Comments on: Start simple: a corporate desktop/laptop refresh model

By: Mobile IT Assets: Do You Know What You Don’t Know? (Part II) « Stanton Jones

Tue, 24 Nov 2009 22:15:05 +0000

[...] does one do this? Answer: start simple. Peter Kretzman has a great post on how to get started. He is spot on that 80% of the issue can be resolved with a spreadsheet and [...]

By: Canaries in the coal mine: Why your IT department may be in worse shape than you think

Tue, 25 Aug 2009 20:27:36 +0000

[...] The IT desktop/laptop inventory is murky, with no clear and published unit replacement plan. What you don’t monitor, you can’t [...]

By: Peter Kretzman

Peter Kretzman — Tue, 03 Jun 2008 00:03:32 +0000

Well, a spreadsheet will get you 80-90% of the way there, for sure. What it won’t get you, without being endlessly tweaked and enhanced, is integration with other systems (e.g., HR, Finance), or tracking of other equipment besides just laptops/desktops. A good ITAM system will do “discovery” on your network, which brings you to a whole new level of complexity, data issues, and optimization possibilities.

My major point in my post is that I’ve seen organizations hold back, wanting to have it all even though they had almost nothing. Hence, “start simple.” But by no means stop there!

Thanks for the question, Jim.

By: Jim Tabor

Jim Tabor — Mon, 02 Jun 2008 20:52:53 +0000

Great post, and really useful spreadsheet. Your right. None of the companies I’ve been at have managed their desktops and laptops well. None of them could have answered any of your sample questions!

Here’s my question–if I use the tool you provided, what more do I really need? How would asset management software (more than just a souped-up spreadsheet like you provided) help me further?