Companies spend enormous amounts of resources just to determine if there are any gaps in their software licensing. Then the IT manager has to take that long walk to the CIO's office to explain how many tens of thousands of dollars it will cost to get all the licensing up to date.
The Asset Intelligence component of Microsoft's System Center Configuration Manager 2007 can solve a lot of the asset management headaches regarding software and hardware. Asset Intelligence has a robust tool set not only for viewing hardware, but also for managing Microsoft SoftGrid virtualization and software but also to manage them. It also has the capability to "baseline" assets so changes can be seen over time.
While Asset Intelligence has been around since SMS 2003 SP3, the version offered in System Center Configuration Manager has taken leaps and bounds to help IT administrators. Some of the major enhancements include the following:
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Figure 1: System Center Configuration Manager now feautures an enhanced user interface. (Click on image for enlarged view.)
Here is a quick dive into some scenarios that describe how this could change the way Windows
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Hardware management:
Software management:
Administrators can use Asset Intelligence for the following software management tasks:
Because licensing is so complex, it is important to note that Asset Intelligence shouldn't be used as the authoritative source for determining licensing compliance. However, it will likely be a significant step in the right direction.
Executive Reporting:
As you begin to explore how these new features might benefit you, remember that the tool can only be as good as the process it supports. Cool features that are not integrated into existing processes can offer more problems than solutions. Be sure to evaluate these processes to see how Asset Intelligence could help:
Also, don't forget the importance of incorporating this tool into your logical access procedures to be sure that only appropriate individuals have access to this system.
Russell Olsen is currently the CIO of a Healthcare Technology company and previously worked for a Big Four accounting firm performing technology risk assessments and Sarbanes-Oxley audits. Olsen is a CISA, GSNA, and MCP.
