Hardware & Software Assets

 IT Asset management refers to any set of

processes and procedures that help an
organization keep track of its technology
resources.
 At the simplest level, asset management is
really just inventory control.
 What hardware and software do you own, and
where is it located?
 In its more advanced forms, asset management
can help you better understand how your staff
uses technology, with the goal of becoming
more efficient and standardized in your
purchasing and decision making.
 Most organizations use software to help track
their assets.
 A Microsoft Excel spreadsheet will do in a pinch,
especially for smaller organizations.
 However, lots of programs are designed
specifically for asset control.
 Among other things, an asset management
system should be able to record serial
numbers, vendor contact information, warranty
information, software license numbers,
activation keys, hardware configuration and
networking data (for example, IP address,
subnet mask, etc).
 Keep in mind that asset management is
a continuous process rather than a one-
time event to help your organization
comply with regulations and license
agreements.
 Any time you acquire new software or
hardware, it has to be entered into the
asset management system.
 Any time you move a computer or
dispose it off, those changes have to be
recorded.
 Why Use an Asset Management
System?
Avoiding duplicate purchases:

 When you’re managing 20, 50 or 200 computers, how often do you

lose track of what you own?
 How often do you over-purchase, buying extra licenses or extra
copies that you don’t really need?
 The software may be hidden in someone’s filing cabinet. Maybe you
decommissioned an old computer and never reclaimed the software
licenses.
 If a colleague needs a new computer, do you have an unused PC in
the building? Does it have enough power and memory?
 Do you have the right software licenses?
 It’s easy to lose track of computers, printers, routers, cell phones,
PDAs, and it’s even easier to lose track of software CDs and
software licenses.
 Asset management can help stop you from buying more than you
need.
Why Use an Asset Management
System?

Automating reports and inventories:

 How many PCs in your organization are
more than four years old?
 Which computers need an update because
they have an old version of Adobe Reader
or Flash?
 Which machines don’t have enough RAM
to run Office 2007?
 You can answer all of these questions
with good asset management software.
 Why Use an Asset Management
System?
Renegotiating license agreements:

 With asset management software, you’ll know which machines

have installed copies of a particular program. You might find that
you have 35 copies of Microsoft Office installed in your
organization, but you’ve paid for 40 licenses.
 Maybe you installed Adobe Photoshop on someone’s PC last year,
but that staffer moved on to another project and doesn’t use the
software anymore. In other words, you may be able to remove
unused and under-used copies of a program and then renegotiate
that licensing agreement.
 Or you can reclaim forgotten copies of the software and offer them
to other employees. Even if you can’t renegotiate your licensing
agreement, you’ll have a better sense of usage patterns so that
you don’t over-purchase in the future.
 Some asset management software will actually keep track of how
often your end-users are running different applications (this
function is sometimes known as software metering).
Why Use an Asset Management
System?

Saving time:
 Having all of your IT information in a
single, centralized location will save you
countless hours of frustrated searching.
 How many times in the average month do
you need to track down a software license
number, an activation key, the phone
number of a sales representative or a
tech support department?
 Why Use an Asset Management
System?
Complying with software license agreements:
 Once you buy a copy of Adobe Photoshop or
Microsoft Office, it’s easy to start installing the
software everywhere, regardless of how many
licenses you actually own.
 There might be three or four people in the
organization who think they’ve been empowered to
install software and manage licenses. Or it could
be that no one is doing this.
 Whatever the reason, lack of centralized asset
management often leads to violations of software
licensing agreements. In other words, if the
Business Software Association (BSA) ever audits
your organization, you could be faced with
significant fines for mismanaging software.
 Why Use an Asset Management
System?
Standardizing your IT environment:
 After you have an up-to-date inventory of your
hardware and software, you may notice that
you own three different graphics editing
programs and four different word processing
programs. And you have 12 different hardware
configurations.
 If you’re trying to simplify maintenance and
troubleshooting by standardizing your IT
environment, an asset management system will
help you establish a baseline.
 It also helps you ensure that new technology
acquisitions meet the standards that you’ve
established.
 Why Use an Asset Management
System?
Responsible accounting:
 If you receive funds from government agencies or large
foundations, your activities are, no doubt, overseen by a
wide array of financial regulations designed to prevent fraud
and abuse.
 Furthermore, you probably have your own set of internal
regulations and guidelines to adhere to.
 For example, if you purchased new computers within the past
few years, your funders may ask you to locate those PCs and
match them to your purchasing records.
 Also, if you bought a grant-funded computer to help manage
mass mailings to your constituents, that computer should be
dedicated to its original task for a certain amount of time.
Asset management tools can help you in locating and
identifying equipment in this way.
Why Use an Asset Management
System?

Planning and budgeting:

 If you always have an up-to-date
inventory of your current hardware
and software, it’s much easier to
predict your future requirements.
Evaluation Criteria

 Decide what you’ll track.

 Make a list of the information you’re
tracking now and discuss with your
colleagues whether you should be
tracking anything else.
 This can help you decide on an
asset management tool.