Effectively managing software licenses can be challenging, but it is critical in ensuring your organization works cost-efficiently. These challenges only increase when vendors make unexpected changes. This was precisely the case when Klocwork, a leading static code analysis tool, eliminated its ability to work with FlexNet. FlexNet, formerly FlexLM is a widely used license management system SPK relies on to track license use for our clients. It did not just impact us though. Many companies relying on Klocwork faced difficulties tracking and managing their licenses, leading to compliance risks, unexpected costs, and productivity bottlenecks. At SPK and Associates, we saw this issue as an opportunity to provide a solution for current and future customers. In this blog, we will explore how our experts resolved this license tracking challenge.
What is Klocwork and Why Did This Change Matter?
Klocwork is a static code analysis tool. It is designed to help development teams identify security vulnerabilities, coding errors, and compliance issues early in the software development lifecycle. It is widely used in industries with stringent software quality and security requirements, such as automotive, aerospace, and medical device development. SPK has extensive experience working alongside clients in these industries. Historically, Klocwork utilized FlexNet (a license management tool) to manage software licenses. FlexNet allowed organizations to track and allocate licenses efficiently.
In SPK’s case, we utilized FlexNet’s data to insert into our own tool, LicenseMiner. LicenseMiner creates visual aids such as bar, line, and pie charts from this data so organizations can see exactly when their licenses are being used and by whom. When Klocwork discontinued FlexNet support, it forced many organizations to adopt a new approach. Without an obvious replacement, companies risked over-licensing, compliance issues, and inefficiencies in their DevSecOps pipelines. Fortunately, SPK’s expertise in software license management helped resolve this problem.
How SPK Resolved Licensing Issues with Klocwork
Licensing data is important for tracking use and eliminating overspending. When Klocwork users lost access to FlexNet, they lost information that should be vital to their decision-making processes. SPK knew there had to be a way to get this information. Our experts contacted Perforce, the owner of Klocwork, and after some correspondence, received access to a log file of raw license usage information. From this information, one of our experts created a set of scripts to track license usage. This script allowed us to export the raw license usage data from Klocwork into a file or Excel spreadsheet for easy access and visualization.
The Future of This Service
While this service was helpful to users dealing with Klocwork licensing changes, it can be applied to many other situations. Our experts can offer this service for any license that outputs a log file. In other words, if your organization needs a way to track license usage, SPK can create a custom script to export this data. The Klocwork script was written in PowerShell, but our experts can use other code languages such as Python or PHP. The outcome will still be the same: a document allowing your organization to easily visualize license usage. From this information, you can make decisions like reducing the number of licenses due to lack of use, saving costs for your organization.
SPK’s Application Management Services
Unexpected changes in software licensing can disrupt operations, increase costs, and create compliance risks. SPK and Associates turned the challenge with Klockwork into an opportunity by developing a custom solution that restores visibility for our clients. Beyond Klocwork, our Application Management Services can help organizations track and optimize licensing for a variety of tools, ensuring cost efficiency and compliance. If your team needs a tailored solution for managing software licenses, SPK’s experts are ready to help.
