Microsoft SAM is the ongoing work of keeping deployment, entitlement and use in alignment — accurate inventory normalized into an Effective License Position — so a renewal or SAM engagement holds no surprises. This page explains what Microsoft SAM covers and the measurement that matters, then lists the firms that do it, independents and resellers alike, each with pros and cons, listed, not ranked.
Last reviewed: 5 June 2026
Software Asset Management for Microsoft is the ongoing discipline of keeping deployment, entitlement and use in alignment so a renewal or a SAM engagement holds no surprises. It runs on accurate inventory — from tools such as the Microsoft Assessment and Planning toolkit, Configuration Manager or Intune — normalized against the entitlement record to produce an Effective License Position (ELP).
The work that matters most is the same measurement that drives audit findings: SQL Server and Windows Server cores under virtualization, user and device CAL coverage, Microsoft 365 subscription right-sizing, and Azure Hybrid Benefit applied once. Managed SAM keeps that picture current quarter to quarter rather than rebuilding it under pressure when Microsoft asks.
This page is general information about Microsoft SAM and licensing, not legal, financial or licensing advice for your situation. Microsoft programs are described factually. Indicative figures, where shown, are labelled indicative.
Listed alphabetically with pros and cons — a directory, not a ranking. Selected for Microsoft coverage plus SAM work; includes both independents and resellers.
UK licensing solution provider offering Microsoft SAM advisory alongside license resale.
German independent, vendor-neutral SAM boutique running ongoing Microsoft asset management alongside Oracle, SAP and Adobe.
Independent Microsoft licensing and SAM consultancy with no Microsoft resale relationship.
Established independent advisory covering Microsoft SAM and negotiation alongside Oracle.
Independent boutique and a prominent independent Microsoft voice, focused on Microsoft, Azure and SPLA with no Microsoft partnership.
Global reseller and LSP offering Microsoft SAM and advisory services at scale.
Independent boutique at the convergence of FinOps, ITAM and Microsoft SAM, covering software and cloud cost together.
Listed alphabetically — not a ranking. Independence is shown as a pro and reseller, Big-Four or vendor-side-audit ties as a con, stated as factual trade-offs for you to weigh. Firm details are compiled from public sources and are unverified (demo) until the verified registry is live.
Indicative — directional patterns from how Microsoft SAM work tends to land, not a quote or a guarantee. Specific figures are not published until the verified registry is live.
| LEVER | WHAT IT CHANGES | INDICATIVE EFFECT |
|---|---|---|
| Inventory normalization | Reconciles discovery data to a clean entitlement baseline | Indicative: turns a guess into a defensible ELP |
| CAL and M365 right-size | Matches user/device CALs and subscriptions to active use | Indicative: removes shelfware before renewal |
| SQL / Windows core hygiene | Keeps core counts current under virtualization | Indicative: avoids the largest true-up surprises |
| Governance cadence | Maintains the position between renewals | Indicative: keeps a SAM engagement routine, not a scramble |
The common thread is that Microsoft SAM is won on measurement and cadence, not on a one-off clean-up. A current, evidenced position is also what makes a renewal predictable and a SAM engagement routine rather than adversarial.
The same Microsoft estate, viewed through the service you need.
The Microsoft audit & negotiation operation →
Responding to a SAM engagement or audit →
AHB and licensing-by-design →
SQL core reconciliation & ELP →
The SAM service across all vendors →
EA / MCA renewal & true-up →
A managed Microsoft SAM service keeps your deployment and entitlement reconciled on a continuous basis: it collects inventory, normalizes it against your license record, produces an Effective License Position, and flags gaps before a renewal or SAM engagement. The aim is to make compliance a steady-state property of the estate rather than a fire drill.
No. SAM is the ongoing readiness discipline; audit defense is the response when Microsoft opens a review. Good SAM makes defense cheaper because the position is already evidenced, but if a letter or engagement has already arrived, see Microsoft audit defense for the response-side firms.
SQL Server and Windows Server per-core counts under virtualization, user and device CALs, Microsoft 365 subscription assignment, and Azure Hybrid Benefit are the lines that move most. These are where deployment quietly drifts away from entitlement between renewals.
Yes, and many do. The trade-off is that a reseller earns on the licenses it sells, so optimization advice that lowers spend can run against its own incentive. An independent SAM firm has no resale stake; both models are listed here so you can weigh the conflict for yourself.
No. This is a directory, not a ranking. Firms are listed alphabetically with balanced pros and cons. Independence is shown as a pro and reseller, Big-Four or vendor-side-audit ties as a con, both stated as factual trade-offs for you to weigh.
No. The directory and the matching service are free for buyers. We take no money from software publishers and add no markup, and no vendor ever sees your brief.
Tell us about your Microsoft estate and where your SAM tooling stands. We route your brief to firms offering Microsoft SAM. The directory and matching are free for buyers, no vendor ever sees your brief, and we add no markup.
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