Implement Hardware Asset Management
Build a process to track assets across their entire lifecycle.
You have a mandate to track hardware assets to optimize costs, improve IT service, and manage risks. However:
- The asset data you have is typically incomplete or wrong, because the processes required to keep the data current are broken or nonexistent.
- It’s a big problem, and you’re not sure where to start.
Our Advice
Critical Insight
- HAM is more than just tracking inventory. A mature asset management program provides data that supports proactive planning and strategic decision-making.
- You can’t do it alone. Asset managers need to collaborate with Finance, Procurement, Security, and others to ensure HAM processes are aligned and effective.
- HAM is a practice, not a project. To succeed, it requires ongoing support to ensure people, processes, and tools remain aligned to organizational goals.
Impact and Result
- Define goals and expected value from effective hardware asset management.
- Identify current challenges and process maturity.
- Establish the scope of hardware asset management.
- Define roles and align accountability for key tasks.
- Develop workflows and procedures for the asset lifecycle.
Member Testimonials
After each Info-Tech experience, we ask our members to quantify the real-time savings, monetary impact, and project improvements our research helped them achieve. See our top member experiences for this blueprint and what our clients have to say.
9.5/10
Overall Impact
$34,814
Average $ Saved
28
Average Days Saved
Client
Experience
Impact
$ Saved
Days Saved
Gainesville Regional Utilities
Workshop
10/10
$32,499
10
Fluidity of presentation, clear authority on the topic, expert moderation of strong opinion leaders put into a ferment focus group, and ability to ... Read More
Right To Play
Guided Implementation
10/10
N/A
10
State of New Mexico Early Childhood & Care Department
Guided Implementation
10/10
N/A
120
It was a great experience overall. Documents and consultant guidance are very informative and meaningful.
Fayetteville State University
Guided Implementation
10/10
$64,999
50
SME was very knowledgeable, with good suggestions and helpful tips to support our initiative.
Kansas City Chiefs Football Club
Guided Implementation
10/10
$12,999
5
Putting together asset management practices from scratch would have been extremely time-consuming. Between the provided documentation and Frank's g... Read More
State of South Dakota Bureau of Information and Telecommunications
Guided Implementation
9/10
N/A
N/A
I am very grateful for the partnership in improving our hardware asset management processes. The guided implementation has been perfect in both imp... Read More
Renown Health
Guided Implementation
9/10
N/A
5
Sandi has a vast knowledge of IT Asset Management and provided good information on ITAM systems/vendors and how to evaluate our current system and ... Read More
City Of Chesapeake
Workshop
10/10
$97,499
50
No worse part of our experience at all. The best parts were: To see the documentation for our processes get created real-time during the HAM ... Read More
Oklahoma Office of Management and Enterprise Services
Workshop
9/10
$90,999
4
Dave and Paul were so easy to work with- our group was very small so they were flexible in adjusting the topics to target our most extreme pain poi... Read More
Stockman Bank
Guided Implementation
9/10
$32,499
20
Sandi is great to work with, she walked us through the process at a reasonable pace, but still moving forward each month. This ensured we had time ... Read More
City of Tempe
Guided Implementation
9/10
N/A
5
Donor Network West
Guided Implementation
8/10
$30,549
5
Best - easy way to get HAM back on track worst - waiting to get started. that's on us not the analyst.
Stockman Bank
Guided Implementation
10/10
$12,999
10
Sandi has been great to work with as we implement our hardware inventory strategy. She's done a great job walking us through the process and adapti... Read More
City of Peoria, AZ
Guided Implementation
9/10
N/A
N/A
I really enjoyed working with Andrew. He was knowledgeable and extremely helpful on the subject. The learned processes will significantly help us... Read More
City of Tempe
Guided Implementation
10/10
$11,699
20
Andrew has been great to work with. We have a very diverse group when it comes opinions on HAM and Andrew kept everyone on track and while still al... Read More
Insmed Incorporated
Guided Implementation
8/10
$116K
50
City of Danville, VA
Workshop
9/10
$12,999
5
Great direction and guidance, assistance with governance policies, confirmation of the things we are doing righ.
