We Have Liftoff! Getting off the Ground Floor With ITAM
What makes a successful rocket launch depends on your definition of success. If you're NASA, you're hoping your rocket can make it into orbit. If you're a backyard hobbyist, then beyond the treetops would probably be a decent benchmark. Either way, you need to leave the ground.
What about your IT asset management operation? How can you achieve liftoff when it comes to optimizing your organization's hardware and software? Take Ivanti’s IT Asset Management / Software Asset Management Attainment Model for example. It has five levels in ascending order:
- Level 0: Unmanaged
- Level 1: Initial
- Level 2: Managed
- Level 3: Shared
- Level 4: Optimized
Most of the organizations that approach Ivanti for assistance with IT asset management are at Level 1 of the attainment model. It’s here where organizations start to climb towards achieving a high-quality ITAM/SAM program that supports the business.
Companies at the Initial level are able to recognize ITAM/SAM issues that need addressing systematically. This could have been as a result of a software audit, a lost or missing device containing sensitive data, or really any number of reasons.
We see a lot of organizations manually tracking devices on spreadsheets, but there’s a fatal flaw here. The task usually falls on one person to update the spreadsheet and maintain the accuracy of that data. That’s not a big deal if there are 20 employees in your organization, but it’s a massive problem for medium to larger size companies trying to keep track of all their assets. Without centralized controls and processes, users and IT behavior trends towards putting out the latest fire. This results in little governance, few staff, basic processes and policies, and zero metrics in place.
This poses a problem for tracking crucial information like software licenses and warranty information. It isn’t uncommon to find tools installed for other purposes, such as network performance or security, are being leveraged to discover what software is being installed on an organization’s endpoints. Since these tools weren’t designed for ITAM/SAM, there are going to be gaps in the data and detail they provide.
At the initial level, standard device types or applications have not been determined. This makes it next to impossible to maintain a spare parts inventory and drives up support costs. It also puts a strain on technicians, who must now be proficient with many different devices and applications. This results in long request resolution times and low satisfaction among your users.
Costs at the Initial Level are higher than average as most organizations can’t take advantage of volume pricing discounts when they’re purchasing based on demands.
Except for technology-centric organizations, tracking of data center hardware and software usually isn’t on a company’s radar, despite such purchases consuming the largest amount of funding. The data center remains separate and distinct from the client side and there is little interest in leveraging processes or tools.
There’s also a serious shortage in skilled workers who specialize in ITAM. Many companies are finding success in training internal staff to fill this need.
Get the complete picture when it comes to a proper IT Asset Management strategy. Click below to download our ITAM/SAM Attainment Model and see where your organizations stacks up.