Anyone who has attempted to manage IT Assets knows that it’s a big challenge. In our last couple of posts, we’ve talked about some of the basics to consider when starting an ITAM program. The next ingredient in the recipe for a successful ITAM program is really tenacity. Like Dr. Suess, we need to pick up the “big bat” and continue to work towards our goal.
When I went away to college, my father gave me some advice. He told me to think about earning my degree like eating an elephant. It’s not something you can do in one bite. If you continue to take bites, eventually, you’ll get through the entire elephant.
We can think the same about an ITAM program. Start small and show some success with a subset of the program. Once the ITAM team has had some experience, grow the program to include another subset. As an example, starting with end-user devices (Desktop, Laptops, and tablets) can be a good starting point. Chances are a majority of these devices are being managed already in some fashion. Start incorporating purchase records and Advanced Ship Notices (ASN) with the management data to get a clearer picture of what is coming into the environment.
An example for the next step could be to incorporate disposal efforts. Make sure that everything that comes into the environment is properly disposed. Warranty information could also be part of this step. Make sure that when something needs to be repaired that whether or not it’s covered under warranty is being taken into account.
The above is just an example of a starting point and next step. Maybe your organization already has some additional pieces in place so your first step could be a little bigger. Whatever the case, take each step one at a time and let each step prove its value before moving on to the next step.
Now let’s all go forth and start eating our elephants!
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