Getting to know IT asset management

It’s funny how once you are officially in a department such as IT, everyone assumes you have deep knowledge about everything from resetting a printer to spooling up a complex cloud dev instance. And as time goes by, it gets harder and harder to admit unfamiliarity about certain areas of techdom.  

Take IT asset management (ITAM), for example. Yes, we all know what software is. We know what a laptop or desktop computer is. But what does it take to successfully control the usage and investment in what can be a significant cost for an enterprise? 

The basics: What makes ITAM run successfully.  

This is the management of all IT assets include computing, networking, and related equipment, as well as software licenses, entitlements, and subscriptions. In too many organizations, IT assets are quite numerous, widely distributed, and often not fully inventoried or documented. And therein lies the problem.

Download Now: The Gorilla Guide to Getting Started with ITAM

What are the common asset management mistakes and challenges? 

In an adjective: reactionary. Because of widespread distribution, unclear assignments of responsibility, and point tools isolated from the rest of IT, organizations tend to manage their IT assets as a reaction to some event or discovery, often unplanned and perhaps even unexpected. This has obvious risks. For example, what if you get a demand from the software vendor to prove you have licenses for every user on every machine? Failure to do so could result in license compliance true ups and even legal action. Here’s a look at the most common pitfalls not having a strong ITAM strategy or tool:

Problem 1:  So much wasted money.

This might mean paying for software or subscriptions no longer in use or for more licenses or subscription seats than are necessary. This adds up fast. Gartner estimates $152 billion in wasted software costs and $33 billion in wasted Software as a Service usage fees. How much is your company adding to those numbers every year?

1 Gartner Newsroom Oct 10, 2020

2 Garner Newsroom July 23, 2020

Problem 2: So much silly risk. 

The other side of overspending is failure to purchase or acquire licenses or subscriptions needed to legally make use of specific software or services. This seemingly innocuous activity can lead to financial penalties.

Problem 3: So much unnecessary work. 

If an audit happens, IT, finance, and other staff get drawn away from their usual work and responsibilities causing overall productivity to suffer. 

Those are the risks. Now keep learning about how ITAM comes to the rescue. 

We invite you to explore a nifty Gorilla Guide created to give the whole inside story on modern ITAM. It offers a concise discussion with topics including: 

• The ITAM Savings Equation

• Avoiding Unnecessary Expense

• How a Single Platform Simplifies ITAM

• Benefits of Lifecycle Management

• Piloting the Process

• Measuring (and Sharing) Success 

• Introducing IT Asset Management (SAM) in an Organization 

• Reconciling the Data 

• Optimizing Platform Synergies and Capabilities 

Get “The Gorilla Guide to Getting Started with ITAM.” And be ready for any asset management question that comes your way. 

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