Glossary

    [resources, glossary, it-asset-management]

    it asset management

    IT Asset Management

    What is IT Asset Management?

    IT asset management (ITAM) is a system of business practices that ensures an organization’s IT assets are accounted for and maintained throughout their lifecycle. This includes planning, acquisition, deployment, maintenance, upgrading, and disposal of IT assets.

    Examples of IT assets that need to be managed

    • Infrastructure hardware, such as: routers, switches, servers, and data centers
    • In-house software applications
    • Third-party software licenses
    • Company-owned devices such as laptop and desktop computers
    • Digital data

    Why IT Asset Management is important

    • Vulnerabilities. Unmanaged or improperly managed IT assets increase cybersecurity vulnerabilities.
    • Compliance. ITAM can be required for regulatory compliance.
    • Performance. Old, obsolete assets can negatively impact performance.
    • Prevention. ITAM helps identify failure points in a network.
    • New assets. Newly acquired assets need to be tracked and accounted for.
    • Old assets. Outgoing assets need to be properly disposed of to ensure data security.

    IT Asset Management resources

    Want to learn more about managing, and securing your IT assets? Check out these glossary pages: IT asset discovery and IT asset inventory.