Software Assurance Explained

Software assurance is a systematic process that ensures software meets its requirements and is reliable, secure, and maintainable. It's not just about testing, but about verifying that the software is fit for its intended purpose.

Software assurance involves identifying and mitigating risks throughout the software development lifecycle, from requirements gathering to deployment and maintenance. This includes activities like risk analysis, testing, and review.

The goal of software assurance is to provide confidence that the software will perform as expected and meet the needs of its users. It's a critical aspect of software development that helps prevent costly rework, reduce downtime, and improve overall quality.

By following a structured approach to software assurance, organizations can ensure their software is trustworthy, secure, and meets the required standards.

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Software Assurance is essentially a technology insurance policy for volume licensing, where enterprises pay around 25-30% of a product's license cost per year to receive a bundle of benefits over a 3-year term.

This bundle includes new version rights, allowing your organization to upgrade to new software versions without purchasing new licenses, and exclusive use rights, such as unlimited virtualization benefits for certain products like SQL Server Enterprise.

You'll also get access to tools and services that simplify deployment and management, like 24/7 support incidents and training vouchers.

However, Software Assurance is not a one-size-fits-all solution, and some benefits may not be fully utilized by your organization.

Key components of Software Assurance:

Software Assurance is the maintenance fees you pay within an Enterprise Agreement, which you need to buy licenses with.

You can think of it as a program that offers technologies, services, and rights to help you manage, use, and deploy your IT products.

Software Assurance allows for easy renewal, requiring no new licenses, making it a convenient option.

If you want a license without Software Assurance, you'll need to sign up for a different type of Agreement, such as CSP, Open, or MPSA.

Certain products, like platform or Enterprise, can only be ordered through an Enterprise Agreement.

User rights differ greatly depending on whether you have Software Assurance or not, with SQL Server Enterprise and its unlimited virtualization benefit being a notable example.

Microsoft is a technology giant that offers a range of software products, including Windows, Office, and server software. Their products are used by millions of people around the world.

Microsoft has a volume licensing program that allows enterprises to pay a lower price for their software. This program is called Microsoft Software Assurance.

Microsoft Software Assurance is essentially a technology insurance policy that provides a bundle of benefits over a 3-year term. This bundle includes new version rights, license mobility, home-use program for employees, training vouchers, planning services, and 24/7 support incidents.

Microsoft's Enterprise Agreements (EA) often bundle Software Assurance as a mandatory component on perpetual licenses. Outside of an EA, Software Assurance is optional on a product-by-product basis.

Microsoft's software products are widely used, but they can be expensive. Enterprises pay roughly 25-30% of a product's license cost per year to receive the benefits of Software Assurance. Over a 3-year agreement, an organization will pay roughly ~87% of the original license price in Software Assurance fees.

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Software assurance is a critical aspect of software development, and it's essential to have the right tools to ensure the quality and security of our software.

Artificial intelligence (AI) is increasingly being used in software assurance to identify and address defects and vulnerabilities in software code. AI techniques such as machine learning and natural language processing can be used to automate testing and verification processes, making them faster and more efficient.

Static analysis tools analyze the source code of a software application without executing it, to identify potential defects or vulnerabilities. This can help detect issues related to code quality, security, and compliance with coding standards.

Dynamic analysis tools analyze the behavior of a software application while it is running, to identify defects or vulnerabilities that may not be apparent in the source code. This can help detect issues related to performance, memory usage, and security.

Fuzz testing tools generate random input to a software application, to test its resilience to unexpected or malformed data. This can help detect issues related to input validation, memory management, and security.

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Penetration testing tools simulate attacks on a software application, to identify vulnerabilities that could be exploited by attackers. This can help detect issues related to security, such as SQL injection, cross-site scripting, and buffer overflows.

Test management tools are used to manage the software testing process, including test case creation, execution, and reporting. These tools can help ensure that all required tests are conducted, and that defects are tracked and resolved.

Here are some common types of testing and verification tools:

The government and industry are taking software assurance very seriously, and for good reason. Software is used in a wide range of applications, from business operations to critical infrastructure, and defects or vulnerabilities in software can have serious consequences.

The United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS) defines software assurance as addressing trustworthiness, predictable execution, and conformance. These are essential qualities for software to ensure it functions as intended and is free from exploitable vulnerabilities.

