System and method for managing IT assets
A system configured to manage IT assets associated with an entity (e.g., a company, an institution, etc.), in accordance with one or more embodiments of the invention. The IT assets may include hardware assets, software assets, telecommunications assets, and/or other IT assets. The system enables substantially all of the information relevant to the individual IT assets to be organized within a single repository throughout the life cycle of the IT assets (e.g., from order to disposal). By organizing the relevant information within a single repository, automation and dynamic system interaction may be leveraged during the life cycle of a given IT asset to track and/or monitor the given IT asset with an enhanced efficiency. In some embodiments, the system may include a common database, and an asset implementation manager, an asset ownership manager, an asset process manager, a service manager in operative communication with the common database.
1. A system configured to manage a plurality of information technology (IT) assets associated with an entity, the plurality of IT assets including one or more of software assets or hardware assets, the system comprising:
a common database that stores one or more asset profiles for one or more IT assets of the plurality of IT assets, wherein an asset profile includes information related to at least one of the one or more IT assets; and
at least one processor configured to provide:
an asset implementation manager that receives implementation information relating to use of the one or more IT assets, wherein at least a portion of the implementation information is received as the asset implementation manager monitors at least one of the plurality of IT assets, wherein the received implementation information is stored in at least one of the one or more asset profiles, wherein the asset implementation manager accesses implementation information of at least one of the one or more IT assets stored in at least one of the one or more asset profiles, and wherein the asset implementation manager generates and/or modifies information that is stored in the one or more asset profiles,
an asset ownership manager that receives ownership information relating to ownership of the one or more IT assets, wherein the received ownership information is stored in at least one of the one or more asset profiles, wherein the asset ownership manager accesses ownership information of at least one of the one or more IT assets stored in the one or more asset profiles, and wherein the asset ownership manager generates and/or modifies information that is stored in the one or more asset profiles,
an asset process manager that receives process information relating to one or more processes associated with the one or more IT assets, wherein the one or more processes include at least a first participant passing information to a second participant, wherein one of the first participant or the second participant is an IT asset from the one or more IT assets, wherein the received process information is stored in at least one of the one or more asset profiles, wherein the asset process manager accesses process information of at least one of the one or more IT assets stored in the one or more asset profiles, and wherein the asset process manager generates and/or modifies information that is stored in the one or more asset profiles, and
a service manager that receives service information relating to functionality of at least one of the one or more IT assets, wherein the received service information is stored in at least one of the one or more asset profiles, wherein the service manager accesses service information of at least one of the one or more IT assets stored in the one or more asset profiles, and wherein the service manager generates and/or modifies information that is stored in the one or more asset profiles.
2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the asset implementation manager further receives implementation information by discovering the one or more IT assets, and wherein the asset implementation manager further monitors one or more inventories of the one or more IT assets, monitors a configuration of one or more of the one or more IT assets, or monitors usage of the one or more IT assets.
3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the asset ownership manager associates individual assets of the one or more IT assets with ownership information including one or more of cost information, information related to contractual rights and/or obligations, information related to one or more leases, information related to one or more licenses, or information related to one or more vendors.
4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the asset process manager further:
receives a command to initiate a given process of the one or more processes,
initiates the given process,
monitors the given process,
requests one or more authorizations for the given process,
receives one or more authorizations for the given process, and
determines the given process has been completed.
5. The system of claim 4 , wherein the given process comprises one of an order, a procurement, a receipt, a payment, a configuration change, a deployment, or a disposal of an IT asset of the one or more IT assets.
6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the service manager further receives a report of an issue related to the functionality of one of the one or more IT assets, initiates one or more processes to address the issue, monitors one or more processes that address the issue, and closes the issue.
7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more of the plurality of IT assets comprise one or more of a hardware asset, a software asset, or a telecommunications asset.
8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to provide one or more customizable user interfaces that provide access to information stored within the one or more asset profiles of the common database based on a role of a user or administrator with respect to processes related to a given IT asset of the one or more IT assets, while providing less than full access to information stored within the one or more asset profiles of the common database.
