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The goal of ITAM (Information Technology Asset Management) is to keep track of all IT assets. If adjustments or changes need to be made, this will be indicated.
Additionally, it works to make your assets visible. You can obtain a good ROI (return on investment) by defining and maintaining the worth of each component of your company.
Last but not least, it can decide when to upgrade, withdraw, or terminate assets owing to wear and tear or the end of their useful lives.
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What are the pros and cons of using ITAM tools?
When it comes to ITAM, many businesses either falter or fail entirely. As a result, a profound understanding of support and technology improvements is required.
New management techniques provide essential components for business. Best practices for ITAM can minimize risk and emphasize cross-team cooperation, enabling you to collaborate effectively for the betterment of your business.
There are numerous additional advantages of ITAM that will give every organization a set of guidelines and new logistical routes for increased effectiveness.
7 major advantages of using ITAM for your business
The main advantages of ITAM consist of:
1. Taking charge of your company's IT infrastructure
ITAM aids in the management of your business's IT ecosystem at the services and components level.
Start with the areas that are most important to your organization when drawing out an ITAM strategy. For instance, consult your IT help desk to determine what software is consistently used. You can also consult Zluri’s guide to ITAM tools to select the best solution that caters to all of your business needs.
Find your largest software expenditures and focus on bringing them in check first — both from regulatory and expense-management viewpoints. Do not overlook your hardware either! From a regular standpoint, this will likely be laptops or desktops.
By doing this, you can ensure that the allocated supply is being effectively regulated and that there are sufficient assets on hand to cater to growing demands.
2. Efficient use of software resources
Make certain that all company applications are running from a single, trusted source. Utilize a DML (Definitive Media Library) to ensure that the right software package and copyright are installed and the implementation process has a paper trail.
Errors in licensing or the failure to implement the proper software or upgrades may occur if support staff use their own devices (Compact discs or USBs) to load software on company hardware assets.
Software installation would be much less likely to result in misunderstandings or mistakes made by the human mind if a DML is the only option.
3. Efficient operation of hardware resources
Although we have already spoken about the necessity of managing hardware assets (laptops and desktops), which account for the majority of service calls, there is more hardware to which ITAM may be applied.
For illustration:
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Servers
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Hardware for the network, including patch panels, hubs, switches, and routers
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Voice equipment like PBXs (private branch exchanges) and phones
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Printers, scanners, and fax machines
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Netbooks and tablets
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Keyboards, monitors, and mice
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Portable storage devices
As previously, begin with those hardware devices that have the maximum demand. Then, increase your supply so that essential gadgets can be quickly replaced. This is known as a DHS (Definitive Hardware Store).
4. Enhanced cost-cutting
The difference between a firm's reported holdings and its real assets is frequently rather large. Your company will have a deeper understanding of the quantity and nature of existing assets thanks to a good ITAM approach, which will make future planning simpler.
You will completely understand the components that comprise your business services when you perform a baselining activity in your live settings — which will enable you to keep accurate, detailed records of what is operating in your manufacturing environment.
Knowing all that is available helps you predict costs correctly and puts you in a better position to negotiate with hardware or software manufacturers. You'll even be able to identify underutilized or abandoned assets, which can be recovered and redirected somewhere else instead of investing in new resources.
5. More effective governance
Improved governance also is facilitated by improved transparency. Recognizing what's there in your property will give a good hold on important possessions, making it harder for items to be lost or misplaced.
When including assets in your equipment list, the following attributes should be noted:
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Asset citation
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Name
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Description
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Manufacturer
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Licencing details
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Information about services and warranties
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Cost
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Support group
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Details of a third-party vendor
6. Quicker MTTRS (mean time to restore services)
Faster incident response is made possible by ITAM procedures and technologies.
Connect end-user hardware and software services — so that when clients call your IT help desk, all of the necessary resources are accessible, saving you valuable resources.
