Mike Austin

As a former software sales and licensing rep, I’ve seen firsthand how software licensing practices can be used to take advantage of customers. Here are some of my thoughts based on the current economic climate and software sales:

Missed our session on getting visibility into AI Agent usage and costs? Access full on-demand session here: hubs.li/Q04f6NH10 #AIcosts #SAM #ITAM #AIROI #OrgAI

Adobe licensing used to be predictable. Now it moves with user identity, product mix, and contract structure. Here is why Adobe licensing risk is no longer static and what it means for enterprise governance: 👉 hubs.li/Q04bWP-70 #Adobe #ITAM #SAM #ITcosts

What really drives expert Software Asset Management. #SAM #MikeAustin #MetrixData360 #ITAM #BusinessInnovation #ITknowledge

We see this often. Teams “buy the tool” and expect promised outcomes. Three years and millions of dollars later: nothing. The missing piece? A strong data layer with complete inventory, normalization, attributes, centralized entitlements, clean contracts. You need to build the foundation first. Mike Austin shares how to do it: hubs.li/Q04bX1gN0 #SoftwareAssetManagement #SAMBlueprint #MicrosoftLicensing #SoftwareOptimization

Model your Microsoft EA renewal from the bottom up. See how to do that here: hubs.li/Q04cQKwd0 #Microsoft #EA #M365 #SAM #ITAM

Want to watch the some of the best expert discussions about Microsoft licensing and SAM? ▶️Access on-demand video sessions for free and stay ahead of the curve: hubs.li/Q04bXctB0 #ITAM #SAM #MetrixData360 #MicrosoftCosts #EARenewals

Most companies don’t overpay Microsoft because they’re careless. They overpay because they’re fragmented. IT owns the tooling. Procurement owns the contract. Finance owns the budget. Security owns the risk. Microsoft owns the playbook. By the time renewal hits, the model is already shaped. Bundles are anchored. Commitments are layered in. “Strategic initiatives” are framed. And everyone thinks someone else has the full picture. They don’t. That’s where the 20–30% (or more) increase shows up. Not because of shelfware (although it contributes). Because of coordination. The companies that win don’t negotiate harder. They align earlier. If you’re 12–18 months from renewal and don’t have a cross-functional war room in place… Microsoft probably already does. Comment "war room" playbook that works against Microsoft's playbook and we will send it to your email.

Your ELP is either saving or costing you millions. A traditional ELP only validates compliance. A Cost-Optimized ELP uncovers the exact model that minimizes true-up risk, reduces unnecessary SKUs, and builds real negotiation leverage against Microsoft. If your team is entering renewal season, this is essential reading. hubs.ly/Q04bX5Ns0 #MicrosoftEA #ITProcurement #SAMOptimization #CostReduction #ELP

Mike Austin's weekly insight: Microsoft EA True-Up: Why Finance Called It a Budget Miss. hubs.li/Q04cmtP60 #EA #MicrosoftCosts #SAM #ITAM #CIOs #ITVendors

Getting ready for your upcoming software audit? Use this complimentary risk-checklist to plan proper audit defense. hubs.li/Q04bXp320 #SoftwareAudit #RiskChecklist #Preparedness #ITAM #SAM

In IT Vendor Management, it is crucial to have an independent read of what you actually owe, built to withstand vendor scrutiny — before the vendor shows you their number. Not a tool or a process framework, but the intelligence layer that makes every negotiation a data-driven conversation instead of a vendor-led one. We help you do just that. hubs.li/Q04c88Df0 #VendorManagement #ITProcurement #CIO #SAM #ITAM #MetrixData360

By the year 2030, tech leaders won’t just manage software spend. They’ll weaponize it. Watch Mike Austin at the American CIO Summit discussing what forward-thinking tech leaders need to know to be ahead: hubs.li/Q04b_Mx-0 #CIO2030 #SoftwareAssetManagement #FinOps #ITStrategy #MicrosoftLicensing #DigitalTransformation

Calculate your Microsoft renewal risk. Answer a few questions and get an instant result. hubs.li/Q04byMBt0 #MicrosoftEA #ITAm #SAM #MetrixData360 #EArenewals

We’ve launched the new MetrixData 360 website! Not a rebrand. Not a redesign for the sake of it. A clearer representation of who we are, what we do, and how we help enterprise teams take control of software and cloud spend. What’s changed: 1. Our services — now easier to understand and navigate From Health Checks to EA Renewal Optimization to SAM Compass™, the site now reflects how these actually connect and create value. 2. Positioning that reflects reality Independent. Data-first. Built to challenge vendor narratives — not repeat them. 3. Mike AI — now live on the site. You can now interact directly with Mike AI to: - pressure test a renewal scenario - sense-check vendor assumptions - get a clear, practical perspective on your environment Why this matters: Most organizations don’t lack tools. They lack clarity they can trust. And without that, every renewal, audit, or cloud decision becomes reactive. Explore the new site. Try Mike AI. See how clear your position really is. #SAM #ITAM #MetrixData360

Unused licenses aren’t the real issue. The real issue is renewing the wrong baseline. Most Adobe agreements carry forward assumptions no one revalidates. That’s how cost becomes commitment. Our Adobe Exposure map shows where that baseline breaks. See it now: hubs.li/Q049_zhB0 #Adobe #SAM #LicensingCosts #EnterpriseIT #MetrixData360

Power Apps looks simple. Until one change makes it Premium for everyone. Most teams don’t see it when it happens. They see it at renewal. That’s where cost problems start. hubs.li/Q049H6C40 #Microsoftcosts #SAM #ITAM #PowerApps #MetrixData360 #SAMexperts

@Petes_Updates @Kirkmills16 All the bounces going his way. Luck has to end soon

@Kirkmills16 Couldn’t disagree more. I think any other goalie is in net the Petes are leading for sure

Mike McIvor taking a match penalty might’ve saved the NB Battalion from themselves…. Lisson continues to be unreal. #Petes

Is your company still operating in the Renewal Illusion? On April 16th, Mike Austin will discuss what we call "the renewal illusion" — the belief that a negotiated discount represents a strong outcome, even when the underlying data tells a very different story. The issue is rarely the price itself. It is the lack of clarity behind what is being purchased, how it is being used, and whether it actually aligns to real demand. You will see how small gaps in data accuracy can quietly compound into larger financial exposure, and why those gaps tend to surface only after the agreement has already been signed. Reserve your spot now: hubs.li/Q049qPC00 #ITAM #MicrosoftEA #SAM #MetrixData360 #ContractRenewals

Microsoft didn’t change the playbook. E7 is the same model: expand the bundle, attach new capability, increase per-user spend. Enterprises see uneven value in the bundle, and alternatives across AI, security, analytics, and telephony are credible and often preferred. That shift is forcing a data-first reassessment of where value truly sits in the Microsoft stack and whether broad upgrades to premium suites can be justified. Learn data-first tactics for negotiating Microsoft's AI Bundles: hubs.li/Q0494S9b0 #E7 #MicrosoftFrontier #SAM

Many teams “buy the tool” and expect outcomes. Three years and millions of dollars later: nothing. The missing piece? A strong data layer — complete inventory, normalization, attributes, centralized entitlements, clean contracts. You need to build the foundation first. Then your tool finally works. Mike Austin explains how to do it: hubs.li/Q04911P_0 #SoftwareAssetManagement #SAMBlueprint #MicrosoftLicensing #SoftwareOptimization