How to Track IT Assets in a Data Center
A company that is involved in the IT industry has one of the most difficult and yet most important tasks of managing IT assets in the data center. Data centers are at the core of enterprise operations, they are hosting servers, networking devices, storage systems, and all kinds of applications. Given the constant inflow of equipment, upgrades, and replacements, tracking every asset is becoming more and more intricate.
In order to maximize efficiency, minimize the risk of downtime and guarantee conformity with the requirements, companies need to have a strong IT asset tracking plan. That’s the situation where the help of IT asset management software comes in as a significant advantage, giving a centralized solution for data center monitoring and managing the assets with less time and more efficiency.
Today, we are going to look up the importance of tracking IT assets in a data center, the problems businesses encounter and the best ways to do asset management without any problem.
Why IT Asset Tracking in a Data Center Matters
Data centers are the centers of information technology (IT) assets of various kinds, such as:
- Servers and chassis
- Network switches and routers
- Storage systems
- Power and cooling systems
- Software licenses and virtual machines
Any of these components are very important for the smooth running of operations. Poor handling of only one server or networking device may cause the company to stop working for a while (downtime) which in turn can put them at risk of not being in compliance with certain rules or security vulnerabilities.
There are a number of key reasons that asset tracking should be a major concern when dealing with a data center. These reasons are listed below:
- Visibility and Control: The location of an asset along with the method of its usage.
- Cost Optimization: By managing the existing resources in a more effective way, the need for purchasing the commodities which are not necessary will be avoided.
- Compliance and Audits: Producing the required records for IT governance, data protection, and regulatory compliance.
- Risk Reduction: Avoiding the situations where the assets may be lost, stolen, or used wrongly.
- Operational Efficiency: The process of reparation and maintenance along with life cycle management can be made efficient through asset tracking.
Common Challenges in Tracking IT Assets
Data centers have to manage their IT assets in a way that is very different from other places. The issues are mentioned below:
- Manual tracking errors: Spreadsheets or manual logs can be used to track assets, but they often contain inaccuracies.
- High asset volume: A data center that is big may have a large number of hardware components and devices in it.
- Frequent changes: The IT environment is always changing, so there are regular upgrades and replacements.
- Compliance demands: To achieve this, one has to maintain very accurate sets of records in order to comply with the strict regulations of the respective industries.
- Limited visibility: Without being able to trace their movements in real time, it becomes a tough job to find the assets in the shortest time.
Handling these issues is not easy and they have to be solved through the help of technology which leads to automation, real time visibility and a centralized solution.
Best Practices for Asset Tracking in a Data Center
1.Implement IT Asset Management Software
The key to efficient asset tracking is the use of IT asset management software. A comprehensive platform allows complete visibility into the data center the whole way from hardware to software. Additionally, it keeps records of the usage, performance and lifecycle status through the integration with other systems.
Some of the benefits are:
- A complete database of the assets
- Tracking and updates carried out by the system automatically
- The organization can use the data stored for decision making purposes
- Notifications for going out of warranty, license renewal or end of life
2. Use RFID and Barcode Tagging
Placing RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) or barcode tags on assets is a great way to keep track of their movement and location. This not only minimizes the chances of errors but also provides a full time visibility. In a data center of a large scale, an RFID can provide a completely hands free method whereby the staff can perform a multiple assets scan at the same time without interrupting each other.
3. Maintain Accurate Asset Records
It is very important to record every single detail about each asset such as the date of purchase, warranty, configuration and the assigned user. Asset records must be updated on a real time basis, if there is any change in the location of the device, or if it has been replaced or upgraded.
4.Automate Asset Lifecycle Management
Every process in the asset lifecycle from purchasing to disposal should be automated. Facilities management software can provide notifications of the planned maintenance, the expiration of the warranty, or the product’s end of support, thus, a situation of complete safety.
5. Ensure Compliance and Security
They are data centers where the most sensitive types of information are handled, thus compliance is a must have feature. Good asset tracking guarantees that only the equipment authorized for use and that assets have been securely decommissioned. The automated audit trails make the whole process of compliance reporting easier and lower the regulatory risks.
6. Integrate with IT Service Management (ITSM)
Connection of asset tracking with IT service management systems facilitates the performance of support and maintenance activities. For instance, when a piece of equipment produces an alert, the IT staff are able to find out the place, the history, and the configuration of the device very quickly, thus they can solve the problem in less time.
7. Conduct Regular Audits
It is important to note that even with the presence of high tech systems, regular audits remain a necessity. Audits ascertain that what is physically present in the assets matches what is recorded in the system, thus ensuring the accuracy of the data and compliance.
The Role of IT Asset Management Software
An IT asset management solution designed specifically for the purpose of managing IT assets is not just a simple tracking tool but a complete system that ensures the efficiency of the data center. Its main features are:
- On the fly dashboards for tracking asset performance
- Engineered discovery tools for finding connected devices
- Flexible reports for budgeting and managing the organization
- Ability to work with other systems, such as ERP, ITSM and cloud platforms
- Capacity to support the increasing requirements of the data center
With the aid of the IT asset management solution, enterprises have visibility across the board which leads to better decision making and fewer operational costs.
Benefits of Effective IT Asset Tracking
Properly utilizing the right methods and tools for tracking IT asset is a win situation that could yield the following benefits:
- Downtime reduction via preventive maintenance
- Cost savings resulting from better management of the IT budget and the elimination of unnecessary duplicates of software/hardware products
- The security of your IT environment gets a boost through more precise and up to date device monitoring
- Better adherence to various regulations and standards
- Efficiency gets you to leverage the simplified workflow with productivity being one of the results
How Acube Infotech Can Help
At Acube Infotech, we are the best in class to come up with unique IT asset management solutions that perfectly match the needs of your data center.
We are the best in asset tracking and RFID technologies which helps our customers to have 100% visibility and to keep control over their IT environments.
Harnessing our cutting edge solutions, your data center will be able to:
- Implement automated asset tracking using RFID and barcode technologies
- Obtain up to the minute data on asset utilization and performance
- Facilitate compliance with the help of automated reporting
- Manage asset lifecycle in an optimal way to lower your expenses
Either you are in charge of a small facility or a large scale enterprise data center, Acube Infotech is the best way to track, manage and secure your IT assets in an efficient manner.