Take full control of your IT environment (and your budget!) with ITAM

It can be difficult for companies to manage their IT assets. Between maintaining physical hardware, managing software and securing data, IT teams can quickly become overwhelmed.

Deploying dedicated ITAM software is a practical solution to make their day-to-day work easier.

Here's what you need to know 😉.

See all software IT Asset Management (ITAM)

What is ITAM?

Definition of ITAM

ITAM (Information Technology Asset Management) refers to the management of IT assets within a company. Here, we need to understand all the tools used daily by teams:

• computers 💻,
• software 💾,
• printers 🖨️,
• cloud systems ☁️,
• etc.

In other words, ITAM provides a complete inventory of IT equipment and how it is used. Ultimately, getting a grip on these various assets contributes to better resource management and greater control over the entire IT estate.

The different types of ITAM

Generally speaking, there are three main areas of application for IT Asset Management:

• IT hardware: here, we mean all the physical tools required for the smooth running of the company's IT estate (laptops, printers, headsets, mice, etc.). Thanks to ITAM, you can check, for example, how old these devices are, which ones are still under warranty, etc.
  
  
• Software: for the IT team, installing software means continuous monitoring. Expiry of license agreements, compliance requirements and the number of authorized users are all factors to be taken into account when managing a company's software.
  
  
• The cloud: using a cloud system implies a number of responsibilities for the IT team. These include protecting company data and monitoring the progress of various SaaS contracts. Here too, ITAM helps to ensure optimum control of these various assets.

What are the benefits of ITAM?

For a company, there are many advantages to integrating ITAM into its operations.

A single, reliable repository

Without a suitable tool, keeping track of IT assets can be a nightmare for the teams in charge. The larger the company, the greater the risk of information loss. It's not uncommon to lose track of all the equipment, software and subscriptions to manage.

With ITAM, IT asset management teams gain greater control and efficiency. ITAM makes it possible to :

• collect and centralize information in a dedicated area 🗃️ ;
• automate many time-consuming tasks 🦾 ;
• limit errors and misunderstandings ❌ ;
• promote good decision-making ✔️.

Better use of assets

Are you better off extending your SaaS subscription or canvassing another provider?

Is it really necessary to order the new photocopier demanded by some of your employees?

Is your cloud offering complete enough to cover all your needs?

These are just some of the questions that ITAM can answer, giving you a precise idea of the cost and profitability of your IT assets.

Security boost

By using ITAM to automate some of the tasks previously performed by your IT team, you can free up precious time for monitoring and securing your assets. For example, blockers can be installed to prevent employees from installing non-compliant software.

What's more, you'll have an overview of employees' access to the various company data hosted on your IT estate. An excellent way to redefine rights and limit access to the most sensitive data to qualified users 💻.

Which ITAM process to apply?

To best understand IT Asset Management and its use within the company, we can break down its application into different stages:

1. 📋 Designing the asset inventory: this is the starting point of the ITAM process. Here, all IT assets relating to the company must be listed. It should detail their function, location, cost, etc.
   
   
2. 💵 Establish the lifecycle cost of each asset: a tedious but necessary step, this calculation aims to list the additional costs incurred for each asset throughout its lifecycle. This is the case, for example, for maintenance costs or scrapping.
   
   
3. 👀 Keeping track of assets: managing IT assets is a daily job. Between defective equipment, upcoming expiration of a license contract or warranty, it's imperative to be organized and rigorous so as not to get overwhelmed and to anticipate needs.
   
   
4. 🔧 Ensuring asset maintenance: it frequently happens that equipment needs to be repaired, updated or replaced. Thanks to ITAM, you have a precise idea of the maintenance needs of each asset.
   
   
5. 💰 Optimize your budget: in addition to managing your IT assets, ITAM also enables you to optimize part of your company's budget. With all the data collected and updated daily concerning your IT assets, you'll be able to adjust your financial planning for years to come.

ITAM: what are the best practices to be aware of?

Before embarking on the implementation of an IT asset management system, it's best to obtain the support and approval of all the teams concerned. We recommend that you :

• organize information meetings on the benefits of ITAM ;
• assemble a qualified and motivated team to carry out the project;
• involve as many of the company's teams and departments as possible;
• encourage feedback for continuous improvement.

When it comes to implementing ITAM, it is also important to :

• carry out a preliminary audit to identify gaps and the most urgent needs;
• take stock of all the company's IT assets;
• keep teams regularly informed of project progress;
• automate as many tasks as possible;
• activate real-time alerts to identify and remedy network anomalies as quickly as possible.

Software dedicated to ITAM

There is a wide range of software dedicated to ITAM, helping companies to monitor and optimize their IT assets. Features include :

• automated inventory, to gather information on these assets;
• software license management ;
• vendor contract management;
• user tracking, to better manage allocations, changes of assignment and support needs;
• optimize assets to reduce costs, etc.

🛠️ Software example:

Aimed at SMEs, ETIs and large organizations, NinjaOne supports companies in the complete management of their IT assets. Its promise? Take control of every type of asset, from workstations and software to cloud infrastructure. All data is centralized in a single interface, simplifying supervision. Customized alerts can even be configured, making it easy to react quickly to any anomaly.

See all software IT Asset Management (ITAM)

What can we learn from ITAM?

In short, ITAM offers greater control and flexibility to companies that choose to integrate it into their operations.

With more precise, organized management of your IT assets, you gain in productivity, security and peace of mind on a daily basis.