How to control your Software Licenses

Sidebar24 | Wednesday January 20 2010 9:49 am | Comments Off

Introduction

The degree to which technology has become a part of everyday life and day-to-day business has prompted a change in the way management approaches how they manage the finances, the tasks and the assets within an organisation.

As technology becomes more widespread within a company and takes a more prominent critical within the critical functions of that organisation, it is necessary to make sure that an appropriate amount of attention is applied to this computing.

IT capabilities have come a long way over the past few years and are now seen as essential parts of any organisation. As such, they receive grander budgets but must also be able to handle a greater amount of work.

But once you have spent a substantial amount of your budget on developing an IT infrastructure and seen the circumstances of your organisation change, how do you make sure that the IT you are using can keep up with demand?

This is the function by IT management software and procedures.

Every business and every environment will have different needs and will create unique challenges. To satisfy these requirements there are a range of different technologies and approaches that can be used to help control the IT infrastructure of your company.

Software Asset Management

Software Asset Management (SAM) is designed to do exactly what it says on the tin – monitoring and controlling the deployment and usage of software packages within your organisation. It is a business process rather than a distinct area of expertise and is becoming a more critical part of the modern commercial environment, particularly for corporations operating in the field of Information Technology.

SAM is not simply a tool for technicians deploying software across a large corporate network, but can be a crucial tool to help improve performance at many levels of a company. The aims of SAM include managing of the IT infrastructure within a organisation, negating legal threats associated with incorrect software license usage and preserving high levels of productivity by making sure software is up to date and fit for its purpose.

The practice of software asset management is often viewed as an unnecessary evil due to the intangible nature of what it is designed to deal with, and the commercial case for using a SAM solution is not always obvious until a broad inspection of the software infrastructure of a company has been done.

Economic benefits remain the most motivating business factor when choosing to use SAM technology within a company. Every corporation needs to make money after all and profitability is a very measurable metric. The financial benefits of software asset management do certainly exist however.

An increasingly large amount of a organisation’s IT bank roll is spent on software licensing so there is a critical need to invest to correctly handle this spending. As companies grow and diversify, their software needs can change greatly and hardware and programs can quickly become outdated. There is no need to spend money to maintain the licenses on this outdated software, which is where software asset management really delivers an edge.

SAM is not limited to simply the IT department of your company either. As a management cycle it will often involve many of the departments within a organisation, including Finance Human Resources, to ensure that it runs as efficiently as possible.

One highly recommend software asset management solution say Centennial resellers has to be SAM.Suite; a modern solution to modern IT licensing challenges.

Why follow a SAM Strategy?

Having seen the various benefits of utilising a SAM solution, how do you know that it would be correct for your business? Each business is different and has its own separate set of problems and advantages, so any strategy you will use needs to be catered to these specific traits.

There are more than simply monetary advantages that can be achieved through the control of licensing and maintenance agreements across a companies IT system. Productivity can be vastly by ensuring that employees have the latest editions of software available under current licenses held, and communication inside the corporation is helped when support staff know exactly what is in use on every computer under their control. The benefits of SAM are not confined to the technological hardware of your organisation.

Financial Savings

As discussed before, perhaps the most convincing reason to utilise software asset management within your company is the potential financial savings that can be made. The profitability of your company is always going to be the bottom line so any system that can help to improve this profitability by lowering expenses is one that should be evaluated. Money can be saved in a multitude of ways.

The most direct way that software asset management can help to reduce costs is by targeting any software running on your corporate network that is no longer needed. The software might not be being used any longer, it may be too outdated to be of use or it may be duplicated on your system. SAM can help to remove this unnecessary overhead.

By clearing these items of software that are no longer a help to the operation of your company you are streamlining a large chunk of your IT network. Paying for unneeded software licenses and support and maintenance contracts means that more money can be spent on the critical parts of your IT infrastructure.

Mitigate Risk

A surprising percentage of software that is currently used in the corporate environment is either licensed incorrectly or not licensed at all. Having any amount of unmonitored software on your IT network is ill advised, because when left unchecked it can become incredibly unpredictable.

Rogue software programs can be introduced into an unmonitored IT system in a number of ways. Software may have been included when your IT hardware was originally purchased although the initial software licenses may have expired. Without the correct security policies in place, users may also be able to load their own software onto the system. Running a corporate IT system in this wild way will almost certainly lead to trouble.

