Surely you already know how much IT can—and should—be part of a company’s business strategies. To create a solid foundation that supports business growth, it is necessary to use the best IT pillars that will be part of the overall governance strategy, one of which is the IT inventory. But after all, what is an IT inventory?
An IT inventory is nothing more than a survey of all IT resources that the company owns, both hardware and software. Its survey must provide all the necessary details to facilitate IT management, such as technical information, serial numbers, purchase date, warranty period, and location where they are installed.
The inventory can be done manually; however, in this way, the company will still have difficulties in efficiently managing its assets. To do this, there are tools on the market that can “scan” the corporate network and provide managers with an always up-to-date IT inventory.
See in today’s post 5 reasons that will show you the importance of an IT inventory for a company and why it should always be kept up to date. Follow along!
Bonus: Complete guide to implementing a Service Desk in your company
1. Anticipation of technical problems
IT resources tend to present technical problems with a certain frequency, and this is no news. What many do not know is that several signs that these problems can happen will be identified if the company performs the inventory of its assets and keeps it updated.
In the inventory, the company can identify bottlenecks in the operation of a given equipment and the status of each of the resources. This will help avoid sudden stoppages and unpleasant surprises.
2. Increasing equipment lifespan
An IT inventory helps the company identify if equipment is having very high consumption or if it is being underutilized. This information helps in the correct allocation of resources.
In the inventory, it is also possible to record performed maintenance, both corrective and preventive, facilitating control and ensuring that maintenance is always up to date, and consequently, increasing the lifespan of the equipment.
3. Support and warranty control
Practically all software and equipment, when purchased, have a limited period of warranty and manufacturer support.
It is fundamental for companies that their resources, especially those most important for IT, have their support contracts always active, because, in case of an eventual need, a response time for the manufacturer’s support, provided for in the contract, can be demanded.
In the IT inventory, this type of information will help managers anticipate the expiration of support and warranty contracts, gaining time to update assets or negotiate new agreements.
4. Recognition of malicious software
A real-time updated IT inventory will show managers all software installed on their equipment. This helps the company identify malicious software that may have been installed by the users themselves, preventing them from spreading across the network and compromising overall IT security.
5. Usage control
With an IT inventory, the company gains control over the use of all its assets. The tool provides details of each equipment’s configuration, such as memory, processors, and disks. In addition, it shows how much each of these resources is being used by users.
Thus, it becomes much simpler and faster to analyze which systems need to be updated, the frequency of maintenance, and even identify user behavior for future acquisitions.
Was this post useful to you? Then share it with your friends on social media!
