Hardware Inventory Software

In today’s digital era, nearly every company—regardless of size—relies on a vast array of hardware devices and software solutions to keep their business running. Hardware like computers, servers, and phones as well as system, application, and programming software all ensure a company’s daily processes run efficiently and effectively. But how can system administrators manage so many moving pieces? This is where hardware and software inventory comes into play.

An inventory system is any system designed to track and manage critical data associated with your hardware and software assets. A standard IT asset inventory contains manufacturing details, warranties, and SLAs, while a more comprehensive inventory will include records of product use and whereabouts among employees. The actual hardware and software inventory system can take any number of forms. Smaller companies may rely on traditional inventory methods, turning to file and desktop folders to store software and hardware documents, and larger companies often leverage digital inventory management platforms.

Keeping track of hundreds of hardware and software devices can be challenging, especially with ever-evolving and increasingly remote workforces. Thankfully, comprehensive inventory asset management software can help. These solutions automatically discover every piece of hardware and software on a network, leaving no ambiguity about how many tools are in use or what condition they’re in. Once these devices have been discovered, the platforms sort and store all relevant product data. This information is then displayed in centralized dashboards to facilitate easy tracking and management.

Smaller companies without the budget for IT inventory management systems capable of automatically discovering and tracking their devices must rely on manual inventory methods. In these cases, they begin tracking inventory by leveraging network connections to create a list of active devices. With this list in hand, IT technicians can connect with employees to gather and verify device details. These IT technicians also have to set up a process for reaching out to employees and recording the company devices they have in their possession, which often involves creating a form for the employees to fill in with the appropriate details.

A hardware audit is an assessment of all hardware devices—routers, monitors, laptops, modems, etc.—within a company’s IT infrastructure. In today’s rapidly evolving business environment, new devices and software are constantly being added to companies’ networks, making it difficult to ensure every resource is delivering its full value. During hardware audits, IT administrators examine all the assets in their system to identify how many of each type they have, which models they have, and how well their assets are performing.

A thorough audit can reveal anything from a damaged high-def monitor to a shortage of tablets, a faulty keyboard, or an outdated server. Though every audit is different, they all have one thing in common: attention to detail. The hardware auditor (typically a senior system administrator) must closely examine every device within their infrastructure, which may involve combing through physical records of purchase dates, making tallies and noting outdated equipment, or leveraging digital dashboards containing detailed product information.

An inventory management system is any type of system used to track the health and status of company assets. Inventory management systems are used across sectors to help streamline processes and keep productivity humming. In the retail industry, for instance, inventory management systems record product quantities, track expiration dates, and store contractual information from product distributors.

While the assets tracked by IT inventory asset management differ greatly from those tracked by retail systems, the same general principles apply in both scenarios. An IT inventory management system serves as a hub of information pertaining to all the devices on a network. Administrators can leverage these systems to identify how many of a particular device they have, where these devices came from, when they need to invest in an updated model, and more. These systems ensure companies are equipped to navigate the shifting tides of digitally driven business.

For any business hoping to thrive in the digital era, hardware inventory software is a must. These solutions grow with your business, helping you keep track of all onsite hardware devices and those used by remote employees. This means you don’t have to spend hours manually hunting down devices and their relevant documents. If this isn’t enough to build a business case for hardware inventory software, here are a few more reasons your IT department needs access to this kind of software:

• Security:An outdated or poorly functioning device can put your business in jeopardy by exposing vulnerabilities to cyberattackers. A hardware inventory solution can help you spot at-risk devices, so you can update and repair them accordingly.
• Cost control:If you’re unaware of a device within your system, where it’s located, and how well it’s working, it can be difficult to plan for company growth. In some cases, new devices are purchased when they aren’t necessary; in others, devices degrade when an immediate repair is needed. Hardware inventory software helps ensure this is never the case by quickly accounting for the health and status of each device within your system.
• Productivity:When a server, laptop, or any other piece of hardware is down, it brings work to a grinding halt. A comprehensive hardware inventory solution catalogs all service tickets associated with a particular device, helping IT technicians turn to tried-and-true resolution methods instead of starting from scratch to address an issue.

Hardware inventory software discovers IT devices and software assets within a network, allowing IT administrators to manage asset assignments, histories, documentation, and associated service requests from an easy-to-access, web-based platform. Hardware inventory software helps IT administrators keep their finger on the pulse of their IT infrastructure. Administrators can use digital, highly visual dashboards to determine how many of a particular asset they have, when each asset was purchased, and when they need to upgrade to the newest model.

These platforms even allow IT support staff to identify which users have possession of which devices and when these devices are due back. This streamlines the management of requests for in-demand devices like laptops and tablets and ensures employees are always equipped with the devices they need to remain highly productive.

SolarWinds® Web Help Desk® takes hardware asset management to the next level. The platform leverages an integrated CMDB to automatically discover all assets within a network environment, including peripheral devices like printers, keyboards, and mice. Once all devices are accounted for, the platform aggregates and consolidates detailed information for each device. This includes SLAs, configuration details, purchase orders, warranty expirations, and any other vendor-related information.

The solution also facilitates greater speed to resolution for service requests. By allowing IT support technicians to link help desk tickets with specific hardware assets, Web Help Desk enables technicians to quickly track and review an asset’s history and identify successful solutions for similar problems in the past.

Through periodic, prescheduled asset discovery sessions, IT administrators can ensure the Web Help Desk platform grows with their company. These functions apply to software as well as hardware, making SolarWinds Web Help Desk the perfect solution for all your IT asset management needs.