The danger of running unlicensed software on your system is clear. When anything goes wrong with the hardware or software platform supporting your critical processes, how do you manage the situation? Running a complicated software system without the appropriate support can create a metaphorical minefield when it comes to disaster recovery and can seriously inhibit your responsiveness to unpredictable events. The cost of recovery will forever outweigh the cost of mitigation when it comes to IT systems.

Many companies have reported increases in productivity since Centennial consultants worked alongside their current IT support team.

Implementing SAM in your Organisation

As previously mentioned, there are numerous potential advantages to utilising a good software asset management strategy within your organisation, both monetary and otherwise. It is vitally important to determine which elements of SAM you should deploy first since some benefits will be achieved more speedily than others.

This discovery process can be viewed as three fundamental phases that have to be undertaken to really develop an informative picture of the usage of IT assets within your organisation. These are:

Inventory

Inventory is the most fundamental stage of the discovery cycle. It is crucial that an accurate audit of IT assets within your organisation is created to help your IT department to maintain baselines for your IT network. This inventory process must be performed before continuing with discovery.
Thankfully, this process can now be made automatic and even the grandest of networks can be searched and analysed in a reasonably short period. Inventory must be able to identify your software assets regardless of their geographical location or technological characteristics.

Capture

The next step in the discovery cycle involves the capture of the license entitlements that concern the software programs discovered in the inventory. The capture stage should collect entitlements for all of the software that is installed on your network, even when the software is not currently in use.

The element of human error can be mitigated by using automatic tools that are specifically created to create a library of license entitlements. Packages that are currently employed are very efficient at capturing accurate data.

Identification & Validation

The next step is to match up the software audit to the repository of licensing information that were created in the last two stages. Errors may have been made anywhere from the original paperwork for software to the most recent audits undertaken on your IT network. These errors can now be rectified.

One critical factor in the validation stage is the ability to associate the license entitlements on your system to your organisation’s proof of entitlement. This will be essential if any arguments with software resellers arise as a consequence of the discovery cycle. You want to be as informed as possible in these circumstances.

After these steps have been undertaken you will have built an incredibly detailed picture of how your IT system is serving software packages to its users. It will be a lot easier to identify particular trouble areas on your system, or sections of software use that are no longer of any particular benefit to your operations. This detailed picture can be used for future reference as well.

You can now start a period of reconciliation upon your system. You should compare the software programs that are actually used on your network against the licensing and support contracts that you are paying for and bridge any gaps between the two. This is when the financial benefits of software asset management start to take effect.

The software distribution within your system may include many hundreds or even thousands of individual instances, and there may be any number of rules that may be involved with the licensing agreements you have in place. It is therefore essential to automate the reconciliation process, utilising one or more tools to apply intelligent rules to the process. These rules can be catered to the specific needs of your business

The benefits of working with a contract Centennial reseller are greater than than ever before. You can find one such Centennial specialist at this website

Compliancy and Flexibility with SAM

Many of the basic principles of a modern SAM strategy are based upon the principles set out in the Information Technology Infrastructure Library, or ITIL. This library details a number of principles and best practices that should be adopted for successful management of IT operations. The ITIL can be found online.

This library is a changing publication and is often updated with new concepts and policies that cater to the ever changing IT backdrop of modern business. A good software asset management strategy should be flexible enough to comply with the guidelines set out in the ITIL whilst meeting the changing requirements of the business within which it is actively utilised.

The International Standard Organisation (ISO) has published a standard that applies directly to software asset management practices. This standard, ISO 19770-1, is an incredibly comprehensive collection of suggestions that are built to ensure that SAM is used in such a way as to “satisfy corporate governance requirements”.

The ISO standard should really be adhered to when designing a software asset management strategy for your own business, although the level of detail included within can easily become a daunting challenge. It is important to remember that no matter what guidelines you follow when designing a SAM strategy, whatever you decide to employ needs to help your organisation rather than hinder it. Industry standards cannot simply be copied when it comes to applying them within your business.

Designing a full and comprehensive SAM strategy for your own business might actually never come to fruition. Your strategy must be flexible enough to adapt and grow as your organisation does, and it must allow for modifications to your daily tasks, no matter how small or underlying they might be. This really is the key to a successful software asset management strategy.

