IBM Case Studies US Foods avoids potential software license penalties with self audit

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	US Foods avoids potential software license penalties with self audit IBM

US Foods avoids potential software license penalties with self audit

IBM

Technology Category	Application Infrastructure & Middleware - API Integration & Management
Applicable Industries	Food & Beverage
Applicable Functions	Business Operation
Use Cases	Asset Lifecycle Management Cybersecurity
Services	System Integration
Challenge	US Foods, a leading distributor of more than 350,000 products to over 250,000 customers, was facing a challenge with software license compliance across its 15,000 endpoints. The company was using a cumbersome endpoint management tool that required significant manual effort and time to collect and assimilate software installation and licensing data. The process was decentralized due to bandwidth inconsistency across different distribution centers, leading to a lack of control and systematization. The company was also facing the risk of costly software audits from vendors vigilant about protecting their licensing revenue and enforcing their agreements. Read More
About Customer	US Foods is a leading distributor of more than 350,000 products to over 250,000 customers, including independent and multiunit restaurants, healthcare and hospitality entities, and government and educational institutions. The company was seeking to streamline its cumbersome endpoint management processes and ensure software license compliance across all of its 15,000 endpoints. The company was also looking to reduce its device-related electricity costs and compress its patch and application deployment cycles. Read More
Solution	US Foods selected the IBM BigFix solution for lifecycle management, software usage analysis, power management, and security and compliance. The solution helped the company ensure software license compliance across all of its 15,000 endpoints, reduce device-related electricity costs, and compress patch and application deployment cycles. The IBM BigFix solution helped US Foods reduce patch deployment times by 80 percent, saving USD500,000 on software licenses and avoiding more than USD1 million in license noncompliance fines. The company also used several custom “Fixlets” (policies) to extend granular visibility and control into any endpoint. Read More Log in to view content
Contents

Technology Category

Application Infrastructure & Middleware - API Integration & Management

Applicable Industries

Food & Beverage

Applicable Functions

Business Operation

Use Cases

Asset Lifecycle Management

Cybersecurity

Services

System Integration

Challenge

US Foods, a leading distributor of more than 350,000 products to over 250,000 customers, was facing a challenge with software license compliance across its 15,000 endpoints. The company was using a cumbersome endpoint management tool that required significant manual effort and time to collect and assimilate software installation and licensing data. The process was decentralized due to bandwidth inconsistency across different distribution centers, leading to a lack of control and systematization. The company was also facing the risk of costly software audits from vendors vigilant about protecting their licensing revenue and enforcing their agreements.

About Customer

US Foods is a leading distributor of more than 350,000 products to over 250,000 customers, including independent and multiunit restaurants, healthcare and hospitality entities, and government and educational institutions. The company was seeking to streamline its cumbersome endpoint management processes and ensure software license compliance across all of its 15,000 endpoints. The company was also looking to reduce its device-related electricity costs and compress its patch and application deployment cycles.

Solution

US Foods selected the IBM BigFix solution for lifecycle management, software usage analysis, power management, and security and compliance. The solution helped the company ensure software license compliance across all of its 15,000 endpoints, reduce device-related electricity costs, and compress patch and application deployment cycles. The IBM BigFix solution helped US Foods reduce patch deployment times by 80 percent, saving USD500,000 on software licenses and avoiding more than USD1 million in license noncompliance fines. The company also used several custom “Fixlets” (policies) to extend granular visibility and control into any endpoint.

Impact #1	The IBM BigFix solution helped US Foods reduce patch deployment times by 80 percent.
Impact #2	The solution greatly increased confidence in the company's software usage data and enhanced its lifecycle management processes significantly.
Impact #3	The company's central office now manages all endpoint-related activities, reducing time and effort spent in the company’s remote offices and locations.

Impact #1

The IBM BigFix solution helped US Foods reduce patch deployment times by 80 percent.

Impact #2

The solution greatly increased confidence in the company's software usage data and enhanced its lifecycle management processes significantly.

Impact #3

The company's central office now manages all endpoint-related activities, reducing time and effort spent in the company’s remote offices and locations.

Benefit #1	Saved USD500,000 on software licenses.
Benefit #2	Avoided more than USD1 million in license noncompliance fines.
Benefit #3	Saved USD70,000 in capital expenditures by retaining a significant portion of an acquired company’s hardware and software inventory.

Benefit #1

Saved USD500,000 on software licenses.

Benefit #2

Avoided more than USD1 million in license noncompliance fines.

Benefit #3

Saved USD70,000 in capital expenditures by retaining a significant portion of an acquired company’s hardware and software inventory.

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Overview

US Foods avoids potential software license penalties with self audit

Operational Impact

Quantitative Benefit