Lower Risks and Reduce Costs With This Advice From an Ivanti ITAM Expert

We admit, the term “IT Asset Management” lacks a little luster. But when it comes to saving time and money, there’s no substitute for a having the tools and processes in place to optimize your hardware and software. At Ivanti, we want to help organizations achieve this level of success. That’s why we created the IT Asset Management / Software Asset Management Attainment Model. It’s a step-by-step guide to helping you understand where your organization is at in the ITAM process. We talked to Ivanti ITAM Product Marketing Manager, Jason Christensen about what organizations can do in order to take their ITAM operation to the next level.

Q: Why is having an ITAM SAM strategy so critical?  

A: Having an ITAM/SAM strategy in place is critical for organizations to avoid both financial and security risk. Tracking what assets a company has, where they are, and understand how they are preforming allows businesses to save money on what I call the “Goldie Locks Licensing Model”.

Q: What is the Goldie Locks Licensing Model?  

A: It’s where you aren’t purchasing too many software licenses for your needs, or too few -- instead, you have just the right amount. According to research from ITassetmanagement.net, we know that 76.4% of organizations admit to over-licensing in fear of audits. They do this because they lack clarity about what software they really have in their IT environments.

Q: So what are the consequences of under-licensing?  

A: Failing a software audit comes with its own set of financial risks. Penalties involved in failing an audit include true-up costs, fees, and fines, not to mention what bad publicity can do to a company.

Q: Are there other benefits to an ITAM/SAM strategy? 

A: ITAM/SAM also helps to prevent security risk. You can’t protect what you don’t know about, right? When you track your assets you are prepared for incidents like theft or loss. When these types of events happen, there is a process in place to protect an organizations sensitive data. In addition, by blacklisting and whitelisting applications you prevent malware and unapproved software from entering your organization.

Q: Where do most organizations fall within the Ivanti ITAM/SAM Attainment Model? 

A: From talking with customers and consumers at various ITAM events, I have come to realize the majority of organizations are just starting their ITAM/SAM efforts and are at the unmanaged or initial level of the attainment model. Organizations that don’t have a program in place usually lack the support of senior management. They also may not be aware of the need or have the finances to act on it. ITAM/SAM is nothing new, it has been around for a long time. However, increasing audits, the uncovering of savings opportunities, and the connection to security has brought ITAM to the forefront in recent years.

Q: This model is mainly designed for large organizations. Is there anything smaller companies can learn from this? 

A:  Tracking IT assets is important no matter the size of organization. Smaller companies will follow a very similar strategy with modifications with investment tools, etc., to accommodate their needs. Small organizations are still vulnerable to the same financial and security threats larger organizations are. In fact, many smaller organizations are targeted for their size because it is less likely they have an asset management program in place.

Q: What’s the biggest mistake companies make when it comes to their ITAM strategies?  

A: Not having one! After that, I would say taking on too much all at once with no predefined goals. There are so many components to ITAM/SAM, if you take it on all at once -- you will get overwhelmed. That’s why the attainment model is so important. You gain clear direction on what steps to take next.

Q: Is there a secret to climbing the levels of this model? What area(s) should organizations be focused on?  

A: I would say the number one secret to climbing the levels of this model is to get internal support. By showcasing your progress, savings, and improved efficiencies, you will have your CXOs rooting for you. You’ll see continued investment into the program for long term success.

Whether you’re new to ITAM, or a seasoned expert at tracking your assets – we’ve created a roadmap to help you understand your position within IT Asset Management. Click below to download our IT Asset Management / Software Asset Management Attainment Model.