The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) sought an advanced software license management solution to ensure efficient application usage among its engineers while addressing rising software costs. The US space agency found in Open iT a reliable partner that exceeded their strict standards for software license optimization and cost management.
Complex Technical Demands Amid Budget Constraints
As the primary U.S. agency for space exploration, aviation, and aerospace research, NASA relies on high-end engineering software and computing applications to execute numerous tasks. These assets, however, incur significant costs. These costs, if unmanaged, could hinder NASA’s ability to innovate and meet its mission objectives. As a result, NASA is under constant pressure to find solutions that maintain operational excellence while reducing expenses.
For instance, approximately 50 engineers at NASA regularly utilize MATLAB, a leading multi-paradigm numerical computing program. However, access to critical toolboxes was frequently denied, disrupting workflows. To mitigate this issue, the organization required two additional MATLAB toolboxes to ensure uninterrupted access to essential licenses. Additionally, NASA necessitated a software license optimization solution capable of generating customized, on-demand reports to meet internal requirements and ensure timely access to MATLAB and other engineering and computing applications.
Initial Solution: Falling Short
NASA initially selected a competitor’s product but soon identified several critical deficiencies. The competitor’s solution fell short, lacking critical integrations with Active Directory and Microsoft Excel—key tools NASA needed to link staff data with real-time license activity, leaving them with incomplete insights into resource allocation. Additionally, the capability to create customized dashboards for optimal monitoring and reporting was absent.
Moreover, the initial provider’s pricing model, based on individual vendor licenses, proved inefficient and suboptimal for NASA’s requirements. Consequently, NASA determined the need for a more robust solution and embarked on a search for alternatives that offered enhanced functionality and cost-efficiency.
“Open iT provided a viable, sustainable solution that has helped us achieve greater levels of efficiency without inhibiting the critical work we are undertaking.”
Michelle Longo, NASA License Manager
Visibility: Key to NASA’s Software License Optimization
After thorough evaluation, NASA determined that Open iT provided the comprehensive license visibility it needed. The solution offered seamless integration with Active Directory and facilitated real-time usage tracking, a critical component for NASA’s project and cost management workflows.
NASA selected the Open iT Base Enterprise solution, which enables access to usage data through multiple reporting tools, including Excel, to create customized dashboards. This allowed NASA to build custom dashboards, connect to live data sources, generate ad-hoc reports, and analyze usage trends through advanced visualizations, such as charts and heat maps.
NASA also implemented Open iT’s LicenseAnalyzer™ to monitor software usage by user, location, and project. Additionally, they deployed SystemAnalyzer™ to generate IT audit reports, assigning system resource costs to specific groups, projects, or business units. These solutions provided NASA with deeper insights into application usage patterns, leading to substantial cost savings across the organization.
Big Milestones in Year 1
Within the first year of implementation, NASA developed customized license usage reports that optimized resource allocation, supported vendor contract negotiations, facilitated resource sharing, and enabled license and server consolidation. Open iT’s subscription-based pricing further enhanced cost savings, providing NASA with a fixed-cost solution to track all licenses.
With Open iT, NASA significantly improved its ability to monitor system usage, analyze performance trends, and generate custom reports, including detailed charts and activity heat maps. By leveraging Active Directory data, NASA now assigns project costs by individual user down to the minute—an unprecedented capability. These reports became indispensable decision-making tools, driving cost-effective negotiations with vendors and maximizing efficiency across the engineering teams.
Additionally, Open iT provided ongoing support throughout the implementation, delivering not just technical assistance but strategic insights to ensure NASA achieved its goals. Their dedication continues to foster a strong and trusted partnership.
Partner with GSA-Certified Vendor
Ready to elevate your software license optimization strategies like NASA? Partner with Open iT, a GSA-certified vendor that brings the highest quality, compliance, and cost-efficiency to your organization.
Contact Open iT today!
