ITAM or IT asset management is a set of practices for your business that join contractual, inventory and financial functions to support the strategic decision-making and life cycle management for the entire IT environment. These assets include the entire hardware and software elements that are found in the whole environment of the business.
ITAM is dependent on full-proof processes that are supported with tools to automate the current manual processes. The data that’s received from these processes enables businesses to effectively and efficiently manage IT vendors, assets, hardware and software from their starting life until their retirement. With the automated processes, you can then monitor the performance and the life cycle.
What is a process in the ITAM world? Processes are a set of tasks and activities to accomplish a specific step in a current life cycle. You’ll know that a process is effective if it can achieve their objectives and goals that include the corporate procedures and policies, standards, proven and established best practices in the industry.
Effective processes provide accuracy, control and consistency for the entire goal of the business. These processes should be automated, structured and enforced to support as a tool for the success of the IT asset management. Quality processes are the most critical if it can achieve goals without the direct supervision of any human.
As of today, there is no known recognized framework for ITAM, but there are three good sources for you to achieve the best practices:
- Effective current processes: These processes are already being used in the IT asset management program of an organization. Many of these practices are usually refined over the period of time to match the changing needs of an organization and for it to become effective every time. After all, the best learning process is through learning it firsthand.
The foundation and most important part of having the best practices means identifying, recording and institutionalizing the successful methods used for the program of IT asset management.
- Tools: These tools are integrated to the ITAM to ensure that the best practices of activities and tasks are performed correctly and in the right time. It will help interdependence and relationships are taken into consideration, and all the data is updated and maintained.
- Industry: You’ll know that you are currently doing the best practices if you join webinars and ITAM events, certified publications, research firms, and practitioner organizations that will give you all the right information and news about asset management. These groups give valuable insight and knowledge for the growth of your business.
About AER Worldwide
AER Worldwide mitigates risk and provides global solution to handle your entire end-of-life materials management needs. We provide eco-friendly solutions and services throughout the entire IT product life cycle. Our Reverse Logistics efforts, or “aftermarket” services, help organizations after the initial sale and provide IT asset disposition support throughout the life of the equipment. With global locations, AER Worldwide will provide eco-friendly services, with certified brand protection techniques. To learn more about AER Worldwide, visit www.aerworldwide.com.
