| When I was little I had a piggy bank complete | | | | management tools effectively is improved |
| with a requisite combination lock (needed to | | | | efficiency at the help desk. IDC reported |
| keep my younger brother from pilfering). Each | | | | that downtime can be reduced by 10% and |
| week, on Friday night when I got my 50 cent | | | | person hours on recovery can be reduced by |
| allowance, I would lock myself in my bedroom, | | | | 22% for businesses that practice good asset |
| twist and turn the combination until I got it | | | | management. I read another figure that touted |
| right and then I counted my prized stash of | | | | a 25% reduction in average help desk call |
| cash. I always knew exactly how much it would | | | | time. This enables the closing of more |
| amount to, but I counted it nonetheless. My | | | | trouble tickets per day and gets end users |
| brother, on the other hand, never used his | | | | back to work faster.I certainly remember the |
| piggy bank; he put his quarters in his | | | | days when a help desk call started out with |
| pockets and generally lost them within a few | | | | questions such as "What type of PC do you |
| days.Over time, I began to earn more money | | | | have? What version of Windows are you |
| through babysitting and odd jobs, but the | | | | running? Did you install anything new |
| ritual never changed - lock the door, open | | | | recently?" And if you're laughing now, it's |
| the safe and re-count my money. As I reflect, | | | | because you know the answer is always "NO! I |
| I think about the time I wasted re-counting | | | | haven't installed anything!" End users never |
| my money but I also remember the delight I | | | | admit to installing or doing something that |
| experienced each time as I dreamed and | | | | could have possibly caused their system to |
| planned how to spend my dough! It would have | | | | misbehave!With today's tools, support staff |
| been great to push a button and have a "piggy | | | | can easily view hardware and software |
| bank statement" printed at any time | | | | configurations without any end user |
| confirming that my money was where it should | | | | interaction thus saving time on each and |
| be and how much I had available. It would | | | | every support call. Having this IT "x-ray |
| have been better still to earn "piggy | | | | vision" debunks the myth that standard images |
| interest" on my quarters! That would be real | | | | are easier to support because a standard |
| optimization!These memories came flooding | | | | image generally fails to remain standard |
| back to me when I was pondering the topic of | | | | after deployment. Being able to see what has |
| IT Asset Management and how ineffectively | | | | happened to morph that PC really does make |
| some businesses track and manage PCs and | | | | support easier and faster!Secondly, most good |
| other IT equipment. Demands for increased | | | | tools will provide a "history" or a "change" |
| staff productivity and greater return on IT | | | | flag that can clearly identify what software |
| investments have pushed the need for better | | | | changes have been made that might have |
| asset management and vital | | | | triggered the problem. This feature can also |
| solutions.Recently, I sat in the office of a | | | | be enlisted to enforce policies prohibiting |
| large organization discussing this very | | | | users from installing unauthorized software |
| subject with an IT manager. When I asked him | | | | onto their assigned systems. In the event of |
| if he had ever analyzed the use of software | | | | serious troubles, these records can provide |
| in his organization his reply was "We don't | | | | valuable forensic evidence.Moreover, good |
| really care if the software deployed on our | | | | asset management tools and techniques can |
| standard image is used or not, it's just | | | | actually prevent the need for a support call |
| easier to support if we give everyone all of | | | | in the first place by allowing for proactive |
| the applications."I shook my head; I've heard | | | | PC management. If a flaw or vulnerability is |
| this rational before, in fact, I've used it | | | | identified in a particular software version, |
| myself in the past. What I've learned since | | | | those affected PCs can easily be identified, |
| then has changed my way of thinking regarding | | | | isolated and a fix or patch pushed out before |
| costs and efficiencies.Some IT managers | | | | the problem erupts.This proactive approach |
| believe that software licensing concerns are | | | | certainly beats the tar out of the "old |
| simplest to address by using a standard | | | | fashioned" method of grab a disk and run when |
| corporate image (a PC configured with | | | | a caller reports a system failure. And it |
| standard software applications deployed to | | | | truly beats hearing the words "it's going to |
| all users within the corporation). While it | | | | be a long night, better order in dinner, |
| may seem simpler, one must ask "what happens | | | | we've got to touch every machine before we |
| to standardization once that PC has been | | | | can go home." How many pizza dinners in a row |
| delivered to the end user?" I'll tell you, in | | | | can your digestive system actually |
| many organizations the end user immediately | | | | tolerate?In general, businesses will see |
| begins to alter the standard image to the | | | | significant benefit from using an efficient |
| point there is no longer any homogeny within | | | | asset management tool (in addition to an |
| the business assets.My second question is | | | | effective underlying process) in the areas of |
| this, "why pay for software that isn't needed | | | | software licensing, maintenance costs, lease |
| or used?" Besides, why on earth would you | | | | and contract management, support and help |
| continue to pay expensive maintenance on | | | | desk efficiencies, reduction in |
| software that isn't beneficial to the | | | | vulnerabilities and even with asset disposal |
| company? Experts estimate that optimizing | | | | concerns. (See my earlier article regarding |
| maintenance contracts can save a business | | | | IT asset disposal for a list of those |
| from 5% to 15%. When was the last time you | | | | worries!)To get the most out of an asset |
| got a budget or salary increase in the 5-15% | | | | management tool, carefully research the array |
| range?According to The Gartner Group, | | | | of products available. Don't be penny wise |
| "enterprises that fail to integrate usage and | | | | and pound foolish by merely selecting the |
| inventory data to manage its software assets | | | | least expensive or most widely recognized |
