Software Asset Management: DOGE Audit Uncovers Software Waste; Fix It Now

Software Asset Management Oversights: The 37,000 WinZip Licenses Case

The world is in a state of continuous turmoil; Both public agencies and private companies face mounting pressure to reduce costs and improve operational efficiency. One area that is frequently overlooked is software asset management. Maintaining a detailed software inventory is essential to prevent over-licensing and unnecessary waste. Additionally, managing and monitoring software applications throughout their lifecycle can further reduce costs and improve efficiency.

The Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), a federal oversight body that reviews government operations for cost-effectiveness, recently conducted an audit. This audit uncovered that the General Services Administration held 37,000 WinZip licenses, which is almost three times the number of employees, revealing significant over-licensing within the government.

This is not just a government problem. Our research indicates that private-sector organizations often spend more than $1,000 per employee annually on desktop software, with 20–30% of that going to waste. Server software adds another layer of spend, with annual costs ranging from $10,000 to over $100,000 per server, making software license management critical across all IT assets. Many organizations across industries face similar software asset management challenges, regardless of their size or structure.

These numbers underscore the urgent need for effective software asset management.

-Tweet by the Department of Government Efficiency

Two Core Problems Behind Desktop Software Waste

There are two main reasons why organizations end up wasting software licenses:

Purchased but Not Deployed: Companies often buy licenses in bulk or ahead of need. Many remain unused simply because the software is never installed on employees’ computers.

Deployed but Not Used: Even when installed, software often goes unused. It may not align with an employee’s workflow, could be replaced by preferred alternatives, or was installed “just in case.”

These two issues cost companies millions annually, and they can only be addressed through data-backed software asset management by leveraging accurate asset data and monitoring software utilization.

How HCL BigFix Solves Purchased-But-Not-Deployed Scenarios

Our endpoint management platform, HCL BigFix, offers end-to-end visibility into license deployment. It automatically cross-checks purchased licenses against the actual software installed on endpoints. For example, if 10,000 WinZip licenses are purchased but only 6,000 are deployed, HCL BigFix flags the unused 4,000, delivering a clear path for software optimization. Automated discovery features in an asset management tool can further streamline this process by continuously updating inventories and mapping dependencies, supporting the it asset lifecycle to maximize asset value. Tracking assets through their entire asset lifecycle helps organizations optimize usage and control costs.

Armed with this insight, organizations can make informed decisions to reduce renewal counts and avoid paying for unused licenses, directly managing IT asset management costs.

Reclaim What’s Deployed But Unused: Runtime Analytics by HCL BigFix

HCL BigFix empowers organizations to monitor selected installed software products and track their runtime closely. It identifies applications with low usage and can automatically send email notifications to IT operations teams for review. The IT team plays a crucial role in managing software assets, ensuring compliance, and streamlining license management. Additionally, IT can send desktop alerts directly to users or, when necessary, remotely uninstall software from employees’ computers via out-of-the box mechanism or a custom relevance script.

For example, imagine WinZip is installed on thousands of devices, but analytics reveal that 500 users haven’t run the application in the past 60 days. In this case, you can send a desktop alert prompting those users to uninstall the software. IT can then monitor the response and determine if further action, such as remote uninstallation, is required to reclaim licenses and reduce waste. Effective operations management supports optimal usage of software assets and contributes to risk mitigation by preventing unauthorized or unnecessary software installations. This process enables organizations to do IT asset management and boost efficiency.

The Bigger Picture: Why Enterprise Software Waste Is Even Costlier

Desktop software is only part of the problem. In enterprise environments, software license management gets even more complex:

• Lack of Visibility and Audit Fear: Many organizations over-purchase licenses because they lack clear insight into actual usage and are wary of costly compliance audits. This “better safe than sorry” approach results in excess licenses that often go unused.
• Complex Licensing Models: Licensing terms for enterprise software, such as SQL Server, can be challenging to understand and navigate. Without full comprehension, companies miss opportunities to optimize license usage or take advantage of more cost-effective licensing options.
• Challenges in Reclamation Decisions: Enterprise software environments often include instances running continuously, some of which may no longer be necessary. At the same time, some critical software might only run sporadically, perhaps just a few times per year. Because of this, decisions to reclaim licenses must involve close collaboration with system administrators to avoid disrupting essential business functions.

All of this leads to costly inefficiencies that a strong Software Asset Management strategy can resolve.

Enterprise Software License Management and Optimization With HCL BigFix

BigFix provides organizations with full visibility into where enterprise software is installed across their entire IT environment. It automatically measures key licensing metrics—such as core-based licenses and processor-based licenses—and allows you to see whether you are under- or over-deployed.

Additionally, HCL BigFix enables companies to compare different licensing models and identify the most cost-effective option, integrating with finance systems for improved cost tracking and financial reporting. This empowers organizations to optimize their licensing strategy, reduce waste, and make informed reclamation decisions in collaboration with system administrators.

For example, with Windows Server, HCL BigFix can measure how many core licenses are actually in use across your servers, revealing that you own approximately 300 more core licenses than necessary. With this insight, you can work closely with system administrators to reclaim licenses where possible and achieve significant savings. In another case, your organization may consider purchasing an additional 200 core licenses to achieve audit compliance. 

BigFix can help you realize that by licensing Windows Server using the virtual model instead of the physical one, your company may already be compliant, and true-up action is not required. This is Software Asset Management at scale, saving costs and strengthening compliance. Service management plays a crucial role in supporting these processes by integrating IT asset management with IT operations and ensuring efficient service delivery.

Conclusion: From DOGE’s Findings To Your Bottom Line; Act With HCL BigFix

As software licensing costs continue to rise, both desktop and enterprise environments present significant opportunities for cost reduction—if organizations have the visibility and tools to act. Whether it’s unused desktop applications quietly draining budgets or complex enterprise platforms with opaque licensing rules, the common denominator is waste caused by a lack of insight and actionable data.

HCL BigFix bridges this gap by giving organizations end-to-end visibility through robust IT asset management and software asset management capabilities. From identifying unused desktop applications to measuring core-based licensing across servers, HCL BigFix equips IT and procurement teams with the intelligence they need for effective software license management, enabling informed, cost-effective decisions without risking compliance or disrupting critical systems.