GLOSSARY

Configuration management database (CMDB) – database containing all the relevant details of each configuration item and details of the important relationships between them.

Configuration item (CI) item– aggregation of hardware or software or both that is designed to be managed as a single entity.

Note 1: CIs may vary widely in complexity, size and type, ranging from an entire system including all hardware, software and documentation, to a single module or a minor hardware component.

Note 2: this document refers primarily to software CIs.

Entitlement – installation or execution rights for a software CI, valid for a predefined time period and based upon software licence purchases.

Extensible mark-up language (XML) – licence-free and platform-independent mark-up language that carries rules for generating text formats that contain structured data.

Globally unique identifier (GUID) – pseudo-random, 16-byte string of characters that is generated in a manner that gives a very high probability that the string is unique in any context.

Identity element – component of a software tag describing a common attribute of most or all software CIs.

Line-of-business application developer – person or company specialising in developing applications providing specific functions that are important to the success of a particular business function.

Licence – contract between a software manufacturer and a customer stipulating terms, conditions and rights of usage.

Platform – computer or hardware device and/or associated operating system.

Release – collection of new and/or changed CIs which are tested and introduced into a production environment together.

Release manager – individual responsible for implementing release management processes, primarily those relating to software development, packaging and distribution.

Software asset – an entitlement or licence for use of any software resource, whether it be a software program, service or some form of content used in association with a software resource.

Software asset management (SAM) – effective management, control and protection of software assets within an end-user organisation.

SAM owner – individual at a senior organisation-wide level who is identified as being responsible for SAM.

SAM practitioner – individual involved in the practice or role of working with software assets. Typically, a SAM practitioner is involved in the collection or reconciliation of software inventory and/or entitlements.

Software life cycle management – the end-to-end management, regardless of role (publisher, OEM, consumer), of all associated software assets for a software product.

Software manufacturer – person, group or company that develops software.

Software provider – any organisation or person that is creating software for use on computing devices. These may include software manufacturers or line-of-business application developers.

Software publisher – person, group or company that packages and distributes software. The publisher may or may not be a software manufacturer as well.

Software entitlement identification (SWEID) tag – file comprising identity elements containing authoritative identification information about a software entitlement.

Software identification (SWID) tag – file comprising identity elements containing authoritative identification information about a software CI.

Value-added reseller (VAR) – company licensed to repackage and support existing products as combined software packages. 190