Fx sd slo-adapter_development_sept12

1. Data Import Process Automation Means
Better Results
Many enterprises are implementing Software Asset
Management (SAM) and license optimization
solutions to effectively manage their software
estate. However, for these solutions to deliver
on their promise, they need to access data from
many sources, in a timely manner, to enable the
determination of an accurate and optimized license
position. Collected data types include purchase
order and contract data, hardware and software
inventory data, and organizational data to map
users to computers and applications.
Manual entry of this type of data is error-prone and
extremely time consuming. For SAM and license
optimization solutions to meet the anticipated
business goals, organizations need to find an
effective and cost-efficient way to automatically
import the data from the appropriate sources and
validate the data.
Flexera Software provides a number of adapters that
allow automated import of data from various sources
to support the FlexNet Manager Suite for Enterprises
solution. However, to achieve the best results and
determine the most appropriate adapter for the
project, it is important to understand the types of
data, the formats needed, and how this data will be
transformed to be most useful to the solution.
Adapter Configuration and Development Service
The Adapter Configuration and Development Service
is designed to help organizations implement the
connectivity required to import data from several
different sources—inventory tools, ERP systems,
procurement systems, Active Directory and HR
systems--into the FlexNet Manager Platform asset
management repository. The Platform provides
scalable hardware and software asset management
across more the 14,000 publishers and 110,000
applications and is the foundation of the FlexNet
Manager Suite for Enterprises. This data is required
to allow the FlexNet Manager Suite solutions
to help organizations maintain license compliance
and determine an accurate and optimized
license position.
This service helps organizations define their adapter
needs and reduces the cost of implementing the
required connectivity through adapter reuse and
tools that streamline adapter development.
DATASHEET
Adaptor Configuration and Development Service
Reports & Alerts
• Asset Reports
• License
Compliance
• Entitlement
Management
• Savings
Agent & Agent-less
Discovery for
Windows, UNIX,
Linux, MAC,
VMs, etc.
POs & Contracts
Helpdesk/
Service Catalog
Org/User Data
Data Feeds
Application
Recognition Library
SKU Library
Product Use
Rights Library
Optimization Engine
b
U
Benefits to
Your Organization:
• Implement a
highly connected
SAM and license
optimization solution
that streamlines
license management
processes
• Automate data import
and validation for
greater processing
efficiency, reduced
errors, and improved
license optimization
• Reduce the cost of
implementing system
connectivity through
adapter reuse and
tools that streamline
adapter development
Figure 1: Data feeds for SAM and license optimization come from many sources—inventory tools,
procurement systems, HR and Active Directory systems, etc.
Reduce Implementation Costs and Streamline Adapter Development

2. Other available adapters include Big Fix, Blackberry Server,
CA Inventory, Casper, Marimba, LANDesk, SoftGrid, uCMDB
and more.
Additionally, this service can help expedite adapter
development using the following tools:
• Business Adapter Studio – supports rapid development of
Adapter XML code for connecting to ERP and Procurement
systems, that incorporates:
– Vendors
– Vendor Contacts
– Contracts
– POs
– Users
– Assets
– Enterprise Groups (Location, Cost Center, and
Business Unit)
• Inventory Adapter Studio – supports rapid development of
Adapter XML and SQL code for importing hardware and
software inventory data from other third party tools
Included in this service is interaction with a Customer Data
Integration Architect and other appropriate experts in the
organization to prepare an Adapter Specification to capture
the following information:
• System and data integration requirements
• Business workflows and logic, including mapping of data
between disparate data sources
• Data mapping from the source data to FlexNet Manager
Platform entities and properties
• Data cleansing, integrity checks and filtering
Each adapter will be configured and tested based on sample
data provided. Finally, the service consultant will help install,
set up and validate operation of the Adapter.
FlexNet Manager Platform provides out-of-the-box
integration with:
Microsoft SCCM / SCCM 2012
Microsoft Hyper-V
Altiris
Citrix XenApp
Oracle
MS Active Sync
Citrix EdgeSight
IBM ILMT
VMware

