IT asset management is much more than merely identifying, tagging and tracking assets - or at least it should be. The problem is, we often do not even do a good job at doing these basic functions. The opportunity is that if we can identify and integrate some of the more robust and active elements of good asset management into our work activity, we will probably do a better job of tracking. After discussing what we want to do with asset management, Bob Woolley has done a good job of conceptualizing these ideas into an overall diagram with most of the component definitions. One of the keys to making this activity successful will be the organization's ability to integrate these activities in a way that provides additional intelligence and value leading to proactive rather than reactive asset management. Although I thought of the term (proactive asset management) independently, I have discovered a set of good material on the subject. It even has a recognized acronym (PAM) - I thought that was "America's favorite cooking spray."
Here's a few links:
Good implementation will not only allow us to track and report assets and maintain licensing compliance, but will enable us to significantly enhance end-user support, better provision server and storage requirements, improve system security, make wiser purchases, optimize server capacity and begin to implement superior system integration structures including grid computing and storage virtualization.
The state has already begun to implement more proactive asset management with vehicles and facilities using excellent packages (Peregrine Fleet Focus and Maximus Facility Focus). It's time to get serious about IT assets as well.
On another note, we should keep in mind Ramon Padilla's advice as we begin to create a portfolio management structure for DTS.
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