Conclusion

It is easy to see that as the scope and importance of computer systems within your organisation grow, so does the requirement for good and effective monitoring of these systems. Gone are the times when an IT department was a luxury that would occasionally progress the business. IT systems are now critical to the modern organisation. Crucial systems need to be controlled to an appropriate level.

As with other branches of any business, a number of separate plans should be considered and utilised in order to ensure the efficient running of day to day tasks. SAM should not be the only tactic used to manage technological resources within your organisation, but rather one of a number of complimentary policies used to manage the system as a unit.

So if you think that your organisation is currently suffering from a lack of structured monitoring and management over its IT infrastructure, or that the possible advantages outlined in this article could manufacture a critical market edge over your competitors, then it would be well worth researching how SAM could be employed within your company. There may be no time to lose.

Visit the Abenake Tribal Museum and Vermont Attractions

Sidebar24 | Monday January 18 2010 7:50 pm | Comments Off

There are a lot of attractions to see and do while visiting Vermont!  So explore out the new and thrilling Vermont attractions when you travel in our great state!  Whether you enjoy – urban centers, vast lands, forests, or oceans, the State of Vermont offers incredible variety of tourist attractions and activities.  Everyone can discover the ideal chance to slow down and getaway from the hectic pace of daily routine.

Tour Idea #1:  Abenaki Tribal Museum – Swanton, Vermont. Come to Swanton and see the museum that shows the history of the Abenaki Tribe from centuries ago.  The museum is located next to their tribal headquarters and welcomes visitors to learn about their culture and history. The tribal home for the Abenaki for thousands of years has centered on the Masipskiwibi (Missisquoi, “Crooked River”) River in Northwestern Vermont. 

In addition to the historical Vermont tourist attractions, there will be a variety of other fun things to experience and enjoy.  Do you remember camping when you were young?  You can fish and have an outdoor fun vacation.  Located within just a short drive, you can enjoy a variety of nature and natural beauty. Explore the native beauty of the state and enjoy the outdoors.  Whether it is exploring the historical trails or swimming or camping, there are activities for every member. Here are just a few of the activities you can discover, for more opportunities, check out this Vermont attractions video.

Tour Idea #2:  Burton Island State Park – St. Albans Bay, Vermont. Open from Memorial Day weekend until Labor Day weekend this park is accessible only by boat but it is certainly worth the trip.  Burton Island sits on 253 acres just off the southwestern tip of St. Albans Point in Lake Champlain’s “Inland Sea”.  There is a state passenger ferry that makes the 10 minute trip from Kill Kare State Park for those that don’t come on their own boat and use one of the islands marina and one of their 100 slips.

Balancing the entertaining attractions with the general historical attractions will organize a memorable group vacation escape.  To make the best of your family vacation getaway, you may want to consider one of the many vacation packages or tours.  Most vacation packages bundle transporation, hotels, and auto rentals  or include a entertaining tour.  Many packages include activity or theatre tickets, so you can find packages interesting to everyone.  If you are fascinated in history and education, there are many arts and heritage attractions, as well as museums of all varieties of specialties.

Everyone can save costs by visiting online travel guides. Many guides will describe the many attractions.  Professional guides will share more detail than just a short snippet or sentence. Take your time and discover everything about your travel to Vermont .  Experience your vacation escape and enjoy the chance to create family memories that will last a lifetime.

Wish to Carry out a Secure Money Exchange? Discover the Right Firm

Sidebar24 | Monday January 18 2010 2:35 pm | Comments Off

There are plenty of instances when one would like to undertake a money transfer to somewhere in the planet. You may undertake quick money transfer from Britain to pretty much any location – be it India or also more distant! Yet before you commence with a cash transfer, ensure you are employing a agent which is safe and reliable! Even if the amount you would like to send is not so high currency you may still be open to money laundering or similar illegal crimes. Look that the cash transfer company is fully regulated and contains a money laundering check list in place.