Draper Laboratory
Guided Implementation
10/10
$12,599
10
City of Tempe
Guided Implementation
10/10
$12,599
20
Andrew has been great in keeping our group moving forward in the implementation of HAM
Chickasaw Nation Department of Commerce
Guided Implementation
10/10
$31,499
20
CSC Global
Workshop
10/10
N/A
110
Best: The organization of the workshop and the information provided. Suggestions on how Asset Management should work was very promising. Worst: ... Read More
O'Neill Vintners & Distillers
Guided Implementation
10/10
$31,499
120
Sun River Health
Workshop
10/10
$71,499
5
Nevada Gold Mines LLC
Guided Implementation
9/10
$31,499
18
Omaha Public Power District
Guided Implementation
10/10
$12,599
50
Andrew was very knowledgeable in the subject and really helped facilitate our discussions and brain storming sessions. We felt the engagement was ... Read More
Town of Normal
Guided Implementation
10/10
$32,499
5
Andrew really knows what he is doing. He has been a tremendous resource thus far.
Omaha Public Power District
Guided Implementation
10/10
$2,519
50
James R. Glidewell, Dental Ceramics, Inc
Guided Implementation
10/10
N/A
N/A
Great feedback and guidance provided during the call.
Westconsin Credit Union
Guided Implementation
10/10
N/A
5
Pueblo City Schools
Guided Implementation
10/10
$2,355
5
Workshop: Implement Hardware Asset Management
Workshops offer an easy way to accelerate your project. If you are unable to do the project yourself, and a Guided Implementation isn't enough, we offer low-cost delivery of our project workshops. We take you through every phase of your project and ensure that you have a roadmap in place to complete your project successfully.
Module 1: Define Goals, Scope, Roles, and Metrics
The Purpose
- Build the foundational elements for process change to succeed.
Key Benefits Achieved
- Identify goals, challenges, and current maturity level.
- Define scope of HAM program.
- Define roles and responsibilities.
- Identify success metrics.
Activities
Outputs
Outline hardware asset management goals and challenges.
- List of goals
Review HAM maturity and anticipated milestones.
- HAM Maturity Assessment results
Define scope and classify hardware assets.
- Defined scope
Define roles and responsibilities.
- Completed RACI matrix
Evaluate existing tools.
- Understanding of the organization's tool inventory
Define success metrics.
- List of metrics your organization will use to measure success
Module 2: Request, Procure, Receive
The Purpose
- Take a dive into improving your process for hardware requests, procurement, and receiving.
Key Benefits Achieved
- Documented workflows, processes, and actions to drive
improvement for requests, procurement, and receiving.
Activities
Outputs
Identify request, procurement, and receiving challenges.
- List of challenges to address
Design and document request workflow.
- Request workflow and SOP created/updated
Design and document procurement workflow.
- Procurement workflow and SOP created/updated
Discuss tagging methods for standard and non-standard hardware requests.
- Tagging methods created/updated
Design and document workflow for receiving equipment.
- Equipment receiving workflow and SOP created/updated
Module 3: Deploy, Maintain, Harvest, Dispose
The Purpose
- Take a dive into improving your process for hardware requests, procurement, and receiving.
Key Benefits Achieved
- Documented workflows, processes, and actions to drive improvement for deployment, MAC, audit, harvests, and disposal.
Activities
Outputs
Identify deployment, MAC, audit, harvest, and disposal challenges.
- List of challenges to address
Design and document deployment workflow.
- Deployment workflow and SOP created/updated
Design and document use move workflow.
- Move workflow and SOP created/updated
Discuss approaches to auditing ITAM data.
- ITAM data audit process and SOP created/updated
Design and document harvest and dispose workflows.
- Harvest and dispose workflows created/updated
Module 4: Plan Equipment Needs and Build a Roadmap
The Purpose
- Set your HAM practice on the road to success with an effective plan to get-to-action.
Key Benefits Achieved
- Document a roadmap and communication plan to put the changes you’ve proposed into action.
Activities
Outputs
Discuss planning and refresh process.
- HAM Budgeting Tool
Develop a roadmap to improve hardware asset management.
- Roadmap Tool
Develop a communication plan.
- HAM Communication Plan
Implement Hardware Asset Management
Build a process to track assets across their entire lifecycle.
Analyst Perspective
Harness the potential of IT asset data.
An effective hardware asset management (HAM) program will bring visibility to your organization's asset estate in ways that can help you and your stakeholders optimize costs, improve IT service, and manage risks. Visibility is about accurate and actionable data. For asset data to be accurate, you must track hardware assets across their lifecycle.
Asset management is like exercise: everyone is aware of the benefits, but many struggle to get started when the process seems daunting. In this blueprint, we offer a structured way to help you strengthen your asset management program, one step at a time.
