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Effective Asset Management for hardware and license control lets you bring order to information about IT assets, monitor the life cycle of devices and manage software and licenses more efficiently. As a result, the organization gains greater control over its infrastructure, prepares for audits more easily and limits the risk of costly mistakes. See which systems deserve a place in our list.
Asset Management in a company – what does IT asset control cover?
Effective IT asset management requires access to up-to-date information about hardware, software and how they are used. That is why, when analyzing a ranking of Asset Management systems, it is worth paying attention not only to the scope of the records kept, but also to the possibilities for automation and control over the entire asset life cycle.
A modern Asset Management system lets you:
- Manage assets centrally – it gathers information about hardware, software and the remaining infrastructure components in one place.
- Control the entire life cycle of property – from purchase and deployment, through use, to decommissioning.
- Automate processes – it limits manual data updates, reducing the number of errors and saving administrators’ time.
- Optimize costs – it helps detect unused hardware, unnecessary licenses and idle resources.
- Ensure compliance and security – it makes it easier to control licenses and warranties and to prepare for audits.
- Integrate with other IT systems – it works with Service Desk, CMDB and monitoring solutions, creating a consistent picture of the infrastructure.
When does a company need an Asset Management system?
An Asset Management system becomes essential when the number of devices, users and licenses starts to make efficient IT infrastructure management difficult. If an organization is losing control over where its hardware is located, over maintenance costs or over warranty and license dates, it means that manual record-keeping is no longer enough.
A modern solution lets you control the entire asset life cycle – from purchase and configuration, through daily use, to decommissioning. It makes preparing for audits easier, supports investment decisions and helps maintain compliance with applicable regulations. When considering how to choose an ITSM system for your company, it is worth looking at solutions that integrate Asset Management with the remaining IT service management processes.
What features should a good Asset Management system for hardware and license control have?
A good Asset Management system should support the organization at every stage of IT asset management – from purchase and deployment, through daily use, to decommissioning hardware. Equally important is a central register of devices, licenses and other digital assets, which lets you quickly find the information you need and limits the risk of errors.
The system should also make it possible to monitor the location of hardware, assigned users and the state of the IT environment, helping to identify devices that need updating or replacing. Another important element is the analysis of asset purchase and maintenance costs, which makes it easier to plan expenditure and make investment decisions. Solutions such as OXARI Asset Management combine these features in a single system, providing fuller control over company infrastructure.
Mini-ranking of Asset Management systems for hardware and license control
Asset Management systems differ not only in the scope of their features, but also in the way they manage assets, their automation capabilities and their integration with the remaining elements of the IT environment. Below we present solutions that stand out in terms of functionality and respond well to the needs of mid-sized and large organizations.
OXARI Asset Management
An ITAM-class solution compliant with ITIL that enables comprehensive record-keeping of IT assets and full integration with the CMDB and Service Desk modules. The system automates processes related to hardware circulation, supports the management of various asset types and lets you create your own reports and automation rules. Polish-language support and an implementation team remain additional assets, improving communication during implementation and further work with the system.
Key advantages:
- automatic hardware inventory and audit,
- generation of handover, return and disposal protocols,
- tracking of change history and relationships between assets,
- integration with Service Desk and a document repository,
- report and notification builder,
- automation rules,
- Polish-language support and implementations.
Lansweeper
The platform focuses on automatic discovery and central inventory of technology assets. It provides a complete picture of infrastructure covering IT, OT, IoT and cloud environments, helping organizations manage risk more efficiently and plan operational activities.
Key advantages:
- automatic asset discovery,
- central IT inventory,
- visibility of IT, OT, IoT and cloud environments,
- risk and vulnerability analysis,
- reports, dashboards and alerts,
- audit support,
- IT process automation.
Snipe-IT
An open-source Asset Management system that enables control over the asset life cycle and license record-keeping. Thanks to barcode support, mobile apps and Slack integration, it works well in organizations looking for a flexible solution.
Key advantages:
- full asset history,
- fast preparation for audits,
- custom fields and digital signatures,
- warranty and license alerts,
- intuitive web and mobile interface.
ManageEngine AssetExplorer
The system was designed for efficient deployment and for managing assets spread across multiple locations. In addition to hardware and software inventory, it offers automatic asset discovery, purchase management and CMDB integration.
Key advantages:
- flexible deployment models,
- asset life cycle control,
- automatic asset discovery,
- purchase management,
- compliance with audit requirements,
- support for strategic decisions.
OpenText
An extensive enterprise-class platform that combines information management with a high level of security and process automation. The solution uses AI mechanisms and supports organizations that require regulatory compliance and protection of large data sets.
Key advantages:
- advanced data encryption,
- compliance with legal and industry requirements,
- AI integration with analytical processes,
- high scalability.
Asset Management, Service Desk and CMDB – is it worth combining these areas?
Yes – in most mid-sized and large organizations, integrating these three areas significantly improves IT infrastructure management. Solutions such as OXARI ServiceDesk and OXARI CMDB complement the functions of an Asset Management system, so the IT department gains access to information about hardware, its configuration and the related services in one place. This makes it possible to diagnose problems faster, plan changes more safely and make decisions based on complete data.
Combining these systems is particularly beneficial when an organization:
- wants to assess the effects of failures and their impact on services faster,
- manages frequent changes in the IT environment,
- needs to control the life cycle of hardware, licenses and warranties,
- regularly prepares reports or undergoes audits,
- handles a large number of tickets and wants to identify the sources of problems faster.
FAQ – frequently asked questions about Asset Management systems
An Asset Management system makes it easier to control hardware, licenses and the remaining IT assets. Below you will find answers to the questions that come up most often before choosing such a solution.
How does an Asset Management system help with keeping records of laptops and phones?
The system gathers information about devices, their location, users and change history, which makes it easier to manage the entire hardware life cycle.
How does Asset Management support software license control?
It lets you monitor the number of licenses, their validity dates and whether installations comply with the entitlements you hold.
Is an Excel spreadsheet enough to manage IT assets?
In small organizations it may be enough, but as the number of devices and users grows, a dedicated Asset Management system works far better.
Why is it worth integrating Asset Management with a Service Desk?
Integration makes it possible to link tickets with specific IT assets, which speeds up diagnostics and improves incident handling.
What Asset Management system works well in a mid-sized and large company?
It is best to choose a solution offering hardware and license record-keeping, process automation and integration with Service Desk and CMDB.
