust Case Nears Resolution: EU Commission seeks feedback on remedy proposals

The European Commission (EC) is currently evaluating public feedback on Microsoft’s proposed commitments to address antitrust concerns related to the bundling of its Teams collaboration tool with Office 365 and Microsoft 365 suites. This development follows a formal investigation initiated in July 2023, prompted by complaints from Slack Technologies and Alfaview GmbH, alleging that Microsoft’s…

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Microsoft Faces Major UK Class Action Over Software Licensing Practices

Microsoft is under legal scrutiny in the UK, facing one of the country’s largest class action lawsuits concerning its software licensing strategies. The lawsuit alleges that Microsoft has abused its market dominance by imposing restrictive licensing practices, leading to inflated prices for consumers and businesses.  Allegations of Market Abuse The core of the lawsuit centers…

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Microsoft’s New European Cloud Commitments: A Turning Point for Licensing and Digital Sovereignty

On April 30, 2025, Microsoft announced a set of updated commitments designed to address European concerns around digital sovereignty, fair competition, and cloud market dynamics. Titled the “European Cloud Principles” and framed within a broader “European Cloud Customer Commitment,” the move responds to growing regulatory scrutiny across the EU and attempts to align more closely…

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US Federal CIO Mandates Software License Inventory: What It Means for SAM and Why It Matters Now

In a significant move to enhance software asset management (SAM) across U.S. federal agencies, newly appointed Federal CIO Greg Barbaccia has mandated a comprehensive inventory of software licenses. By April 2, 2025, agency CIOs are required to report all licenses held with the government’s top five software vendors: Microsoft, Adobe, Salesforce, Oracle, and ServiceNow. This…

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Licenseware Named Among Romania’s Top 35 Innovations of 2025

Licenseware has been recognized as one of Romania’s top 35 innovations in the 2025 edition of the Innovation 35 report by start-up.ro. This annual initiative highlights groundbreaking projects across various sectors, celebrating the nation’s most forward-thinking companies. Licenseware: Leading the Charge in Software Asset Management Licenseware’s inclusion in the Innovation 35 underscores our commitment to…

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Broadcom’s Cease-and-Desist Letters to VMware Perpetual License Holders

Broadcom’s recent actions have sent ripples through the IT community. Following its acquisition of VMware in November 2023, Broadcom has been actively enforcing its new licensing policies, particularly targeting users of perpetual VMware licenses without active support contracts. This enforcement has taken the form of cease-and-desist letters, raising concerns and prompting discussions about software asset…

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Free ESXi Is Back! But What’s the Catch?

Broadcom quietly revives VMware’s free hypervisor, and the virtualization world takes notice. In a quiet yet significant pivot, Broadcom has reinstated the free version of VMware ESXi, the widely used Type 1 hypervisor, just over a year after pulling the plug on it. The return was noted subtly in the release notes for vSphere 8.0 Update…

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Adobe Retires VIP Commercial Program: Transition to VIP Marketplace by May 31, 2025

Adobe has officially announced the retirement of its Value Incentive Plan (VIP) for commercial segment customers, with a complete transition to the VIP Marketplace required by May 31, 2025. This change affects all commercial customers globally, including those who had previously received extensions to the migration deadline. After this date, end-users remaining under the VIP…

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Upcoming Price Increase and Changes to Microsoft On-Prem Server Licensing

Microsoft has announced significant licensing and pricing changes for its on-premises server products, effective July 1, 2025. These updates will impact organizations relying on Exchange Server, Skype for Business Server, and SharePoint Server. As the software asset management (SAM) landscape evolves, understanding these changes is crucial for maintaining compliance and optimizing costs.  What’s Changing? 1.…

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Introducing NEO Support: AI-Powered Customer Support for Licenseware Products

We’re thrilled to announce the launch of NEO Support, a specialized version of our beloved AI licensing chatbot, NEO, tailored specifically for customer support inquiries related to Licenseware products. Why NEO Support? The standout feature of NEO Support is its training—it’s exclusively trained on our own documentation! This laser-focused approach ensures accurate, reliable, and specific answers…

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DOGE Bites Oracle: Pentagon’s $280M Oracle HR Software Fiasco Spotlights Need for Smarter Licensing

Behind the Oracle HR Software Debacle The Pentagon has decisively terminated a massive human resources software project, built on Oracle technology, after it ballooned $280 million over budget and fell dramatically behind schedule. This cancellation is a significant blow to Oracle, raising concerns about transparency, accountability, and the efficiency of large-scale government software licensing and…

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Oracle’s attempt to hide severe cybersecurity incidents from customers in Oracle SaaS service

Oracle Faces Backlash Over Handling of Cloud Security Breach In March 2025, Oracle Corporation found itself at the center of a cybersecurity controversy following allegations of a significant data breach affecting its cloud services. A threat actor, known by the alias “rose87168,” claimed responsibility for infiltrating Oracle’s systems and exfiltrating sensitive data, including six million…

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