Andrew Sharp
Research Director, Infrastructure & Operations Practice
Info-Tech Research Group
Executive Summary
| Your Challenge | Common Obstacles | Info-Tech's Approach |
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Use our methodology, tools, and templates to:
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Info-Tech Insight
Asset management is never a project that can run itself when completed. Effective asset management requires ongoing support from a smart, collaborative, and dedicated team to ensure that asset data remains accurate, actionable, and accessible to stakeholders who need it.
IT organizations without asset management are leaving value on the table
An effective HAM program will help you deliver value in the following ways:
Deliver value through hardware asset management.
Save and Manage Money
- Develop more accurate forecasts and budgets for new projects and technology refreshes.
- Find and repurpose equipment that is sitting idle instead of purchasing a new device.
- Centralize purchasing to take advantage of bulk pricing.
Improve IT Service
- Streamline requests, procurement, and deployment to get users the equipment they need, when they need it.
- Use asset records to support troubleshooting and problem identification.
- Identify out-of-patch systems to ensure assets are secure and operating properly.
Manage Risk
- Ensure retired equipment is properly disposed of, with sensitive data removed.
- Meet your regulatory requirements to know where your assets are, who they are assigned to, and what their current state is.
Common obstacles
You know that HAM can deliver value, but you're not sure how to implement it.
- Building an effective hardware asset management program from scratch is a significant undertaking. It can take several years to get to a state of maturity that meets organizational requirements.
- Where no one has previously managed asset management, you will probably start with a wide range of hardware and software types, tracking tools and spreadsheets, and disjointed processes.
- It is almost impossible to improve asset management without real buy-in from a range of stakeholders: technicians, infrastructure teams, IT management, and leadership.
- Complicating the process, key stakeholders often see asset management as a lower-importance, administrative function ' even though good asset data is foundational to delivering business value.
Build the case for HAM by demonstrating what can't be done without it.
IT managers, on average,
- Ranked IT asset management as less important than cost and budget management and cost optimization.
- Ranked IT asset management as one of the least important infrastructure and operations processes, behind incident management, change management, and service desk.
And yet all of these processes are made more effective with good asset data.
Source: Info-Tech's Management and Governance Diagnostic, 2022
Need to align with COBIT? This blueprint will help!
| COBIT 5 ' BAI.09 ' Asset Management | Info-Tech's Research |
| BAI09.01 Identify and record current assets. Maintain an up-to-date, accurate record of all I&T assets that are required to deliver services and that are owned or controlled by the organization with an expectation of future benefit (including resources with economic value, such as hardware or software). Ensure alignment with configuration management and financial management. |
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| BAI09.02 Manage critical assets. Identify assets that are critical for providing service capability. Maximize their reliability and availability to support business needs. |
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| BAI09.03 Manage the asset lifecycle. Manage assets from procurement to disposal. Ensure that assets are used as effectively and efficiently as possible and are accounted for, and physically protected, until appropriately retired. |
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| BAI09.04 Optimize asset value. Regularly review the overall asset base to identify ways to optimize value in alignment with business needs. |
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| BAI09.05 Manage licenses. Manage software licenses to maintain the optimal number of licenses and support business requirements. Ensure that the number of licenses owned is sufficient to cover the installed software in use. |
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Info-Tech's methodology for hardware asset management
| Phase 1 Define Goals, Scope, Roles, and Metrics |
Phase 2 Request, Procure, and Receive |
Phase 3 Deploy, Maintain, Harvest, and Dispose |
Phase 4 Plan and Build Your Roadmap |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.1 Define challenges and goals. 1.2 Define HAM scope. 1.3 Define roles and responsibilities. 1.4 Evaluate current tools. 1.5 Draft HAM metrics. |
2.1 Review request process. 2.2 Review procurement process. 2.3 Review receiving process. |
3.1 Review deployment process. 3.2 Review MAC and audit processes. 3.3 Review harvest and dispose process. |
4.1 Review planning and budgeting processes. 4.2 Create roadmap and communication plan. |
| HAM Standard Operating Procedures | HAM Budgeting Tool | ||
| HAM Maturity Assessment Tool | HAM Process Workflows | Roadmap Tool | |
| Core Tools and Templates | HAM Recap and Results Template | ||
Insight Summary
| HAM is more than just tracking inventory. | A mature asset management program provides data that supports proactive planning and strategic decision making. |
| You can't do it alone. | Asset managers need to collaborate with finance, procurement, security, and other teams to ensure that HAM processes are aligned and effective. |
| HAM is a practice, not a project. | To succeed, HAM requires ongoing support to ensure people, processes, and tools remain aligned with organizational goals. |
Blueprint Deliverables
Each step of this blueprint is accompanied by key supporting deliverables to help you accomplish your goals:
HAM Recap and Results Template
Key Deliverable
HAM Standard Operating Procedures
Document the core processes for your asset management program in this standard operating procedures (SOP) template.
