Consulting Company Accenture Deploys DLT Platform for Software License Management

Global management consultancy firm Accenture has deployed a distributed ledger (DLT) platform created to manage and track software licenses, a press release reveals Monday, Nov. 12.To develop the solution for software management, Accenture has partnered with Digital Assets, a U.S.-based company providing DLT products for financial institutions. The new app uses Digital Assets’ smart contract language, or DAML — a modeling language built specifically for distributed ledgers. According to the release, the platform will help track software licenses all the way down from their origination to purchase.Accenture also stresses that the DLT-driven app will help major firms avoid possible risks of license rules violation by increasing the transparency in the distribution and utilization of software.Melanie Cutlan, who leads blockchain development at Accenture Operations, notes that the company’s “significant portfolio of software licenses across businesses, clients and geographies” requires the “relevant policies and procedures supported with the right technology,” adding:“While software asset tracking and management tools have evolved, it can still be a daunting task for any large organization to manage.”Accenture’s technology department has recently focused on blockchain — a type of DLT — solutions for different areas. Its latest release was a tool that facilitates the interoperability of existing blockchain systems. Digital Assets and R3 Corda, along with Hyperledger Fabric and JPMorgan’s Quorum, are mentioned as the first interoperable pairs.Moreover, the company is set to apply blockchain to upgrade its logistics network, according to a patent filed this July.