4 Common IT Asset Management Challenges and How to Solve Them
In the fast-paced world of IT, managing assets effectively can make or break your organisation’s efficiency and cost-effectiveness. Understanding the differences and benefits between IT Service Management (ITSM) Core Asset Management, Hardware Asset Management (HAM), and Software Asset Management (SAM) within ServiceNow is crucial for getting the most bang for your buck. Here, we’ll explore four key pain points and how addressing them can revolutionise your IT Asset Management (ITAM).
Pain Point 1: Outgrown the capability of ITSM Core Asset Management
IT Asset Management (ITAM) can be complex, especially when it comes to integrating various components like ITSM Core Asset Management, Hardware Asset Management (HAM), and Software Asset Management (SAM). Your ITSM license in ServiceNow gives you a solid and basic asset foundation for creating assets and model records, transfer orders, purchase orders and some basic mobile capability. But if you’re ready to take the next steps to automate your processes and get greater visibility of your IT asset spend, you need more than just a basic inventory.
Solution: Start your HAM and SAM journey
This is where HAM and SAM step in. With HAM you’ll get a suite of out-of-the-box flows to help automate lifecycle events, access to a content service to normalise your manufacturer and model data, an intuitive Workspace for your asset team to get a 360 degree view, advanced mobile capability for scanning assets, and capability for tracking disposal certificates. With SAM you’ll get clarity on licenses you own based on a feed from your procurement system, you’ll know where they have been allocated based on data from ServiceNow Discovery (or your 3rd party discovery tool), you’ll have real-time visibility into your license positions so true-up shock won’t be a thing, and you’ll get insight into license usage so reclaiming and reallocating licenses will start saving you dollars. By combining ITSM Core Asset Management with HAM and SAM, organisations can achieve a seamless and powerful ITAM solution. This integration ensures that asset management processes are streamlined, you’re getting clear, actionable insights and fully maximising the value of your IT investments.
Pain Point 2: Microsoft true-up is a headache
The reconciliation and true-up of Microsoft licenses can be challenging. Gathering data from multiple discovery tools, validating it, and comparing it to ever changing license terms to determine your current position is a mammoth task. The manual effort required to compile the data means you get no warning of a potential budget blow out.
Solution: You need SAM
With SAM you’ll import the licenses you’ve bought from your procurement system to provide you with your entitlements. The licenses allocated to devices or users will be provided by ServiceNow Discovery (or a 3rd party tool such as Microsoft SCCM). The Software Asset Workspace will provide a real-time license position throughout the year meaning no more true-up shock.
Pain Point 3: Onboarding and off-boarding hardware is a challenge
ITAM is 80% process and 20% technology. The lifecycle processes cross various teams from end users to procurement, to asset managers, to platforms and service desk teams. The handover between various players is manual and cumbersome. Roles and responsibilities are often overlapping and confusing leading to a poor end-user experience.
Solution: Expert You need HAM
With HAM, you’ll get a suite of automated workflows to handle lifecycle events out-of-the-box. From hardware requests, to replenishing stock with a bulk stock order, managing zero touch refresh programs, to disposal, HAM has you covered. Your procurement, asset, platforms, and service desk teams will have full visibility of the tasks assigned to them leading to a great end-user experience.
Pain Point 4: Overspending on software licenses
While true-up can result in a shock to the budget, buying licenses you don’t need can get you there too. If your software management is a manual process it will be easier to buy a new license than work through a reclamation exercise given the user is waiting for access to the software.
Solution: You need SAM
SAM can provide a position on SaaS license usage – data from your vendors can be pulled into SAM and made available on the Software Asset Workspace. Reclamation candidates can be automatically identified and the reclamation process itself can be automated to perform the uninstall of the software from the device using your preferred device management tool. Whether you want to fully automate the reclamation process or have your asset team review the candidates and make a decision, SAM will start saving you license dollars straight off the bat.
Why Choose ActionHub?
At ActionHub, our team of certified experts understands the complexities and challenges of managing IT assets in today’s fast-paced environment. We offer a comprehensive deployment service that simplifies ITAM, provides clear visibility into your assets, and helps you achieve tangible cost savings.
If you’re ready to take your IT Asset Management to the next level, look no further than ActionHub. Contact us today to learn more about how we can help you streamline your ITAM processes and maximise your investment in ServiceNow.