Measure the value of this blueprint
An effective HAM program will help you get more for your hardware dollar.
| Example | How you might measure value |
| Reuse idle hardware rather than purchase new. | About 50 laptops each year could be reused. A new laptop costs about $2,000. Estimated value: Avoid $100,000 in equipment costs per year. |
| Reduce time required to look up user devices on tickets. | Switching between tools currently takes about 5 minutes per call. Estimate around 4,000 calls per year. |
| Improve hardware budgeting exercises ' current replacement budgets are based on estimates. | Annual budgets are typically about 25% off on $1 million in spending. Reduce variance to 15%. Estimated value: Reduce annual budget error by $100,000. |
| Reduce time required to gather asset data during security incidents. | Current asset records are extremely unreliable. Connecting security information and event management (SIEM) alerts to users and hardware can take several hours. Better asset records can minimize the time required. Estimated value: Eliminate several hours of investigation during critical security incidents, allowing the team to respond faster and more effectively. |
Info-Tech members report saving $27,500 and 23 days* on average when working with an Info-Tech analyst on their Hardware Asset Management project.
*Based on Info-Tech Measured Value Surveys results from clients working through this blueprint, as of May 2023.
Case Study
Cisco reduced costs by over $50 million by implementing HAM
INDUSTRY
Technology
SOURCE
Cisco IT Case Study
Cisco Systems, Inc., is the largest network technology company in the world. Headquartered in San Jose, California, the company employees over 70,000 people.
Hardware Asset Management
Like many technology companies, Cisco boasted a proactive work environment that encouraged individualism among employees. Unfortunately, this high degree of freedom, combined with the rapid mobilization of PCs and other devices, created numerous headaches for asset tracking. At its peak, spending on hardware alone exceeded $100 million per year.
Results
Through a comprehensive ITAM implementation, the asset management program at Cisco was a resounding success. While employees did have to adjust to new rules, the process as a whole has been streamlined and user-satisfaction levels have risen. Centralized purchasing and a smaller number of hardware platforms have allowed Cisco to cut its hardware spend in half, according to Mark Edmondson, manager of IT services expenses for Cisco.
Info-Tech offers various levels of support to best suit your needs
| DIY Toolkit | Guided Implementation | Workshop | Consulting |
|---|---|---|---|
| 'Our team has already made this critical project a priority, and we have the time and capability, but some guidance along the way would be helpful.' | 'Our team knows that we need to fix a process, but we need assistance to determine where to focus. Some check-ins along the way would help keep us on track.' | 'We need to hit the ground running and get this project kicked off immediately. Our team has the ability to take this over once we get a framework and strategy in place.' | 'Our team does not have the time or the knowledge to take this project on. We need assistance through the entirety of this project.' |
Diagnostics and consistent frameworks are used throughout all four options.
Guided Implementation
What does a typical GI on this topic look like?
| Phase 1 | Phase 4 | Phase 3 | Phase 2 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Call 1: Assess your current state. | Call 4: Discuss your request process. | Call 7: Discuss your deploy process. | Call 10: Review your planning and budgeting practices. |
| Call 2: Define the scope of the HAM program. Discuss the RACI exercise. | Call 5: Discuss your procurement process. | Call 8: Discuss moves, adds and changes, and data audits. | Call 11: Build a roadmap and communication plan. |
| Call 3: Discuss tools and metrics. | Call 6: Discuss your receiving process. | Call 9: Discuss harvest and disposal processes. |
A Guided Implementation (GI) is a series of calls with an Info-Tech analyst to help implement our best practices in your organization.
A typical GI is 8 to 12 calls over the course of 4 to 6 months.
Workshop Overview
| Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 | Day 4 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Activities | Define Goals, Scope, Roles, and Metrics | Request, Procure, and Receive | Deploy, Maintain, Harvest, and Dispose | Plan Equipment Needs and Build a Roadmap |
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Contact your account representative for more information.
workshops@infotech.com 1-888-670-8889
Phase 0
Get Started
- Identify project participants
- Design process workflows
- Create a working folder
Phase Outcomes
Identify the roles and participants who must be involved in the project. Create a working folder to facilitate collaboration. Review guidance on building workflows and collecting action items as you go.
