If you haven’t received an audit inventation, consider yourself lucky. Publishers are auditing everyone, from volume licensing to SPLA, audits are happening and it’s best you be prepared.
I am often asked “What steps are entailed in an audit and how much is this going to cost me?” Both questions have undetermined variables tied to them. I said this before, but you must look at your datacenter from an auditors perspective. What would they want to see if I am audited? Here’s my advice, (& take it for what it’s worth), but if I knew audits were happening, I would want to keep track of all users that have access to the software and ensure those that do not have access truly do not have access! As an example, I’m hosting SharePoint to 10 users and only 5 of those users have access to Enterprise features – therefore I only need to report 5 right? Maybe- but what happens in some weird way they could possibly access the Enterprise features? You would true up all licensing not reported and probably have an additional fee on top of it!Secondly, if I was using SQL, I would double check and see if VMs can migrate to different hosts. Third, I would get a record of end user agreements and ensure software assurance is active for whatever products they are using under “license mobility.” Last, and probably the most important – be careful of using a third party for audit support. It may look like they helped – but in the end …did they? Email me a blaforge@splalicensing.com and I can explain.
Thanks,
SPLA Man
SPLA Licensing 
Njordur
January 14, 2014 at 4:08 pm
I’ve gone through and extensive SPLA audit in my company in 2013. Now we are at the final stage and to our surprise we have an overcount of licenses over the SPLA contract period, except in the office licenses. Do you know how Microsoft reacts to these overcounts? Would they give us money back ?
splaman
January 15, 2014 at 5:11 am
Sorry to hear that. I would use that as ammo to lower the Office licenses owed. Hit me up at blaforge@splalicensing.com and we can discuss further.
CNenad
February 10, 2014 at 10:33 pm
Hi SPLA Man 🙂
Please, can you tell us, should I audit my SPLA users ? For example, if my customer rent VPS only with OS, does I (my company) have right to have account on such VPS and login to it and check does customer installed SQL. Should I audit my customer if it pays SQL SAL and I am suspect that SQL is using more users than payed by SLA ? What do you think ?
Best regards
CNenad
splaman
February 11, 2014 at 8:30 am
Absolutely! When end customers are installing software without your knowledge, you will still be on the hook. I would make it a part of your SLA as well as post a copy of the “end user license terms” on your portal (which is part of your SPLA agreement paperwork)