Where may I Deposit Cash to? For all people habituating in Britain there may arrive a time when they wish to undertake a money transfer to a location in the planet. This is particularly appropriate to those who live in the British Isles however are originally from an alternative nation. There are numerous who need to transfer currency to areas such as Thailand as they have relatives there. However in which place could you send cash from Britain? The response is easy: it depends on the recipient availabilities! Most cash money transfer companies may send currency to close to any country in the the planet, and a few are specialists for certain nations such as Vietnam. However if you want to employ an online service and your recipient does not have connection to emails, this is not correct. Locate a service that can organise physical receiving.

Have you Ever Been Short of Cash? There are Solutions. There are instances during which I find that there really isn’t ample money to settle the gas bills in time. This occurs pretty frequently and I once find it not easy to locate more money. My name is Oliver and I am a average UK citizen. I have a low credit score which is perfectly common for UK citizens. Fortunately there are today lots of methods to get funds thanks to companies such as pawnbrokers. You may use internet pawnbrokers because the method is so easy and it is private – you don’t have to cope with going into a high street office. They provide money based on the value of your individual articles.

Pain Information And Possible Solutions That Are Available

Sidebar24 | Monday January 18 2010 10:01 am | Comments Off

What options are available when pain strikes. This varies on the severity of the pain, and where abouts in the body the pain occurs. If the pain is only a minor headache, toothache or any of the pains we all get at some time, then an plain analgesic will normally be enough. For toothache pain medication containing Ibuprofen is probably the right solution, toothache is sometimes accompanied by inflammation in the troubled area, Ibuprofen is an anti inflammatory and will therefore help to reduce the inflammation. If the pain continues you should seek medical attention, as the pain could be the symptom of a more chronic underlying medical problem. Pain is your body letting you know that something is wrong, do not ignore the message if pain persists.

Pain can be separated into two types, acute and chronic pain. Acute pain is usually a short term pain that goes away with no further treatment, it has no serious underlying medical problems associated with it and usually needs nothing more than simple over the counter pain medication. Chronic pain is more serious, chronic pain usually persists and is often associated with a more serious underlying disease or injury. It can often start from something like a sprain or infection that persists and becomes more serious, or it can be the result of a developing disease or cancer. Chronic pain can remain a problem for months, possibly even years. As well as a need to treat the main problem, pain killers stronger than normal pain medication is usually required. Among the most common medications include tramadol, ultram and ultracet, with tramadol being the most popular. These pain medications aren’t scheduled as controlled substances, it is therefore possible to buy tramadol online. In many cases pain relief medication is prescribed along with seperate treatments to treat the cause of the problem.

Probably the most common type of pain we all experience is headaches. Headaches may well disappear without recourse to any treatment, over the counter pain medication will usually be enough to ease the pain. Migraine is a more severe form of headache and can be caused by several conditions. A migraine may be accompanied by several other conditions, such as mood changes, light sensitivity, one sided headache and nausea. A migraine may only last for a few hours, but can last for several days. Anyone with a migraine should seek medical attention.

For pain associated with joints and muscles, physiotherapy is often used, and in many cases can result in the complete removal of the problem. Electrical stimulation is a technique used, sometimes as a last resort. Electrical stimulation interrupts pain signals in the spinal cord. Acupuncture may also be used to try and reduce pain, fine needles are place at key points on the skin, the theory being that these disrupt the flow of spasms. Needles may be used in areas removed from the source of the pain.

The main point to observe, is that if pain becomes serious, especially if it is persistant, get immediate medical attention, it could be down to a more serious problem.

Disclaimer: This post is based on information freely available in the popular press and medical journals that deal with pain relief. Nothing in this posting is intended to be or should be construed to be any sort of medical advice. For medical advice the reader should consult with his or her own physician or a medical specialist.

Why does decorating have to be so complicated?

Sidebar24 | Monday January 18 2010 9:51 am | Comments Off

I’m not the best at decorating. For some reason I just wasn’t born with that gene. I’m grateful for the people and products out there which can help make this process a bit easier. My mother was born with a great gene, but when I asked her about it she said that when she was my age she consulted with professionals all the time and learned whatever she could with them. Maybe I do have a chance after all.

I recently decided that a major redecorating was in order at my house. So I went to Hobby Lobby and bought a bunch of wall decor at 50% off. Of course none of it is hanging on the walls yet, but I do have several layouts planned and hope to get them up soon.