Identify project participants
This methodology relies on having the right stakeholders in the room to identify goals, challenges, roles, process improvements, and next steps. Use the table below to translate the recommended roles into specific people in your organization. Note that some people may fill multiple roles.
At a minimum, the core asset management team should be present to work through the entire methodology. At each step in the asset lifecycle, invite stakeholders who are responsible for that portion of the lifecycle to participate and help define the process.
We also recommend scheduling a kickoff session with all participants at the start of the process, as recap session at the end.
| Role | Expectations |
| Project Sponsor |
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| Lead Facilitator |
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| Asset Manager(s) |
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| ITAM Team |
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| IT Leaders & Managers |
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| ITAM Business Partners |
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Design process workflows
A key output of this blueprint are process workflows for each stage in the asset lifecycle. Below, we outline some best practices to keep in mind as you develop these workflows for your organization.
- Design each workflow collaboratively with the various roles that have parts to play in the workflow.
- Document each workflow as you go. The easiest way to do this is often to work from the template library directly and share your screen with participants. You could also draw the workflow on a whiteboard or display it on a table with cue cards or sticky notes.
- Identify the start and end of each workflow.
- Document any missing steps or challenges. Identify possible new steps or changes to existing steps.
- Create a list of possible action items for identified improvement opportunities. Add these items to a running list, which can become part of your roadmap for asset management improvements.
- Optional: Use dots (see the legend at the right) to identify updates to the ITAM database, steps that are candidates for automation, control points, or proposed new steps.
- For more guidance on workflows, see our research in Build Better Workflows.
Create a working folder
Setting up a repository for collaboration is an obvious step, but it's one that is often forgotten.
- Create a working project folder in a shareable repository (e.g. OneDrive, Google Drive, or enterprise file shares). Share this folder with the core group of project participants.
- If you have not already, go to the webpage for Implement Hardware Asset Management and click the 'Download Research' button to download a zip file with all the materials you'll need to work through this blueprint.
- Unzip the documents and store them in the 'Templates' subfolder in the project folder.
- Copy the templates into the root folder as you start to work on them. Save your files to a 'Finished Work' subfolder as you complete the exercises.
| Output |
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| Participants |
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Collect action items as you go
Don't wait until the end to write down your good ideas.
- The last exercise in this methodology involves gathering everything you have learned and building a roadmap to improve your ITAM practice.
- The output of the exercises will inform your roadmap, since it will highlight areas with opportunities for improvement.
- Record all the output as you work through the exercises, so you do not forget valuable ideas.
- Keep an idea space ' a whiteboard with sticky notes or a shared document ' to which any of your participants can post an idea for improvement. You can review and consolidate the ideas later.
- Encourage participants to add their ideas at any time during the exercises.
About Info-Tech
Info-Tech Research Group is the world’s fastest-growing information technology research and advisory company, proudly serving over 30,000 IT professionals.
We produce unbiased and highly relevant research to help CIOs and IT leaders make strategic, timely, and well-informed decisions. We partner closely with IT teams to provide everything they need, from actionable tools to analyst guidance, ensuring they deliver measurable results for their organizations.
What Is a Blueprint?
A blueprint is designed to be a roadmap, containing a methodology and the tools and templates you need to solve your IT problems.
Each blueprint can be accompanied by a Guided Implementation that provides you access to our world-class analysts to help you get through the project.
Need Extra Help?
Speak With An Analyst
Get the help you need in this 4-phase advisory process. You'll receive 11 touchpoints with our researchers, all included in your membership.
Guided Implementation 1: Define goals, scope, roles, and metrics
- Call 1: Assess your current state.
- Call 2: Define the scope of the HAM program. Discuss the RACI exercise.
- Call 3: Discuss tools and metrics.
Guided Implementation 2: Request, procure, and receive
- Call 1: Discuss your request process.
- Call 2: Discuss your procurement process.
- Call 3: Discuss your receiving process.
Guided Implementation 3: Deploy, maintain, harvest, and dispose
- Call 1: Discuss your deploy process.
- Call 2: Discuss moves, adds and changes, and data audits.
- Call 3: Discuss harvest and disposal processes.
Guided Implementation 4: Plan equipment needs and build a roadmap
- Call 1: Review your planning and budgeting practices.
- Call 2: Build a roadmap and communication plan.
Contributors
- Jeremy Boerger, Founder, Boerger Consulting
- 12 anonymous contributors
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