With remote asset management, you can keep track of the IT assets in your organization. We take a closer look at the benefits and how to get started.
Picture this: You’re an IT admin, and you receive a user request for a new smartphone. You ask yourself: Are they due for a new device? When did we buy the last one? Is it running the latest operating system?
Keeping track of hardware, software, and IoT equipment can be difficult. Especially now that employees are working from various locations and using multiple devices.
Luckily, remote asset management can help you rise to the challenge. By monitoring and managing assets remotely, you never lose oversight of your IT infrastructure. This not only makes your job easier, but it also lowers costs and enhances security.
In this article, we delve deeper into the advantages of remote asset management and provide some practical tips to help you get started.
Before we get into remote asset management, let’s define what we mean by assets.
According to Investopedia, fixed assets are items a company uses over the long term to generate income. These assets include land, buildings, vehicles, machinery, computer equipment, and software.
In this article, we focus on IT assets (or digital assets). IT assets are fixed assets that are related to IT. They can include hardware, software, IoT devices, network devices, and systems.
The process of identifying, monitoring, and managing deployed IT assets is known as IT asset management (ITAM). Some companies use software solutions to manage IT assets across different locations. This is called remote asset management.
With employees operating multiple devices and working from different locations, the IT asset landscape becomes increasingly complex. This is why remote asset management is challenging for many businesses.
Remote asset management software is a digital platform that helps you identify, monitor, and manage your IT assets effectively. That means keeping an inventory of all IT assets and tracking them throughout their lifecycle.
To illustrate, picture a company that deploys new laptops to several employees. With the help of remote asset management software, the company’s IT team can remotely:
Due to the global shift toward remote work, many businesses are adopting remote asset management software. In fact, Research and Markets projects that the digital asset management market to continue growing by more than 12% per year until 2029.
But is remote asset management software really worth it? Let’s take a look at some of the benefits.
With a remote asset management solution, your IT team can monitor assets around the clock and address potential issues before they cause any significant problems. That means fewer disruptions for end users, less emergency troubleshooting, and more productive workdays for everyone.
With remote asset management, there’s less need for on-site or manual maintenance (think of server maintenance, for example). This reduces travel expenses and time spent on the road. Plus, by remotely monitoring and maintaining your assets, you can ensure optimal usage and a longer asset lifespan.
Remote asset management helps you maintain compliance by keeping accurate records of all deployed assets and ensuring they adhere to internal policies and industry standards. It also enhances security by enabling you to quickly detect suspicious usage behavior and shadow IT which might introduce a threat to your network.
As your business grows, your asset landscape expands with it. Handling this expansion is easier if you’re using remote asset management software. It allows you to maintain the visibility of each asset while also adapting to changing demands and conditions.
Discover and manage devices, software, and hidden assets throughout your organization with TeamViewer Asset Management.
Starting out with remote asset management can seem daunting. So, it’s best to take things one step at a time. Follow our structured approach, and you’ll be all set up in no time.
Start with a comprehensive audit of your IT inventory. An automated network discovery solution can help you track every asset in your network, including relevant asset information.
For hardware assets, you could document the manufacturer, model, operating system, IP address, and location. For software assets, you might want to record the publisher, version, release, installation date, and patch status.
This audit will reveal any devices or pieces of software that weren’t acquired through your normal procurement process. Uncovering these hidden assets is essential for maintaining IT security throughout your organization.
Keep in mind that your asset landscape is always changing, so you need to conduct these audits and update your inventory on a regular basis.
The next step is to map out what you want the lifecycle of your assets to look like. That involves:
It’s also crucial to determine the lifecycle costs for each asset. To calculate these costs, add up the initial procurement costs, recurring costs for usage, maintenance, and repair, plus any costs related to the disposal of the asset. Lifecycle costs should be a key factor in every purchase decision.
What’s great about remote asset management is that it allows you to become proactive about managing your IT. This helps you prevent asset downtime, avoid emergency troubleshooting, and plan more effectively.
For instance, with remote device monitoring, you can easily identify devices that require your attention and carry out preventative maintenance before a serious problem occurs.
Another way to be proactive is by performing operating system (OS) updates and software patches remotely. This allows you to close security gaps that could put your organization at risk.
Finally, you can apply custom policies throughout your asset infrastructure to ensure compliance with security standards and regulations. Plus, tracking all assets and their usage consistently makes it easy to generate audit reports when needed.
It’s easy to get overwhelmed by all the different software solutions for remote asset management. To help you decide, here are some features to look out for:
If you’re looking for an asset management solution, TeamViewer Asset Management, powered by Lansweeper, is a great place to start.
IT asset management is essential to modern-day businesses, especially with the rise of remote work.
Using remote asset management software, you can enhance productivity by allowing your IT team to address issues proactively, reducing downtime and user disruption. It also helps you save costs by minimizing the need for travel and extending the lifespan of assets. Plus, it can scale easily to manage a growing number of assets as your business expands.
To get started, it’s best to conduct a thorough audit of your IT inventory and map out the lifecycle of your assets. Then, adopt a proactive approach, monitoring your assets and carrying out maintenance before any major problems occur.
When choosing an asset management solution, look for flexible inventory and patch management, reporting, and integration features. Industry leaders like TeamViewer offer reliable solutions that will help you stay organized, efficient, and secure.
Content Marketing Manager at TeamViewer
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Lisa is a content marketing manager at TeamViewer. With a master’s in management and three years of experience in IT, Lisa is passionate about technology that empowers people to do their best work. When she’s not at her desk, you’ll find her somewhere outside — hiking, exploring, or with a good book.
Create a single source of truth for your entire IT inventory with TeamViewer Asset Management.
