This article explains how SAM Core identifies applications and manages versioning, especially for products with rapid, major-version release cycles. Understanding this behavior helps you read application counts and installation status in reports.

Major vs. minor versioning

Minor version updates

Most applications increment only the minor or patch version (for example: 15.2.1 → 15.2.2).
In SAM Core:

• These updates do not generate new application entries.
• Reporting continues against the same application record.

This aligns with typical vendor versioning behavior.

Major version updates (aggressive update cycles)

Some vendors frequently increment the major version number. For example, Google Chrome often moves from 144.x → 145.x → 146.x.

In these scenarios, SAM Core:

• Creates a new application entry for every major release.
• Marks the previous version as Uninstalled once the update occurs.
• Shows this status in the Remarks column.
  

This is expected behavior based on how applications are versioned and identified.

Why reports can look confusing

Applications that release frequent major updates may appear multiple times in the Applications list. This can give the impression that SAM Core is tracking more installations than actually exist.

For example:

• Google Chrome has had multiple major releases within a 12‑month period.
  

Older major versions still appear because:

• They were discovered within the software metering window (default is 12 months).
• They often still have usage data associated with them.

Using the Installations column

The Installations column provides the most accurate view of what is currently installed:

• Installed versions show active installation counts.
• Uninstalled versions show zero installations.
• Entries may still appear even after uninstall because usage and user associations remain.

For applications with frequent major releases, always rely on this column, not the total number of application entries.

Files Per Computer Report Considerations

Applications with aggressive update cycles often use the same executable across multiple major versions. This can make different versions appear identical at first glance.

Use these columns to confirm version details:

• Product version (File): Shows the executable’s actual version.
• Installed: Indicates if that version is present on the device.
• Full version (File): Reported only for files present during the latest scan, usually the currently installed version.

Example:

Together, these columns provide the clearest view of the true installation state.

Summary

• Minor version updates do not create new application records in SAM Core.
• Major version updates create separate application entries, even when updates are frequent.
• Older major versions are correctly marked as Uninstalled. These remain until the software metering window is reached (the default is 12 months).
• The Installations column should always be used to confirm whether software is currently installed.
• For file‑level analysis, rely on File Version and Installed status in the Files Per Computer report.

This behavior is expected and reflects accurate application lifecycle tracking rather than inflated installation counts.

Recommended best practice

When reviewing applications with aggressive update cycles:

• Use the intended records 
• Focus on currently installed major versions only.
• Use the Installations column as the primary indicator.
• Cross‑check with the Files Per Computer report when further validation is required.

This approach ensures accurate interpretation of SAM Core reporting.