How do you manage software serial keys, licenses, etc.?

Question

My company is trying to find a tool that will track serial keys for software that we purchased (such as Office), as well as software that we write and sell.

We want the software to allow us to associate a particular computer with the software on that computer and the serial keys and licenses for that software. We would also like to track the history of a computer, for example, when software is removed from a computer and moved to another computer.

I looked at Google and various software sites, but all the results that I found are for licensing software and generating serial keys, and not for managing the serial keys that these tools generate. I know this problem is resolved; many companies license software and keep records of the serial keys that they generate. So I wonder if any of you solved the same problem without writing your own software?

Edit: I forgot to mention, I am not asking about the benefits of licensed software - the software we write is not COTS, and purchases are controlled at the contract level. However, we need to control the creation of serial keys.

Answer 1

Take a look at SpiceWorks:

http://www.spiceworks.com/

This is much more than just inventory / asset management and is free.

Answer 2

A couple of options (including one that you don't need):

• Write your own database; Perhaps a simple application using SQLite. (Not very attractive, but not difficult)

• You just need an application that allows you to create name: value pairs and assign them to groups. A custom address book will work as a last resort. Each contact can be a program name or a customer name with a license / sequence as data. Then you can group a computer, client, etc.

This sounds like a classic problem that Access (and similar programs) were designed to solve. You start with access, use it for several years, and then later hire someone to transfer data to the user application when you outgrow this solution.

I would really like to try and use the address book program for this. (Note: I am using Apple's address book program, which is intended for function references). It allows you to customize fields, notes, and groups. The disadvantage is that you need to do more work: search for a part of the serial number to make sure it is not in use by manually adding a note to the two “contacts” indicating the transfer of the license from one to the other.

On the other hand, if license tracking your own software is key for your company, it is probably worth the time and money to develop a custom application on top of an SQL database. Write down a list of everything you want to do. Go back and write down any rules or restrictions (for example, can two or more machines have the same license?). The database schema and programming rules will drop out directly from this document.

Another idea: programs that track books, dvds, etc. First of all, these are the ones that allow you to take notes about when you provide them to people.

Answer 3

not ready, but maybe a database like MySQL or OpenOffice Base (or Access, bleah)? It sounds pretty simple if you are not looking for a lot of frills; just a few tables, for example. users, computers, software types, license keys and crosstabs to associate them with each other.

Answer 4

This may be useful, but I have not used it for what you are looking for:

http://www.ezasset.com/i/front.html?page=front_ezindex

There are several ways you can handle it: is it possible that a license is also considered an asset (and not just a computer), and you group assets together?

There is the concept of a parent asset and sub assets that I think. It is free for up to 100 assets. Destination and location are also being processed.

Answer 5

My suggestion is PassPack - we use them to manage passwords, and they are excellent.

Answer 6

I have used this in the past and have been very pleased with it. The downside is that it works in FileMaker