Adobe stops software licence audits in Americas, Europe

Adobe has stopped doing software licence audits in most parts of the world, according to Gartner research director Stephen White.

White recently blogged about Adobe's decision, writing that “These programs were closed in the North America, Japan and Latin America markets as of November 2015. Closure of the EMEA program is currently underway; the company states it will maintain audit/compliance programming only in select markets throughout APAC.

Adobe, however, refused to answer The Register's questions on the matter or to confirm the change.

Now White has told us that Gartner was first told about the end of audits by a third party and later confirmed the change with Adobe itself.

He thinks stopping audits is good news for Adobe, because it shows the company's move to software-as-a-service has eased its piracy and counterfeiting problems to the extent that it doesn't need to conduct audits any more. Indeed, the company can now see just what it's customers are up to and fire off automated reminders of licensing obligations.

But that's not great news for Adobe users, because it means the company's move to software-as-a-service is making so much money it doesn't need to bother with audits any more.

Adobe's not the only company to take this road. Yesterday The Register reported that Oracle is closing its licence services division, again because cloud makes it easier for Big Red to keep tabs on you.

White's also pointed out that Microsoft retired a Software Asset Management competency for partners earlier this year, a move he believes was made possible by Redmond's cloud shifts.

White therefore thinks that organisations need to re-focus their software asset management efforts to ensure that their SaaS buying habits aren't slack and costing them money, not least because Adobe's success may well give other vendors the push they need to accelerate their – and your – move to SaaS. Whether you're ready or not. ®