Autodesk Audit
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Anyone done one recently? We've been told to run Autodesk Inventory Analyser on our network. I believe this is an Autodesk licenced version of a standard network analyser published by ClearApps. We can't see the results of the audit before sending to Autodesk, but can see from the prompts it gives whilst running that it collects stuff about the PC (processor, RAM etc etc). For this reason, I'm reluctant to use it. But we are unable to complete the audit without it.
I don't know what happens if we refuse.
I hate Autodesk. People have complained on here about Microsoft audits, but I consider this far worse. There is no way I'm running a third-party network analyser just to comply with an audit. We only have 6 Autodesk licences and they're all under subscription contracts and have to be activated, so I really don't know why Autodesk is insisting on this (other than the usual marketing reasons).
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Autodesk audits are nothing run a tool to pull network licesnse servers info and standalone seats on the network and done. No where near anything like Microsoft. We get hit with auto desk audits almost yearly. Nothing complex or confusing about it so as long as you are only using what you paid for you're good to go.
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This is there way of ensuring that you aren't stealing the software. Appropriately licensed and you have nothing to worry about. They system specs just gives them details on what kind of systems you're using the software on.
But yeah, it's a license audit.
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You can't see the info before you submit it from the tools Microsoft has for the audit. And they also want logs from your hypervisors and lots of other things.
If you don't comply you get major fines..
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If you don't like the audits from these companies, the only option you have is to stop using their software.
The audit is covered by the T&Cs you accept on purchase & install of their product;. Nothing to be done.
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Is it? I haven't checked. I have no problem with being audited. It's the running of network scanning tools that I have an issue with. All my previous audits with both Microsoft and Autodesk has required me to fill out a spreadsheet, which I'm fine about.
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@Breffni-Potter said:
If you don't like the audits from these companies, the only option you have is to stop using their software.
If only I could convince my company to transition to Linux. Open source is bae.
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@Carnival-Boy said:
Is it? I haven't checked. I have no problem with being audited. It's the running of network scanning tools that I have an issue with. All my previous audits with both Microsoft and Autodesk has required me to fill out a spreadsheet, which I'm fine about.
Our Microsoft audit is running tools. On top of spreadsheets.
And yes it's in the EULA even more clearly and Microsoft. Autodesk audits are easy and nothing compared to microsoft..
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@Carnival-Boy said:
Is it? I haven't checked. I have no problem with being audited. It's the running of network scanning tools that I have an issue with. All my previous audits with both Microsoft and Autodesk has required me to fill out a spreadsheet, which I'm fine about.
Ask them to come on-site and do it for you. And demand they show you exactly what information is being sent out. Or while they are there unplug your router, and have them come back when your net connection is fixed. Let them waste some money on these audits, don't do their job for them.
I have never been audited so I don't know how well it would work, but my boss said already if we ever get audited, the company will have to come on-site and do the work themselves.
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What do you do about any machines that aren't on the network - either at the time of the audit, or generally?
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the whole audit thing doesn't make sense today, unless they think you are hacking their software to not connect to their centralized server for license verification.
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@Carnival-Boy said:
What do you do about any machines that aren't on the network - either at the time of the audit, or generally?
I went through one a year or so ago. Agree, you install the software and then let it analyze the network, then upload the results. I have one or two machines off the network and provided that information via the support portal. One was an off-site employee and the other was using the home-use rights allowed under the license.
We passed with flying colors. I thing we got tagged because I'm not using network licensing and had a few machines go belly up and didn't get a chance to upload the license to their cloud servers, so probably hit one too many activations. Plus I was doing a ton of machine swaps at the time during our upgrade.
If you are licensed properly, no fear. Just go through the motions and you'll be fine.