3. Adapter Configuration and Development Service
Objectives
There are two primary objectives of this service:
• Clearly identify and document the data needed by the solution, understand what is available, and how it will be imported into
the FlexNet Manager Platform repository
• Provide the appropriate set of adapters to automate the data import process
Delivery Approach
The service will be delivered as a mix of on- and offsite activities and will include:
• Design session where each data source and the associated processes are reviewed, including:
– Hardware inventory, software inventory, application usage data
– User accounts (HR or Active Directory systems)
– Asset data
– Enterprise groups - locations, business units or cost centers (HR or Active Directory systems)
– Vendors and vendor contacts (ERP, procurement systems)
– Purchase orders (procurement system)
– Contracts (ERP, procurement systems)
• Detailed design document that identifies the Adapters that will be developed, the source of the data, how the data is
processed, when it is processed, and how it is displayed via the User Interface (UI) and reports. The design document includes:
– Detailed design including source and format
– Schedule of when the Adapter import process will be executed
– Mapping of data to Platform fields
– Testing criteria
– Organization-provided sample file in the appropriate format
• The building and testing of the Adapter in an offsite virtual environment specifically developed for the organization.
Where available, existing adapters are modified and reused. Where not available, Adapter Studio tools are used to
streamline development
• Delivery of resulting Adapter code for installation. The installed code is deployed to the Development, Test and/or
Production environments. Adapters are tested and validated to ensure they properly connect to the data sources and process
the data correctly
• Development of scheduled tasks associated with the Adapter which are built to execute in sequence with the other adapters
and processes
• The final delivery is captured and presented in the Design Document
Project Timeline
The timeline for this engagement is as follows: Range of 3-7 days depending on number of adapters
Deliverables
Key deliverables may include the following items:
• Adapter Design Document • Adapter Code
• Adapter installation and testing • Scheduled tasks configured in the organization’s environment
Primary Audience
The primary target audience for this service is the Project Sponsor and Project Lead in an organization that is contemplating the
purchase or who has already purchased a Software License Optimization (SLO) solution.
Design document
is completed and
delivered
Adapter execution
schedule
Adapter installed
in Development/Test
environments,
validated and
modified as
needed
Development/Test
environments and
adapters are built
Adapter design
document created
and approved
Formal design
session
Process workshops

4. Copyright © 2012 Flexera Software LLC. All other brand and product names mentioned herein may be the trademarks and registered trademarks of their respective owners.
FX_SD_SLO-AdapterDevelopment_Sept12
Flexera Software LLC
1000 East Woodfield Road,
Suite 400
Schaumburg, IL 60173 USA
Schaumburg
(Global Headquarters):
+1 800-809-5659
United Kingdom (Europe,
Middle East Headquarters):
+44 870-871-1111
+44 870-873-6300
Australia (Asia,
Pacific Headquarters):
+61 3-9895-2000
For more office locations visit:
www.flexerasoftware.com
Software License Optimization Services and Solutions
Software spending and license complexity continue to grow
and organizations require best practice processes and next
generation tools to gain control of their software estate.
Flexera Software’s Software License Optimization Services
provide the data and insights needed to understand the
business value of a SAM and license optimization program,
as well as the processes and roadmaps required for
successful implementation.
License optimization services provide organizations with
an accurate and optimized view of their license position,
enabling them to reduce ongoing cost and risk and accelerate
time to value. Our FlexNet Manager Suite for Enterprises is the
only Software License Optimization product that automates
and optimizes license and contract management processes to
reduce software license, maintenance and audit costs, while
maintaining license compliance.
About Flexera Software
Flexera Software is the leading provider of strategic solutions
for Application Usage Management; solutions delivering
continuous compliance, optimized usage and maximized
value to application producers and their customers. Flexera
Software is trusted by more than 80,000 customers that
depend on our comprehensive solutions- from installation
and licensing, entitlement and compliance management to
application readiness and software license optimization
- to strategically manage application usage and achieve
breakthrough results realized only through the systems-level
approach we provide. For more information, please go to:
www.flexerasoftware.com
Next Steps:
Learn more about optimizing your software license management
processes – visit www.flexerasoftware.com/SLOServices or
contact a Flexera Software representative.