The DHS also recognizes the importance of contributing disciplines, such as software engineering, systems engineering, and information systems security engineering, to achieve software assurance. These disciplines are articulated in bodies of knowledge and core competencies.

NASA defines software assurance as a planned and systematic set of activities that ensures software processes and products conform to requirements, standards, and procedures. This includes quality assurance, quality engineering, verification and validation, and safety assurance.

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) also emphasizes the importance of applying these disciplines during a software development life cycle. This ensures that software is reliable, secure, and meets established business and security objectives.

The Object Management Group (OMG) defines software assurance as "justifiable trustworthiness in meeting established business and security objectives." They aim to establish a common framework for analysis and exchange of information related to software trustworthiness.

Here are some of the key initiatives and organizations working towards software assurance:

These organizations are working together to promote integrity, security, and reliability in software. They are developing best practices, methodologies, and tools to help identify potential security vulnerabilities and ensure software functions as intended.

Software Assurance offers a wide range of benefits to help organizations get the most out of their Microsoft technology investments.

With Software Assurance, you can access 24/7 technical support and planning services, and request end-user and technical training at no additional cost.

The benefits of Software Assurance include the ability to upgrade to the latest versions of software at no extra license cost, and to move certain server licenses to cloud hosting.

Software Assurance also provides license mobility to cloud, allowing you to use on-prem licenses in Azure for discounted cloud VMs, and the Azure Hybrid Use Benefit, which enables you to use your on-prem licenses in Azure for savings.

But what remains are the technical licensing rights, which include the ability to upgrade software, run workloads in flexible ways, and other usage rights that protect your investments.

Here are the key benefits of Software Assurance:

These benefits can help reduce the risk of costly system failures, data breaches, and other negative outcomes by ensuring software assurance, which is critical in today's digital world where software is used to control a wide range of devices and systems.

Conducting a Benefit Utilization Audit is a crucial step in getting the most out of Software Assurance. This involves reviewing all the benefits your company is entitled to and tracking which ones have been used in the last 1-3 years.

By identifying wasted value, you can inform your renewal strategy and avoid paying for benefits that aren't being utilized. This can help you allocate resources more efficiently and make more informed decisions about your Software Assurance coverage.

If you keep Software Assurance, make sure to leverage hybrid benefits where possible. Features like Azure Hybrid Benefit and License Mobility can provide tangible savings, such as lower Azure bills, if you're not using them, you're leaving money on the table.

To negotiate for value, not just cost, consider removing support and training benefits and seeking alternative value. For example, you could negotiate for a year of Unified Support or additional Azure credits to offset the loss of SA perks.

You don't have to go all-or-nothing with Software Assurance. Consider deactivating it on static or end-of-life systems and maintaining it on mission-critical platforms where upgrades and flexibility are crucial.

Here are some key considerations to keep in mind:

Engaging licensing experts or advisors can be beneficial if your Microsoft spend is substantial. They can uncover negotiation opportunities and ensure you're not overlooking fine print.

Staying educated on Microsoft's roadmap can help you predict whether an SA-covered upgrade is likely, justifying renewal, or if the product is transitioning to cloud/subscription-only, potentially making SA less relevant in the future.

As you navigate the world of software assurance, it's essential to consider the impact of cloud adoption on your strategy. With Microsoft's shift to cloud services, many organizations are finding that Software Assurance (SA) is no longer necessary for cloud-based products like Microsoft 365 and Azure.

If you're mostly cloud-first, you can likely reduce or eliminate SA coverage on cloud subscriptions, as they often include ongoing updates and support. However, if you're maintaining some on-premises licenses in a hybrid model, SA can be a crucial component in bridging the gap between on-prem and cloud.

The Azure Hybrid Benefit (AHB) is a great example of how SA can save you money on cloud costs. By using existing Windows Server or SQL Server licenses with active SA, you can drastically cut cloud costs on Azure VM instances. Without SA, you'd be paying more for those Azure workloads.

Here are some key considerations for hybrid scenarios:

If you're considering a Cloud Solution Provider (CSP) program or direct subscriptions, be aware that CSP licenses don't have "Software Assurance" per se. However, you may still need to maintain separate licenses for hybrid servers or perpetual licenses. A mix-and-match approach can be effective, but requires careful management to avoid compliance gaps.