ITAM stands for Information Technology Asset Management or IT Asset Management that checklists all your business’ assets, including hardware and software.
It is an all-encompassing set of business practices that tracks the assets on a network and ensures they are sufficiently protected and properly configured. A well-planned ITAM strategy gives you in-depth visibility into every acquisition in your business.
Also, it eliminates extra maintenance costs, optimizes software license utilization, cuts down on unused or obsolete assets, etc. IT Asset Management leads to better tracking, saves cost, reduces risks, increases efficiency in operations, and helps with financial reporting on all acquisitions.
This article discusses the top five IT Asset Management tools for every business. Also, it provides tips on choosing the right ITAM tools.
Five IT Asset Management software for every business
Below are the top IT Asset Management tools that every business should adopt.
1.Zluri
Zluri is a SaaS management platform that helps businesses to discover, optimize, and secure SaaS applications. Millions of companies manage their software with Zluri, and yours can be a part of them.
Zluri helps businesses eliminate SaaS wastage and allows you to save about one-third of your SaaS spending. This ITAM software removes duplicate apps, finds unused and underused apps, consolidates apps with overlapping features, and renews licenses with valuable insights.
It also provides organizations with software asset management tools that make it easier to automate IT tasks and save time. For instance, Zluri automates SaaS procurement and employee onboarding, gives access to all apps in one go, etc.
Additionally, it helps organizations streamline their IT services based on people, processes, budgets, and outcomes. It also ensures businesses remain secure and compliant with SaaS regulations.
Finally, this software helps companies get complete control over their SaaS stack by creating and maintaining a single source for all their SaaS apps.
Key features
- Easy management of software applications
- It allows for easy renewal monitoring
- Provides real-time insights and reports
- Zluri allows for integrations
2.ManageEngine AssetExplorer
If you are looking for comprehensive IT management software to help you monitor, manage, and secure your business, then ManageEngine is the one for you. This platform has complete and easy solutions to even the most challenging IT management problems a company might encounter.
ManageEngine launched their AssetExplorer Platform to make IT management trouble-free. This web-based software helps you monitor and manage the assets in your network from the planning phase to the disposal phase.
Also, ManageEngine AssetExplorer controls software and hardware assets and tracks purchase orders and contracts. This ITAM software helps discover all the Windows, Linux, macOS acquisitions in your network with its unified agent for asset discovery.
With AssetExplorer, you can make informed decisions about hardware and software purchases throughout the IT Life Cycle. In addition, this IT Asset Management tool helps you understand software license compliance and the use of unauthorized software in your organization.
This will ensure you act proactively to curb every illegal asset usage and other problems associated with it. Fortunately, AssetExplorer is very easy to install and use.
Key features
- Ability to monitor the complete asset life cycle
- Provision of software asset management and license compliance
- Monitoring of purchase orders and contracts
- End-to-end ITAM mobile application
- View and manage IT assets from a single dashboard
3.SolarWinds Web Help Desk
SolarWinds is an extensive IT management software that provides businesses with many tools and features that help them solve their most complex IT management problems. Its Web Help Desk does far much more than help desk support. It also helps with tracking IT assets and their utilization.
The SolarWinds Web Help Desk is affordable and packs a punch. It helps with the automation of ticketing, centralizing of knowledge base, simplifying projects, task management, etc. But, the main benefit is its ability to track and manage IT assets.
This platform helps you automate the process of asset discovery, tracking, and reporting of hardware and software assets in IT infrastructure. Also, you can easily import existing asset inventory details to the tracking tool.
With a single click, SolarWinds Web Help Desk allows you to discover IT acquisitions automatically and track their statuses, keep your IT inventory up to date and schedule IT asset reporting, optimize IT inventory planning and procurement, etc.
The Web Help Desk can also help to update hardware and software inventory information such as:
- Hostname
- Model
- Serial number
- Operating system
- Hard drive
- Memory
Key features
- Acts as a central repository for assets
- Inventory maintenance and record-keeping of all acquisitions
- Discovers Windows-based assets and imports from other sources
- Helps with tracking of hardware and software acquisitions
4.Spiceworks IT Asset Management
Spiceworks is an IT Asset Management system suitable for IT professionals and tech brands. It is a platform that makes it easy for you to manage your technology. Also, this software integrates with the help desk, network monitoring, etc. Spiceworks IT Asset Management system allows you to:
- Take an inventory of all the assets you manage
- Manage your network, exchange, and licensing, and
- Report on assets, inventory, and network metrics.
This platform automatically finds all your hardware, collects detailed info on the hardware assets, and even categorizes them. It recognizes hardware like workstations, servers, routers, switches, printers, and even phones, as long as they are on a network.
If you happen to have several cloud services, you may not know about some of them. This ITAM system will detect and inventory all the users’ services. Then, once the IT cloud services are on your network, the software finds them and keeps you in the loop about them.
Key features
- It makes it easy to monitor networks and PCs
- Inventory of all hardware
- Eliminates unwanted software on a network
- Easily report on any information
- Easy integration with the Help Desk
5.Snipe-IT
Snipe-IT has an admin dashboard that gives you “at-a-glance” access to recent activities and an overall view of your assets, accessories, consumables, and components. For instance, the items that have been checked in or out, recently updated or deleted, appear in a recent activity snapshot. This keeps you informed about every activity.
Furthermore, you can easily see what assets you assign and their physical location. You can also check them back into the inventory with one click or even click to see the asset’s complete history.
Snipe-IT lets you see what assets are currently deployed, pending, ready to be deployed or archived, easily and quickly. This platform also provides email alerts for warranties and licenses that are about to expire so that you can update or renew them.
Key features
- Allows for quick and easy integrations
- Provides stress-free asset auditing
- Easily import and export assets
- Optional digital signatures on asset acceptance
Tips for choosing the best business ITAM software
There are several ITAM software for you to choose from. However, it can be overwhelming to decide which software is best for your business. Here are seven tips that can make the decision easier.
1.It should be easy to use
One essential feature you should look out for is usability. The ITAM software you choose should be uncomplicated. It is best to avoid complicated ITAM software and choose one that is easy to operate.
It would help if you did not forget that the ITAM software would be used by most (or even all) the staff in your company. So, prioritize ease-of-use.
2. The ITAM software should be feature-rich
An ITAM software should have multiple features. In addition, these components should sustain the desired IT asset-related activities. These features include cost tracking, contract and compliance management, etc.
Also, ensure these components are the ones necessary for your company. This means your company type would determine what features to look out for.
3.It should allow integrations with other systems
People tend to overlook this vital tip. Your chosen IT asset management software has to work well with other programs. The new tool should integrate your company’s previously installed software.
Also, it must easily sync with other software. As such, you would not need to manually transfer data around or even lose data in the process.
4.The ITAM software should be reasonably priced
In your search, ensure you go for an IT asset management software that is not overpriced. Unfortunately, most people believe the most expensive ITAM software offers the best services. Luckily, this is not necessarily true.
Some cheaper ITAM software could perform the functions you need. So, you do not have to break the bank to get an efficient IT asset management tool.
5.It should have end-to-end life cycle management
Another aspect to look out for is the life cycle management feature. The ITAM software you choose should manage your company’s IT assets throughout their lifecycle to prevent losing data or missing updates. These stages include maintenance, repairs, retirement, etc.
Conclusion
In conclusion, a company must take IT Asset Management seriously. To help with that, this article provided you with a list of the best five ITAM tools that every business should incorporate in their day-to-day running.
Also, with the tips on how to choose the best ITAM software, you will end up with a platform that will agree with your business’s asset management needs.