Part of the project was to also redo our main living room. We’ll be adding a nice new sauder computer desk and moving the buffet that we use as a table over the bar entertainment area. Another part of this update could be bedding in the kids room. I’m fascinated by the camouflage baby bedding options available on the market. I’d never thought of using camouflage bedding before.

Mostly I just want my house to look nice. I even hired a professional decorator to give me some advice and ideas. We put in a nice new coffee table at her suggestion, also.

About the Author

The author enjoys writing about a variety of topics as a freelance writer. Another topic of interest is the slipcovers for wingback chairs.

Locate a Speedy and Simple Way to Get a Loan, Good Credit File Not A Must!

Sidebar24 | Saturday January 16 2010 10:35 am | Comments Off

Payday loans give one of the simplest methods to take a loan. They are aimed to tide you over until your ensuing payday (as their branding suggests) and range between 80 pounds and about 750 pounds. Not a vast amount however that is pretty much the usual amount that individuals want for 14 days to a month. Next, the credit has to be be repaid. You may request for a payday loan rather easily on the internet. Credit checks are barely undertaken for payday loans and the merchant shall warn you beforehand if they do carry them out. One simple application online document and you will gain a decision in a minute. Clue: it’s usually a “yes”!

Retain Cash and Time with a Great Currency Exchange Company! There are far better value and simpler ways of changing currencies. Before you travel on your next trip, pop foreign currency near the number one of the list rather than at the bottom. Now, when you decide to order your flight tickets, just buy your foreign currency too. There are loads of beneficial currency exchange firms who have an internet service. In addition, they can provide way cheaper FX rates than any regular high street firm. They mostly don’t stick irritating commission charges on top of the conversion either. This is fantastic news for households who would like to save as much cash as feasible.

Claim Compensation on Wongly Sold Money Products Today. There are plenty of people who say that they were mis-sold a financial product. For example, Felicity from Somerset purchased a credit card when she was in the Wolverhampton Wanderers football retailer. The salesperson proffered her the one-off football card and she was keen to take possession of it. Additionally, the shop assistant sold her ppi. This is a variety of insuring document which is aimed to cover you in case you are unable to make payments on your card bill. She afterwards found out that she did not need the PPI and so she headed to to a reclaim credit card charges company to obtain her money back. They were successful.

Family Activites

Moving software for moving companies

Sidebar24 | Friday January 15 2010 9:51 am | Comments Off

I wrote eMover-software back in 1997 to help organize and manage my moving company, because at that time it was pretty difficult to find a good moving software. Emover-Software became very popular and purchased and used by more than 100 companies in US and Canada.
Originally it was written as a desktop Windows based software. But the growth of high-speed Internet and popularity of Internet moving leads created a new challenge for moving company software. Many movers cannot afford an expensive moving software that requires an internal network, server and IT personnel. That’s why now we have an affordable alternative to the Windows based software – a browser based software for moving company.
All you will need to run this software is a high-speed Internet connection (DSL or better) and your favorite browser – IE or Firefox. No additional software installation required. And there is no out-of-pocket expenses – just easy monthly payments. Setup takes a couple of minutes and doesn’t require computer skills. It is as easy to use as any other website, such as your email editor.
And if you want to have your own server so you won’t depend on Internet connection – you still can. We can install it on your server as well.

  • Automatic lead parsing from any source. System will recognize lead formats from any popular lead provider or from your website form.
  • Auto-reply features with unlimited scheduling. You can program the system to send emails to your prospective customers based on type of move, status of the lead, size of shipment etc. at any schedule.

Scrutinizing FX Accounts: Mini vs Demo

Sidebar24 | Friday January 15 2010 9:24 am | Comments Off

The standard Forex account has a tiny version known as a Mini account. $2000 is the least possible amount required to open for standard accounts. With hardly $400, one can create a mini account.

Trading in mini accounts is done in “mini lots”. The pip value for a typical Forex account is $10, so if the market advances 100 pips in your way your income would be $1000. Your pip value for a mini account, though is $1 and if the market moves 100 pips in your favor your income would be $100.

If you’d prefer to open up an account with even less money than any mini account there is an option of a “micro account”. A micro account can be opened for as small as $25. If the market advances 100 pips in your side in this type of account your earnings would be $10.

