Asset Management Interchange Notes
September 12, 2006

Focus: This Interchange focused on the emerging issues surrounding Asset Management, as we know it today. Originally Asset Management was only an IT concern and recently has been expanded to impact your entire corporation.

Key Points:
-Asset Management is 20% technology and 80% organizational processes.
-Very important to identify your specific requirements before selecting a tool. You will also need to prioritize the requirements.
-Writing policies is key to successful asset management in your organization.
-Contract management is also a huge part of asset management, and must be brought into the fold to understand Total Cost of Ownership.
-Be sure communication is clear and consistent within organization before embarking on any projects.
-With physical inventory try to list all assets and cross-reference then to try to establish a true base line.
-Try not to name a computer after a person, identify it with a tag # and log it on the description page or active directory.

Policy:
-Software
-Purchasing software policy: What you are and are not allowed to have on your PC. Policy responsibility should be on the end user and be sure they are aware of the company policies and put some teeth into each policy.
-Who is purchasing software in your organization? Keep the media and be able to track the license.
-Approval process and central purchasing also need a policy.
-How do you manage security and how do you track who has a machine, where it is, and what is allowed on it.

Tools:
Land Desk (discovery tool)
Remedy
Altiris -Systems software, up grades software, maintenance agreements, services agreements financial documents. Very well liked. Keeps things organized and up to dated.
Elemental (policy management, security network control)
Risk Navigator (Reporting)
Central Path (reporting)
Big Fix
Epolicy

Comments/Benefits:
Tracking/Understanding Tools – The need to know where to start
Tools/Interesting to have pro’s and con’s on tools – I like to hear that the tools we picked are used by others – Comparison with our tool
Soft Asset Management
Process Discussion/It reinforced the controls around
Understanding others in Industry/Benchmarking
Having industry experts/Ability to answer without relying on speculation
Open forum setting/Able to address specific issues
Creating topic list/Able to ensure we covered a variety of issues and areas of involvement
Licenses/Overspending
Policy/Accountability
Networking/Meeting other IT Asset Management personnel
Discussion topics/Selected by participants
Meeting size