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This attribute contains information about every account type object. You can enumerate a list of account types or you can use the Display Information API to create a list. Because computers, normal user accounts, and trust accounts can also be enumerated as user objects, the values for these accounts must be a contiguous range.

The possible values for this attribute are the following:

Microsoft Sam is a speech synthesizer that was created in 1998, and was integrated into Windows 2000 as a screen reader. The program eventually managed to find its way online, and can be used at the Online Microsoft Sam TTS Generator free of charge. What is Microsoft SAM? Software Asset Management (SAM) for Microsoft environments is a set of proven IT practices that unite people, processes, and technology to control and optimize the use of software across an organization. Microsoft Sam Microsoft Sam TTS Speech Talk Windows XP Vista 8 8.1 10 Mike Mary Anna Voice Sound Speak Bill Gates A soundboard containing phrases that are said by the legend himself Microsoft Sam, the default text-to-speech voice on Windows XP.

1. Microsoft has shared a workaround for a Windows 10 zero-day vulnerability (dubbed SeriousSAM) that can let attackers gain admin rights on vulnerable systems and execute arbitrary code with SYSTEM.
2. Audits initiated by Microsoft SAM partners are ALWAYS voluntary, and declining the offer will not always, or even often, lead to a formal audit by Microsoft, known as a Microsoft LLC audit. An official Microsoft LLC audit will be initiated by a major accounting firm. You will get an audit letter via snail mail from KPMG, Deloitte, or similar.

• SAM_DOMAIN_OBJECT 0x0
• SAM_GROUP_OBJECT 0x10000000
• SAM_NON_SECURITY_GROUP_OBJECT 0x10000001
• SAM_ALIAS_OBJECT 0x20000000
• SAM_NON_SECURITY_ALIAS_OBJECT 0x20000001
• SAM_USER_OBJECT 0x30000000
• SAM_NORMAL_USER_ACCOUNT 0x30000000
• SAM_MACHINE_ACCOUNT 0x30000001
• SAM_TRUST_ACCOUNT 0x30000002
• SAM_APP_BASIC_GROUP 0x40000000
• SAM_APP_QUERY_GROUP 0x40000001
• SAM_ACCOUNT_TYPE_MAX 0x7fffffff

Implementations

Windows 2000 Server

Windows Server 2003

Windows Server 2003 R2

Windows Server 2008

Windows Server 2008 R2

Windows Server 2012

David Bicket of M-Assure presented an update on ISO activity across the SAM Industry at the BCS SAM Networking event in London last week. One development David mentioned was a recent update to the Microsoft SAM Optimization model.

David mentioned the material had been updated by Microsoft in September to reflect the newly revised ISO SAM standard but it looks like the Microsoft website has not been updated yet. However there is a still lot of info here:

The Microsoft SAM Optimization Model

“The [Microsoft] SAM Optimization model is aligned with the Infrastructure Optimization Model (IO) and provides a framework to accurately evaluate SAM processes, policies and tools”.

As with most Microsoft collateral found online, the Microsoft SOM material falls short of providing organizations with a full description of how to progress, but has been designed so that a Microsoft partner (or any other SAM partner) can guide you through the process.

Critics of the SOM model might argue that it is too basic but I believe, given the SAM maturity of most organizations today, it is a good tool for providing organizations some high level pointers.

The Optimization model assigns organizations to four levels of maturity:

1. ‘Basic SAM’ – Management of software is ad-hoc and inconsistent
2. ‘Standardised SAM’ – We track assets but probably don’t make best use of the data we collect
3. ‘Rationalized SAM’ – We are actively managing assets throughout their lifecycle
4. ‘Dynamic SAM’ – We are leveraging SAM for competitive advantage.

Or in more simple terms you might summarize the levels as:

1. We’re not doing SAM
2. We’ve started doing SAM
3. We’re doing it properly
4. We’re reaping the full benefits

The aim is to benchmark your organization against the model and identify next steps to make progress with SAM.

It should be noted that an organization might not want to progress to level 4. Just as an organization might not want to provide 99.999% availability for a service when 99.95% will do. An organization needs to judge the likely benefits versus the cost and effort involved. Similarly an organization may be at different levels of maturity for each competency.

Microsoft SOM in Practice

I used this model on a recent engagement with a client who was looking to get started with SAM. What I like most about using this model is that there are only 10 focus areas, so the client is not bombarded with SAM science, but has a concise summary of areas for improvement.

Once the organization begins to make progress, they make a judgement call as to whether they want to benchmark themselves against more sophisticated models such as the full ISO/IEC 19770-1 SAM standard.

How does the Microsoft SAM Optimization Model align to ISO/IEC 19770-1?

In a nutshell David Bicket suggested that Rationalized is ‘largely equivalent’ to Tier 1 of the SAM Standard and Dynamic is ‘largely equivalent’ to Tier 4. So it soon becomes obvious that an organization just starting out with SAM might be best to get to grips with the Microsoft SAM optimization model first (see diagram).

The Microsoft SAM Optimization model uses 10 core competencies that align themselves to ISO/IEC 19770-1

Organizational Management

• SAM throughout the organization
• SAM improvement plan

SAM Inventory Processes

• Hardware and software inventory
• Accuracy of inventory

SAM Verification

• License entitlement
• Periodic evaluation

Operational Management and Interfaces

Lifecycle process interfaces

Microsoft Sam Voice

• Acquisition Process
• Deployment Process
• Retirement Process

The result of these five ISO categories and ten competencies lead us to ten questions we can ask to evaluate SAM maturity.

In a future article we can take a look at the questions in more depth and suggested recommendations.

More info here: http://www.microsoft.com/sam/en/us/optmodel.aspx

Related articles:

Microsoft Sam | Microsoft Sam And His Fellow TTS Voices ...

• Tags:ISO/IEC 19770 · ISO/IEC 19770-1 · Microsoft SAM · Microsoft SOM · MicrosoftLM · MS SOM · SAM Benchmarking · SAM Maturity · SAM Optimization Model · SAM Standards · Software Asset Management

About Martin Thompson

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