Software Asset Management applies to the business
practices specific to software management, including
software license management, configuration management,
standardization of images and compliance to regulatory and
legal restrictions—such as copyright law, Sarbanes Oxley
and software publisher contractual compliance. Legal
software use in an organization is enforced by such
compliance companies as Business Software Alliance, SIIA
and FAST. Software is referred to as entitlements so that
SAM programs confirm the right to use, or entitlement to
that software by the user. Automation is used to
facilitate this management. Microsoft maintains a list of
SAM providers to help customers manage their software.
Hardware asset management entails the management of the
physical components of computers and computer networks,
from acquisition through disposal. Common business
practices include request and approval process,
procurement management, life cycle management,
redeployment and disposal management. A key component is
capturing the financial information about the hardware
life cycle which aids the organization in making business
decisions based on meaningful and measurable financial
objectives.
The IT Asset Management function is the primary point
of accountability for the life-cycle management of
information technology assets throughout the organization.
Included in this responsibility are development and
maintenance of policies, standards, processes, systems and
measurements that enable the organization to manage the IT
Asset Portfolio with respect to risk, cost, control, IT
Governance, compliance and business performance objectives
as established by the business. IT Asset Management
integrates the physical, technological, contractual and
financial aspects of information technology assets to
enable a holistic and proactive approach to achieving the
objectives.
ITAM business practices have a common set of goals:
- Uncover savings through process improvement and
support for strategic decision making
- Gain control of the inventory
- Increase accountability to ensure compliance
- Enhance performance of assets and the life cycle
management
- Risk reduction through standardization, proper
documentation, loss detection
ITAM business practices are process-driven and matured
through iterative and focused improvements. Most
successful ITAM programs are invasive to the organization,
involving everyone at some level, such as end users
(educating on compliance), budget managers (redeployment
as a choice), IT service departments (providing
information on warranties), and finance (invoice
reconciliation, updates for fixed asset inventories).
IT asset management generally uses automation to manage
the discovery of assets, so inventory can be compared to
ownership information. Full business management of IT
assets requires a repository of multiple types of
information about the asset, as well as integration with
other systems such as supply chain, help desk, procurement
and HR systems.
