Honda, Virtusa and KPIT Cummins embark on BSA drive

NEW DELHI, INDIA: Wonder- what legitimate software can do for a business? It can open up a plethora of opportunities and that too with due legal credit. As the world, albeit ineptly, moving onto embrace genuine software - the Business Software Alliance (BSA) advocates CSS(O) certification for software asset management.

In the backdrop of Unfair Competition Act in fewer U.S. states and existing IP laws and similar initiatives by trade bodies, the software economics is gradually getting acceptance globally. BSA initiative is not merely complementary, but is multi-faceted that serves organizational software needs.

Given the benefits of SAM, companies can plan and control their software assets while anticipating future needs and chalk out growth roadmap with competitive advantage and legal impetus. After the Delhi International Airport Limited (DIAL) and Symphony Solutions endorsement, BSA has now got KPIT Cummins, Honda and Virtusa on board to attest their adherence.

The alliance has also developed a tool - Verafirm for small and mid-sized organizations, and virtually enrolled close to 100 of them. Verafirm is the first and only registry of its kind that provides a common interface to companies, buyers and publishers. The platform facilitates companies to self-declare their licences.

Speaking to CIOL, BSA India Committee chair, Vipin Aggarwal, said that India is a crowded market where these companies compete with each other. "We had a talk with KPIT Cummins as to what benefits they can derive out of this process," he said. Based on various factors, Aggarwal feels, awareness in businesses varies.

"Awareness in an SMB depends on the sector that they are in, and their location. SMBs could be anywhere - from an individual business to several-hundred crore business. The level varies. As we approach and educate them about software licensing, they seem responsive to genuine software," Aggarwal said.

Yolynd Lobo, BSA India director said that three companies: KPIT Cummins, Honda and Virtusa, were in the process of completion. "There is a great amount of security rendered for the work that organizations are producing. This comes from the tools such as the CSS(O), which is the internationally recognized standards certification for large organizations," she said.

The small businesses in India could go for Verafirm, wherein the audits, Lobo said, would be smaller. She said that they were hoping to get some good test cases in India, so that other industries would follow suit.