The Fast Consultancy Services is selling the Fast Compliance Manager software as a support of the Federation against Software Theft (FAST) that was launched recently.

The consultancy firms managing director Andy Pearce explained that the software has been incorporated into the firms existing membership. He further stated that the firm does not sell the software or trainings, rather they sell membership and also that they offer a wide range of consultancy and professional services.

The consultancy firm is looking for businesses that will sign up to either one of their three different packages that offer analysis of procedures and policies, software provision and support, telephone and trainings all at a fixed charge paid annually for renewal of the membership.

The membership fee is set at ?6,000 pounds per annum, a basic package is ?3,500 per annum, the premium version is set at ?9,995 per annum and it includes a Software Asset Management (SAM) review.

Andy mentioned an unnamed company that was charged ?600,000 over-licensed because it failed to show the software it had on its old hardware. Additionally, he said that a multinational company in the Midlands ended up with ?1.3million over license with its software.

Fast which has 2,500 members in UK from all sectors says that the software is targeted at SMEs that have 30 to 250 PCs in their business but this does not single out smaller businesses.

Andy however said that the software does not have anything to offer to the smaller businesses. He further stated that Fast is a commercial enterprise that has a responsibility to their shareholders that is why they are focusing mostly on 30 to 250-PC market segment where there is a significant opportunity. Furthermore he stated that their Federation against Software Theft (FAST) is making enterprises to be up to date on legislations so as not to be fined for software piracy.

Samantha Bramwell Microsoft's anti-piracy and SAM marketing manager commented that the Fast should look deeper into covering the small businesses since they will expand into larger enterprises.

She further added that she knows that many companies have complained of the hard and long process in Microsoft's licensing model which is over complicated, unwieldy and difficult to work on. On the Microsoft's model defense she said that they are offering over 500 options.

Meanwhile, all UK organization that are interested in adding the Fast consultancy software to their systems, they will have to install the free Microsoft's SQL Server Express edition that does not require a license to allow you to host the data base. Additionally there will be no client installations that will be required because the database can be accessed through the web browser. However the Fast software only supports Internet Explorer only.