A UK company claims to be the first to offer a web-based service capable of probing an organisation's IT networks to check software licences and fix licensing problems.

Virtual Network Partners' AppVelocity aims to help companies tackle the growing problem of "application software sprawl" and avoid the financial penalties of running unlicensed software.

AppVelocity combines an asset management product with an "application juke box" and uses IP probing technology to audit a company network or group of networks, cataloguing every hardware and software asset.

The audit also highlights potential breaches of security with non-authorised hardware devices and software.

The service can also remedy licensing problems. Once the network has been fully audited, the network manager is given options to remedy licence mis-matches.

For under-licensing, optimisation of properly available is achieved "quite simply in a very short time". Over-licensing can be remedied at the next contract review opportunity, according to Virtual Network Partners.

"Software licensing compliance remains a major headache for IT managers, with some 26 per cent of all software thought to be running illegally in the UK," said Warren Free, head of business development at Virtual Network Partners.

"Much of the unlicensed software on corporate networks is there without management's knowledge, but it remains their responsibility and there are significant financial penalties for companies that do not remove it.

"AppVelocity also helps managers to build the business case for application streaming and centralised licence management."