Asset Management Interchange Notes
September 25, 2007

Focus: This Interchange focused on the emerging issues surrounding Asset Management, as we know it today.

Tools and Software:
-Salesforce.com.
-PC Duo: This is a hardware and software tracking system. It comes in modules, runs well and tracks servers and desktops. The software development is good, and it uses PeopleSoft to track assets.
-Software: Altiris Package (search for discrepancies and scan all documents)
-Paragon Asset and Asset Center
-When choosing a package or tool selection be sure to develop your requirements first so that you are sure that the tool does what you want.
-Hardware tracking: Quickbase.com -- You can track hardware and match up to SMS. You can export from excel but you cannot import.
-Health Check: A program that checks for viruses.
-REM: Also does asset tracking, change management, and connects to HR.
-SAP-has a module for asset management.
-Putting solutions on an image- Agent Based solution.
-Have your asset management tool integrated with the service desk.

Expire/Write off
-How to track serial #’s?
-Have asset tags on hardware and generate them with information in them.
-Have automation tied into purchases.
-Have a fixed asset specialist.
-Oracle Financing has the purchasing go to fixed assets in the books.
-Put RIFD tags on with serial numbers.

Outsourcing:
-Problems with having call centers up to date with machines that are running and communications from overseas is difficult due to the firewalls set up at home for protection. Set up a server only for that communication and nothing else.
-Have the outsourcer provide the assets.
-Outsource pieces of asset management

Lease/Purchase:
-Leasing limits the channels of purchasing equipment.
-Have an approval process set up for buying on credit.
-Employee purchase is more of a hassle then donating to a technical school or having the hardware crushed.
-Lease program has removed the interaction between fixed assets programs. Schedule a refresh every 3 years.
-Financially it is a wash and it standardized across the board.
-Be proactive vs. reactive.

Key Ideas:
-Data encryption technology is actually more important then the actual hardware.
-Have SLA’s in place mostly around help desk not asset management.
-Turn control from server to asset. The asset does the talking through the agent to the server.
-Have systems integrated so that they can talk to each other. (Build your own database).
-Have a process in place that shows what systems have agents on them, the maintenance on the systems and what is connecting to the systems.

Few Key Questions To Ask?
-What are your company’s drivers?
-What information do you REALLY need?
-What is out there in the field, and what software do I have updated?
-Do I have processes in place for compliance around software and licensing? (Sarbanes Oxley) Audits are a driving force.

Comments/Benefits:
Networking/Met people from other companies
Best Practices/Allowed me to take it back to my group
Content/New ideas
Service Desk Integration/Future Considerations
Tool Discussion
Open Discussion on Integration
SLA
Fixed Asset Management
Data Transfer Best Practices