Cloud-based network management software provider, Auvik, has launched a pioneering solution to enable extensive visibility into growing Software as a Service (SaaS) environments. The Auvik SaaS Management (ASM) software promises improved security, operational efficiency, and cost management capabilities, aiming to bring shadow IT into the light. This launch is a pivotal moment for Auvik, marking a shift from being a single product company to taking a platform approach.
“Transitioning to hybrid work has presented several challenges for organizations. One significant problem is shadow IT, where SaaS tools are procured outside of central IT teams, leading to decentralized management and potential business risk,” said Doug Murray, CEO at Auvik. “Our competency in network management positions us well to address these issues, making SaaS management a natural evolution of our product suite.”
SaaS sprawl has become an increasing concern for small to medium-sized businesses, as employees continue to adopt cloud and SaaS tools, stated Auvik. Notably, Auvik’s SaaS Management recorded a striking 559.2% growth in usage of ChatGPT, a popular generative AI tool, in the first quarter of 2023 alone. Most of these tools are procured directly by business stakeholders, often bypassing central IT departments, and leading to increased shadow IT.
Traditionally, companies have relied on time-consuming manual spreadsheets, employee surveys, and web history analysis to manage their SaaS usage. However, this process is prone to errors and often misses the hidden costs of shadow IT, added Auvik. According to Gartner, SaaS spending continues to grow by 15-20% annually, with an average organization maintaining over 125 different SaaS applications that cost about $1,040 per employee each year. Alarmingly, about 40% of IT expenditures can be attributed to shadow IT, indicating a significant potential waste.
Recognizing this, Auvik acquired Saaslio, a leading SaaS discovery solution, in 2022. Through a focused investment in engineering and product development, Auvik says it has effectively integrated SaaS management with its network monitoring and management capabilities.
Identifying Where Data Resides
The Auvik SaaS Management (ASM) software is designed to offer an accurate, automated solution for Managed Service Providers (MSPs) and in-house IT departments to gain control over their SaaS usage. It enables organizations to discover, manage, and secure their SaaS environments effortlessly.
Jon Fitzryk, Director of IT Services at Braden, an Auvik customer, emphasized, “Knowing where data resides is critical. If we don’t know where our data is, that’s a major issue. Using ASM to identify that on multiple levels makes it an invaluable tool for us.”
In terms of security, ASM alerts on critical events in every environment, manages user access, and provides software and account inventory management. So far, it has been used to analyze 25 million security logs, resulting in 2.9 million SaaS security recommendations.
For management, ASM provides application, client, employee, and account lifecycle insights across all business applications. In the domain of discovery, an essential component for management and security, ASM builds an organization’s SaaS inventory based on employee workflow, elevating SaaS management, reducing IT risk, and eliminating wasted SaaS licenses. It currently manages 2.6 million business applications across all its users and has discovered over 125,000 applications.
The Quickscan feature of ASM would accelerate the value realization time by enabling customers to see historic data and quickly discover online SaaS applications adopted within the past 30 days.
Auvik SaaS Management is available today, licensed per user on a monthly basis, symbolizing a significant step in combating the challenge of shadow IT and enabling a more secure and efficient SaaS environment for businesses.