The issue is directed more efficiently with connected assets, which results in quicker response times. It also ensures that the client's business is operational as fast as possible with the least amount of disruption to activities.
Integrating service assets with their users also supports modeling, allowing for the creation of templates for the most frequent events, which increases productivity and reduces turnaround time.
7. Serves as the engine for service request databases
An ITAM-based service catalog can be built upon. You can quickly put together a service catalog for your customers if you have a shared list of your IT assets.
Everyone is aware of what is or isn't covered by BAU (business as usual) support thanks to the agreed-upon list of resources, which increases transparency for both the company and support teams.
After all, is there anything worse than having to submit a request for somebody on the help desk without understanding whether or not whatever they're asking for is really supported?
With the adoption of BYOD (bring your own device) regulations, it might get complicated. Therefore, anything that creates anticipation is a wonderful idea. By converting it from a simple service directory to a service order catalog, you can make it responsive so that your clients may search for a service or product and then report an issue, make a complaint, or do a search on your knowledge base using the results.
5 major disadvantages of using ITAM for your business
Any IT supervisor will be aware of the drawbacks of cutting-edge technology. You can better manage your ITAM issues if you keep a watchful eye and make a thorough plan.
But, we should first recognize them in order to avoid these risks and issues. If these five issues are not resolved right away, there will be recognized repercussions for your company.
1. Poor cloud infrastructure
Using cloud storage is a terrific means of storing a wealth of data. Any file can fit in the available space, but if it isn't organized properly, it could be stolen. Various cloud software systems exist, including both public and private platforms.
Data is stored on the public cloud by a lot of ITAM technology companies.
Does this indicate a forthcoming attack? Maybe. Hence, use more sophisticated software to improve your ITAM plus increase business productivity.
2. High upfront costs of ITAM
ITAM may be pricey. This is due to the possibility of several income sources instead of a single managed piece of cost-cutting technology. You should make sure you own an integrated data and network center, and a devoted staff that's knowledgeable in this subject — to ensure you are spending your resources wisely.
3. Long downtimes
Any business that experiences extended downtimes may suffer financial losses. This is so because timelines and objectives are a part of any business.
Poor ITAM could cause your company to lose money because it disrupts a complete schedule. For improved and more targeted work, you might like to check out SLA (service-level agreement) management, which can help you monitor operations as well as any outsourcing.
4. The absence of mobility exists
One of the main aims of ITAM is flexibility. It aims to make sure everything is going well. But these objectives aren't always achieved.
Since last year, numerous businesses have been employing mobile devices at work. There is a growing demand for mobility. Communicating effectively is now absolutely necessary. It is crucial to take into account ITAM technology for all gadgets because it will streamline procedures and provide transparency and monitoring.
From each gadget, you can keep an eye on the activities of the employees. Make sure these gadgets are secure and reliable. For this aspect of ITAM, geo-fencing equipment is important because it enables the device to be location-aware.
5. No time for training
An essential component of ITAM is educating your team. There'll be learning curve issues if employees are oblivious to the mechanics of the technology. They need to be independent learners who take initiative. Funds must be invested in this. Your team needs to be equipped for anything. You would be justified in being anxious about the potential financial requirements.
However, teaching your team the fundamentals will ultimately save resources and give them the advantage of being prepared.
Conclusion
Lastly, it is feasible to monitor the flow of several ITAM components properly. It is crucial to customize solutions to your requirements, streamline their administration, and plan out the activities that will be taken.This methodological strategy can be successful if it is built on an all-inclusive ITAM solution with a wide range of features.
The life span of IT resources, contract administration, technology risk, and compliance, and financial tracking are a few examples. This is done in an effort to improve and optimize the quality of service. Any ITAM solution must be knowledgeable about budgetary control and understand organic business growth.
Only when you put the effort necessary to comprehend and develop each function, an ITAM initiative will ultimately succeed.
A digital marketing agency is today much more than a strategic partner, is a tech partner and integrator. Reach out to us if you have any doubt about it.
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