| will overbuy licenses for 60% of their | | | | products. Every IT environment is unique and |
| portfolio and still be non-compliant on 30%." | | | | requires tools that can adapt to, or blend |
| With proper usage information, managers can | | | | with, those specific needs.To get started on |
| make informed and more effective decisions | | | | the selection process, create a company-wide |
| about the needs of end users as well as the | | | | team to evaluate asset management tools. |
| use of resources.For example, one company | | | | Enlist the input from each department that |
| recently monitored employee use of a | | | | has any role in relation to IT assets. The |
| particularly expensive software package. They | | | | team should include members from finance, |
| discovered that, although the product was | | | | purchasing, accounting, IT, security, |
| licensed and deployed to all users, only | | | | training, risk management, etc.A good tool |
| about 2/3 of the staff ever used it. In | | | | can and should help manage assets throughout |
| addition, it was discovered that an | | | | the entire lifecycle - cradle to grave. |
| inexpensive emulator was a suitable | | | | Consider what tool features would make it |
| replacement for all but the core power users. | | | | easier, faster and more accurate to budget, |
| The results were savings of nearly a million | | | | purchase, receive, deliver, upgrade, support, |
| dollars! I would say, certainly in this case, | | | | use and retire an IT asset. Once your team is |
| that end-user usage information can be very | | | | in place, create a list of the top 25 |
| valuable to an IT manager. What's more, these | | | | features and benefits desired in a tool. |
| are the types of savings that would make any | | | | Create a list of tool vendors offering |
| CEO dance the rumba!Additionally, Gartner | | | | products that meet your criteria and arrange |
| experts estimate that up to 30% of an IT | | | | for an on-site demo of the product for the |
| budget could be saved by effective IT asset | | | | whole team (not just IT).At this point, |
| management. Further, that 70% of | | | | hopefully, between face to face meetings with |
| organizations have a 30% discrepancy between | | | | the vendor, the demo, addressing |
| planned and actual IT inventory. Ouch that | | | | compatibility issues and pricing options, a |
| hurts! Why not use that 30% to increase | | | | short list of tools will emerge. Arrange for |
| budgets for training, salaries, upgrades and | | | | an on-site evaluation of at least two, |
| new projects?Besides software licensing and | | | | perhaps three of the preferred tools. Assign |
| maintenance agreement savings, there are a | | | | specific roles to each team member in the |
| host of additional benefits stemming from | | | | evaluation process to ensure that all |
| successful IT asset management. Every IT | | | | functions are fully experienced.Once a tool |
| manager would benefit from saving time and | | | | has been selected, don't dare cheap out on |
| effort expended planning for technology | | | | training! At least one, preferably two, staff |
| upgrades of any size. For years, most of us | | | | members should receive thorough training on |
| have tracked our assets in a spreadsheet, | | | | the use and support of the product. Consider |
| desperately hoping that it contained fairly | | | | hiring an experienced professional to |
| accurate information.When it came time to | | | | install, configure and document the program. |
| prepare for an upgrade, usually the low man | | | | Lost time due to inexperienced staff |
| on the totem pole (or an outside temp) was | | | | struggling to learn a product can quickly |
| tasked with verifying the accuracy of the | | | | sabotage any project. Further, an experienced |
| spreadsheet data. This method generally | | | | professional will be able to optimize the |
| entailed walking from machine to machine | | | | tool configuration and reporting functions.An |
| checking against a list of criteria. The | | | | asset management tool can be a costly |
| entire endeavor was painfully slow, | | | | investment for any organization, but one |
| dreadfully inaccurate and miserably | | | | which if installed properly and used |
| inefficient, but hey - great exercise for the | | | | efficiently, will provide for reduced cost of |
| temp!Once the data was gathered, a manual | | | | ownership for IT assets and such tools |
| method was used to determine which machines | | | | generally provide a positive return on |
| needed what hardware and software. Once that | | | | investment within 12-24 months as well. When |
| task was completed one could price out the | | | | you add the benefits of increased staff |
| upgrades, prepare a budget for management | | | | efficiency and reduction of risk into the |
| approval and hope there wasn't noticeable | | | | mix, the justifications for the expense will |
| margin of error. Yea, sure - better add 10% | | | | be well founded.What is being done to manage |
| just in case!I really like living in the new | | | | IT assets in your organization? Are you |
| millennium, the whole exercise of gathering | | | | continually tossing your IT budget dollars |
| data on IT assets has been revolutionized. | | | | into metaphorical pockets or are you keeping |
| Now, in a matter of a few mouse clicks, a | | | | accurate tabs on those valuables? Moreover, |
| good asset management application can provide | | | | what has been done to not only track and |
| up to the minute information needed to plan | | | | manage the IT assets, but to optimize the |
| for an upgrade. Not only can these tools | | | | return on those investments?Donna Johnson |
| provide information on hardware, but also | | | | Edwards has more than 20 years' experience |
| software versions, patches, etc. Having | | | | implementing and managing IT projects for |
| accurate data available in a dynamic system | | | | companies including the Federal Judiciary, |
| proves to be a huge forecasting timesaver and | | | | IBM/Lotus and Hamilton Beach Proctor-Silex, |
| can also be used, among other things, to | | | | where she was the senior member of the New |
| reduce virus incidents by identifying systems | | | | Enterprise Technology Team.Her clients |
| that are at risk. Besides planning for | | | | include Fortune 100, 500 and 1,000 companies |
| upgrades, simply keeping track of assets that | | | | as well as not-for-profit entities. Her |
| seem to forever grow legs and walk away on | | | | background includes both the technical and |
| their own can be a daunting task.Another | | | | the business aspects of IT projects. |
| bright spot for IT managers who use asset | | | | |