IT asset management is a fundamental practice for any company that uses technology in its daily operations. It involves recording, monitoring and controlling all the company's IT assets, including hardware, software, data and related services.
In this article, we'll explore the advantages of IT asset management and how this practice can help increase your company's efficiency and productivity.
- Improved resource management
- With IT asset management, it is possible to have a complete overview of all the IT resources available in the company. This helps you make more informed decisions about technology investments, including the purchase of new equipment, software upgrades and the contracting of IT services. In addition, IT asset management helps to identify idle or underutilized resources, allowing for better resource allocation.
- Reducing costs
- IT asset management can help reduce costs in various areas of the company. For example, with a complete overview of available IT resources, it is possible to avoid unnecessary purchases of new equipment or software. In addition, IT asset management helps identify equipment and software that is outdated or needs to be replaced, allowing for better management of the IT asset lifecycle.
- Increased information security
- IT asset management also helps to increase the company's information security. With a complete overview of all IT resources, it is possible to identify and correct security vulnerabilities in good time. In addition, IT asset management helps ensure that all equipment and software is up-to-date with the latest security patches and fixes.
- Improved regulatory compliance
- Many companies are obliged to comply with regulatory requirements relating to information security, data privacy and other IT areas. IT asset management helps ensure that the company complies with these regulatory requirements by providing a complete overview of the company's IT resources and enabling the implementation of information security policies throughout the organization.
- Increased efficiency and productivity
- Finally, IT asset management can help increase a company's efficiency and productivity. With a complete overview of the IT resources available, it is possible to identify bottlenecks and trouble spots that may be affecting employee productivity. In addition, IT asset management helps ensure that employees have access to the IT resources they need to do their jobs efficiently.
Know your IT assets
The challenge of knowing and managing IT assets
IT assets are all the resources that contribute to an IT service. They can be technological ('software' and hardware) and non-technological (people, environment and processes).
When an automated solution is not used, although possible, the management of IT assets is a major challenge for organizations. To better understand the implications of manual control, the first step is to understand what IT assets are and what problems can occur when we have inefficient asset management.
IT assets are all the resources that contribute to an IT service. They can be technological ('software' and hardware) and non-technological (people, environment and processes).
IT asset management, with a focus on technological assets, ensures that software and hardware are monitored and tracked throughout their lifecycle. This allows for proper planning of acquisitions, traceability, optimization of use, greater availability and even proper disposal at the right time.
Therefore, inadequate management of these assets can result in waste due to inappropriate investments and even expose the company to serious risks, as in the case of improper use of software licenses, in disagreement with the quantities licensed.
Automating the management process
By automating the IT asset inventory process, your management gains significantly. Check out some of these advantages below:
Fewer technical problemsequipment mapping lets the company know which equipment is in use, where and for how long. In this way, it is possible to know the right time to replace it, thus avoiding technical problems caused by wear and tear.
Control of useBy knowing which software is being used on which piece of equipment, it is possible to avoid situations where it is not being used in accordance with the rules of the license. Similarly, the inventory allows you to understand how hardware is used, adjusting usage policies to avoid early degradation due to improper use.
Increased service lifeInventoried assets are easier to maintain, so care is taken as recommended by the respective manufacturers.
Better solutionsknowing the reality of its assets through a complete and up-to-date inventory allows the company to determine the best solutions for each type of problem involving these assets. This allows, for example, better planning of a software update or the integration of a new type of hardware, such as a new printer model, for example.
Does your company already have a complete and up-to-date inventory? Make the most of your IT investments and start counting on an inventory system that enables optimum management of your IT assets. Check out how Forti One can help you with our solution.
Conclusion
IT asset management is an essential practice for companies of all sizes that use technology in their daily operations. As well as providing a complete overview of the company's IT resources, IT asset management can help reduce costs, increase information security, ensure regulatory compliance and improve the company's efficiency and productivity.
It is important to note that IT asset management is not a one-off task, but an ongoing process that requires investment in technology, training and qualified personnel. By implementing and maintaining an effective IT asset management program, a company can obtain a series of benefits that can boost its competitiveness and success in the market.
