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IT Asset Management (ITAM)
How many notebooks does your company currently have in use? Where are they, to whom are they assigned, and when do warranty or leasing expire? Anyone who can answer these questions quickly practices IT asset management. At the end of every device's life it becomes clear how well it works.
In brief
IT Asset Management (ITAM) ist die systematische Verwaltung aller Hardware-, Software- und Lizenzbestände eines Unternehmens über ihren gesamten Lebenszyklus. Es verbindet Bestandsdaten mit Kosten, Verträgen und Verantwortlichkeiten, um Ausgaben, Risiken und Compliance zu steuern. In der IT-Ausmusterung liefert ITAM die Geräteliste mit Seriennummern, die für Angebot, Datenlöschung und Nachweise gebraucht wird.
What belongs to IT asset management?
ITAM comprises three areas: hardware asset management (devices), software asset management (software and licenses) and, increasingly, cloud services. Internationally, the ISO/IEC 19770 series of standards describes requirements for an ITAM system. At its core is an up-to-date register in which every asset is uniquely recorded, usually via serial number and Asset tag.
The phases in the life cycle
| Phase | Tasks in ITAM | Typical data |
|---|---|---|
| Planning and procurement | Determine needs, set standards, purchase or leasing | Model, price, contract, warranty |
| Commissioning | Record, tag, configure, assign | Serial number, asset tag, user, location |
| Operation | Maintenance, updates, relocations, inventory counts | Condition, tickets, software version |
| Decommissioning | Return, data erasure, sale or disposal | Disposal date, erasure or destruction certificate, proceeds |
Die letzte Phase heißt international IT Asset Disposition (ITAD). Wie Sie dafür einen Dienstleister auswählen, erklärt der Ratgeber Choosing an ITAD provider.
Distinction from CMDB and IT lifecycle management
A CMDB (Configuration Management Database) maps how IT components are technically related, for example which server supports which service. ITAM, by contrast, takes the commercial view: costs, contracts, licenses and life cycle. Both often use the same data. The term IT lifecycle management describes the strategic control of the entire life cycle, for which ITAM supplies the data foundation. More on this in the article IT Lifecycle Management.
What good ITAM brings in decommissioning
- Fast quote: A device list with model, equipment and condition is the basis for the valuation.
- Completeness: Reconciling the stock with the collected devices shows whether anything is missing.
- Evidence: Erasure and destruction certificates can be matched to the right entry via the serial number.
- Predictability: Anyone who knows when devices reach the end of use plans replacement and recovery in good time.
- Cost control: The proceeds from the sale flow into the Total Cost of Ownership .
Rule of thumb: a device has only disappeared cleanly from the inventory once ITAM holds proof for its serial number.
IT asset management at Second IT
Second IT übernimmt die letzte Phase des Lebenszyklus: Abholung mit Sicherheitslogistik, Registrierung jedes Geräts per Seriennummer im Wareneingang, Datenlöschung mit Zertifikat je Gerät, Aufbereitung und Wiedervermarktung. Status und Berichte stehen im Kundenportal bereit, sodass Sie die Daten in Ihr ITAM übernehmen können. In der Consulting Second IT analyzes your stock and assesses the market attractiveness of the devices.
Frequently asked questions about IT asset management
What is the difference between ITAM and inventory management?
Inventory management records which devices are present. ITAM goes further and links this data with costs, contracts, licenses and the life cycle through to decommissioning.
Do small companies need an ITAM tool?
Not necessarily. For a few dozen devices, a well-maintained spreadsheet with serial number, user, location, purchase date and status is often enough. What matters is that it is up to date and also documents disposals.
What data should a device list for decommissioning contain?
Device type, manufacturer, model, serial number, ideally asset tag, equipment such as processor, memory and hard drive, and the condition. Quote, pickup and proof can be planned from this.
What belongs to IT asset management and which standard exists?
ITAM comprises hardware asset management, software and licenses and, increasingly, cloud services. Internationally, the ISO/IEC 19770 series of standards describes requirements for an ITAM system. At its core is an up-to-date register in which every asset is uniquely recorded.
What is the difference between ITAM and CMDB?
A CMDB maps how IT components are technically related, for example which server supports which service. ITAM takes the commercial view of costs, contracts, licenses and life cycle. Both often use the same data.
Your device list is the starting point – for quote, erasure and proof.
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