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Effective Asset Management Saves Billions

According to the global software piracy study conducted by International Data Corporation (IDC), in 2003, 36 percent of installed software worldwide was pirated, which accounts to $29 billion in lost revenue. In the U.S. alone, 22 percent of the nation’s software is unlicensed, resulting in piracy losses of more than $6.5 billion. Such findings have the Business Software Alliance (BSA) aggressively tracking down unlicensed software and instigating audits. Gartner Research says that 40 percent of mid to large size businesses can expect compliance audits through the year 2006. Agreeably, most businesses are ethical, but many do not understand the importance of implementing an effective system of checks and balances to ensure operations throughout the enterprise are both ethical and legal.

Ipsos Public Affairs surveyed that while 9 in 10 professionals believe software piracy is a risk no business can afford to take, 23 percent admitted to having unlicensed software. Unfortunately, many companies do not realize how employees compromise their corporate ethics and computer security by pirating software and thereby put the company at risk.

The Challenge

As an IT professional you are expected to deliver effective IT services, obtain maximum value from your IT assets, and instantly adapt to an ever changing environment. At the same time, you will have the continued responsibility to improve efficiencies and lower costs. But today’s IT departments already have tight budgets with less time and manpower in which to achieve more. To economically balance your priorities and maximize your day-to-day IT service, support, and delivery, effective asset management is a must.

While the idea seems simple enough - identify and track IT assets and centralize the gathered data in a single repository - keeping track of detailed data about what assets you have, where they are located, how well they are working, how much they cost, and how effectively they are supporting your business can be a daunting task. In October 2004, Network Computing Magazine published the results of an epoll where they found that of the 639 people surveyed, 43 percent said their organizations did not have a formal asset management program in place.

Take Control of Your Network

Remote network management tools like RemoteScope™ help organizations clearly define their computing environment and transform the way they deploy and manage IT assets. Inventorying installed hardware and software across the network from a remote location eliminates the need for physical access to the system. A network administrator can instantly see the operating system, installed hardware and software, and various other data.

For software inventory, RemoteScope displays licensing distribution for all tracked software, flagging out-of-compliance titles in red. Another noteworthy feature is the automatic warnings the user can set that will send an alert if a license is exceeded or even if a user’s hard drive or memory is almost full or insufficient.

Additionally, RemoteScope was developed as a network management suite with a variety of features to help mid to large size companies enforce compliance with IT policies without requiring more time or staff to do so. More than an asset management tool, RemoteScope includes remote control, patch and application deployment, and task and file management. Experts report that organizations using remote admin software have lowered their total cost of ownership and reduced the foot fatigue for network administrators. Having access to a reliable and centralized collection of asset data empowers an IT manager to make better tactical and strategic decisions.

An effective solution begins with the assessment of what data, if any, is being gathered about an enterprise’s assets, how that data is maintained, and what information sources are accessed to maintain it. Enterprises need to develop asset management strategies, identify timelines, risks and business and technology requirements. It is also important to understand that asset management is process based before it is technology based. Because of the process-intensive nature of asset management, thorough and detailed planning is an essential item.

The Benefits

An effective and comprehensive program can benefit an organization in a number of ways.

• Eliminates maintenance fees for retired assets. Discover and remove dormant assets.
• Helps you gain control of contracts and vendor Software License Agreements (SLAs).
• Reduces cost overruns. No over-ordering or under-utilization of assets.
• Enables faster and more accurate forecasting abilities.
• Increases IT/help desk productivity.
• Improves analysis and procurement decisions.
• Lowers your total cost of ownership.

In Closing

Harsh penalties and aggressive BSA audit campaigns have instilled a sense of urgency among organizations to implement a comprehensive IT asset management program if one is not already in place. Additionally, Gartner Research says that in 2007, of all new workstations purchased, 60 percent of them will be laptops or notebooks, which will greatly increase the difficulty of asset management.

Disclaimer - The Micro 2000 Tech Tip is a free service providing information only. While we use reasonable care to see that this information is correct, we do not guarantee it for accuracy, completeness or fitness for a particular purpose. Micro 2000, Inc. shall not be liable for damages of any kind in connection with the use or misuse of this information.