Software types can be classified into the following three categories: commercial, shareware, and freeware. You can delete unneeded types from the managed target, and add required types. For details about how to change the default types, see 4.8 Adding and changing types and statuses (Code) in the manual Administrator's Guide.

Two types of software information can be managed. One type is the information related to purchased licenses. The other type is the information related to software that is installed on devices. By combining these two types of software information, you can compare the number of licensed users allowed with the actual number of users, or detect illegal installation. The following types of software-related information can be managed.

• License-related information
  
  • Number of licensed users
    You can use this information to manage the number of users licensed to use the software.
    
  • License information
    You can centrally manage detailed option information, including license categories (machine-specific or user-specific), downgrade, and upgrade assurance.
    
  • License keys and assignment destinations
    By comparing the license keys with license assignment destinations, you can determine which devices (or users) are using which licenses.
    
• Information related to the software installed in devices
  
  • Number of licenses being used
    You can use this information to manage the names and versions of software installed in devices, and file names.
    
  • Patch information
    You can acquire the JP1/Software Distribution system information or the installed package information and manage the information about patches that have been installed in the devices. You can use this information to determine whether the latest patches have been applied.
    
  • Virus definition information
    You can acquire the anti-virus product information of JP1/Software Distribution and manage the virus definition files installed on the devices. You can use this information to determine whether the latest virus definition files have been installed.
    
  • Software usage information
    You can manage the software operating status on the basis of the software operation time collected by JP1/Software Distribution. For details about linkage with JP1/Software Distribution, see 5.1.1 Workflow necessary for linking to JP1/Software Distribution.
    

By linking Asset Information Manager with JP1/Software Distribution, you can distribute (install) software to (on) the managed devices. Based on an instruction from the asset manager, the asset management system can distribute software that must be standardized throughout the corporation, or forcibly install anti-virus programs.