The letter is an invitation to resolve what the Business Software Alliance (BSA) believes to be copyright infringement, often called software piracy, without formal litigation. However, be certain that the process is adversarial, just like any threat of litigation.
Your first option is to choose to ignore the letter. This option, of course, is the least likely to resolve the matter because, without a response, the Business Software Alliance will send you follow-up letters and will consider your lack of cooperation when it determines how to resolve your case. Ignoring the BSA will not make it go away and, eventually, you may very well be facing a federal copyright infringement lawsuit.
A second option is for you to complete a software audit according to the instructions provided in the letter and produce the results of that software audit to the BSA. While the Business Software Alliance will appreciate your cooperation, you will likely receive a follow-up letter from the BSA that includes a hefty fine.
A third option is to hire outside help, which may include hiring a technical services company that claims it knows how to conduct a software audit, hiring a law firm that claims it can defend you against a claim of copyright infringement, or just buying software from a company that claims its software can automatically conduct a software audit of your computers. While doing any of these (or all of these) may help you with your BSA audit, only someone with experience and knowledge of both the BSA audit process and the complex software licenses involved by its member publishers can help you compile an audit that minimizes your potential exposure to the BSA.
Your best option is to call Dorman Bell, LLP. We can help. No other company can match our level of technical and legal expertise in understanding and optimizing complex software licenses to legitimately minimize your exposure during a software audit requested by the Business Software Alliance.
Contact us today to learn more about the BSA audit process and our winning strategies that save your company time and money.