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For those only testing the waters, the baby brother mini accounts would be best. While demo accounts that want no money for trading are up for grabs, mini accounts have an advantage all their own.

That goal is that you will be trading with real money. Using real money for trading tends to accomplish a closer match with your ulterior trading behavior with standard Forex accounts.

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You see, with a Forex demo account you really have nothing at risk. Therefore this play money is not really traded actively. As a result,the expert traders using demo accounts lose horribly when transacting a standard account with actual money.

So a mini account, as it uses real money, will tend to show more precisely your authentic behavior in a standard account. You will have a chance to put your trading systems to the test while at the same time having a smaller amount of money on the table.

On your part, to make the mini account emphatic, bestow the same regard and management of risks that are used in the standard account. This will assist you develop the required level of discipline to trade Forex profitably.

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Once you attain success in trading with your mini account, moving up to the standard account can be effected with no doubts about your capabilities.

Notice: FX investing is not risk free, may result in considerable losses, and is not suited for everyone.

Premium Review Site

The Excellent Room Springs With Incomparable Crib Bedding

Sidebar24 | Thursday January 14 2010 10:17 am | Comments Off

Excited new parents may become disenchanted when they are flooded with the literally thousands of online options for boy’s baby bedding. Prospective parents can find themselves overwhelmed by the sheer array of baby bedding they’re presented with as they decide on a theme for their baby boy’s nursery.

Newbie’s at the decorating game are often told by those in the know that they should begin by thinking about the colors they already like in their home. Once you start looking online for a particular shade of linens for the crib, you’ll find an overwhelming amount of leads, so if you’re unsure about the theme it might be best to start with the colors you’re considering.

Parents who want to put together a nursery for their sons will often use blue as either an accent or the primary color. Baby boy crib bedding sets is available in a wide variety of cool blues, allowing for numerous options when decorating a room for a new son.

Crib linens in blue now come in ensembles that may feature animal or insect themes. There are several collections with a jungle or safari motif that use a wide spectrum of blue shades, varying from a pale teal to a deep indigo. You will find that many designers have new takes on how to use the color blue, ensuring that your nursery will be something unique.

Turquoise and brown crib bedding has become so popular that many bedding retailers cannot match demand. Turquoise is a hard semi-precious stone to describe, because its’ color varies from “jade green” to “sky blue.” Still, each of those many so-called “turquoise” colors makes an unusually strong fashion statement.

If you hold it up to a variety of color swatches, you’ll notice right away that turquoise goes well with virtually any other hue. For a non-traditional way of conveying the impression of a masculine nursery, you might want to consider using the color turquoise. This color can be considered the new ‘baby boy blue’ whether it is used in a very busy pattern with turquoise at the center or if it is used in a more conservative, traditional design.

Removals to Spain

Sidebar24 | Wednesday January 13 2010 9:30 am | Comments Off

Based in Spain we are a British run removals and storage company that prides itself on high levels of service at rock bottom prices. Removals to Spain are a speciality service among many removers.

Our UK to Spain moving service has weekly departures to our warehouse in Alicante Spain. Our vehicles are fully insured and most have satellite tracking for added security. We are a fully registered legal company offering a safe and personalised service.

Removals to Spain – There are many European house removal and home removals company specializing in all aspects of house removals, storage and packaging for private and business customers.

When you’re moving or relocating to another country or even returning to the UK, using a National or International removals service for any distance is the logical choice. You can feel safe in the knowledge that a professional mover and storage company are carrying your valued possessions, and will look after your belongings with care.

Whether you are moving from a house, apartment or office, Removals to Spain services will make sure your move goes without a hitch. Most Overseas removal specialists are available for quality moving of your belongings and personal effects.

The quickest and most reliable house removal service to Spain from the UK is now available from Universal Removals.
To get your instant quote, simply fill in the quote form with all the relevant information for your move. Your international removals to Spain quote will then be sent to you via email with all the prices and details for your move. Great deals and prices available on all house moving to Spain from the UK.

Universal Removals have been providing European removal services for over four years. The European removals market has changed a lot in that time, and we have adpated our overseas removal service to include international removals. Other Removal companies only offer removals to spain.

A good place to start when looking for a professional removals company to Spain is a business who is a member of the British Association of Removers.
A family run removals and storage company located in Spain is the best option when looking for a removals to spain company.

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