9. A system configured to manage a plurality of information technology (IT) assets associated with an entity, the plurality of IT assets including one or more of software assets or hardware assets, the system comprising:
a common database that stores one or more asset profiles for one or more IT assets of the plurality of IT assets, wherein an asset profile includes information related to at least one of the one or more IT assets; and
at least one processor configured to provide:
an asset implementation manager that receives implementation information relating to use of the one or more IT assets, wherein receipt of the implementation information comprises one or more of:
discovery of the one or more IT assets,
monitoring one or more inventories of the one or more IT assets,
monitoring the configuration of at least one of the one or more IT assets, or
monitoring usage of at least one of the one or more IT assets,
wherein the received implementation information is stored in the one or more asset profiles, wherein the asset implementation manager accesses implementation information of at least one of the one or more IT assets stored in at least one of the one or more asset profiles, and wherein the asset implementation manager generates and/or modifies information that is stored in the one or more asset profiles,
an asset ownership manager that receives ownership information relating to ownership of the plurality of IT assets, wherein receipt of ownership information comprises associating individual IT assets from the one or more IT assets with corresponding ownership information, wherein the received ownership information is stored in at least one of the one or more asset profiles, wherein the asset ownership manager accesses ownership information of at least one of the one or more IT assets stored in the one or more asset profiles, and wherein the asset ownership manager generates and/or modifies information that is stored in the one or more asset profiles,
an asset process manager that receives process information relating to one or more processes associated with the one or more IT assets, wherein the one or more processes include at least a first participant passing information to a second participant, and wherein one of the first participant or the second participant is an IT asset from the one or more IT assets, wherein the received process information is stored in at least one of the one or more asset profiles, wherein the asset process manager accesses process information of at least one of the one or more IT assets stored in the one or more asset profiles, and wherein the asset process manager generates and/or modifies information that is stored in the one or more asset profiles, and
a service manager that the receives service information relating to functionality of at least one of the one or more IT assets that are reported by one or more users of the plurality of IT assets, wherein the received service information is stored in at least one of the one or more asset profiles, wherein the service manager accesses service information of at least one of the one or more IT assets stored in the one or more asset profiles, and wherein the service manager generates and/or modifies information that is stored in the one or more asset profiles.
10. The system of claim 9 , wherein ownership information further comprises one or more of cost information, information related to contractual rights and/or obligations information related to one or more leases, information related to one or more licenses, or
information related to one or more vendors.
11. The system of claim 9 , wherein the one or more processes comprise one or more of an order, a procurement, a receipt, a payment, a configuration change, a deployment, or a disposal of one or more of the plurality of IT assets, and wherein receiving process information further comprises one or more of:
receiving a command to initiate a given process,
initiating the given process,
monitoring the given process,
requesting one or more authorizations for the given process,
receiving one or more authorizations for the given process, or
determining the given process has been completed.
12. The system of claim 9 , wherein the service manager further receives a report of an issue related to functionality of the one or more IT assets, initiates one or more processes to address the issue, monitors one or more processes that address the issue, and closes the issue.
13. The system of claim 9 , wherein the one or more IT assets comprise one or more of a hardware asset, a software asset, or a telecommunications asset.
14. A system configured to manage a plurality of IT assets associated with an entity, the plurality of IT assets including software assets and hardware assets, the system comprising:
at least one processor configured to provide:
an asset implementation manager that manages implementation of the plurality of IT assets by the entity,
an asset ownership manager that manages information related to ownership of the plurality of IT assets,
an asset process manager that manages one or more processes associated with the plurality of IT assets, including at least a process comprising a first participant passing information to a second participant according to one or more predetermined rules and/or procedures, and wherein a first of the first participant or the second participant is an IT asset from the plurality of IT assets and a second of the first participant or the second participant is one of an IT asset from the plurality of IT assets, a user, or an administrator,
service manager that manages issues related to the functionality of one or more of the plurality of IT assets that are reported by one or more users of the plurality of IT assets;
common database that stores information related to the plurality of IT assets, wherein the information related to the plurality of IT assets comprises profiles for individual IT assets,
one or more customizable user interfaces that provide access to information stored within the profiles of the common database based on a role of a user or administrator with respect to processes related to a given IT asset of the plurality of IT assets, while providing less than full access to information stored within profiles of the common database,
the common database being in communication with the asset implementation manager such that the asset implementation manager manages implementation of a given IT asset from the plurality of IT assets based on information stored in the profile of the given IT asset and in managing the implementation of the given IT asset the asset implementation manager generates and/or modifies information that is stored in the profile of the given IT asset,
the common database being in communication with the asset ownership manager such that the asset ownership manager manages the information related to ownership of a given IT asset from the plurality of IT assets based on information stored in the profile of the given IT asset and in managing information related to the ownership of the given IT asset the asset ownership manager generates and/or modifies information that is stored in the profile of the given IT asset,
the common database being in communication with the asset process manager such that the asset process manager manages one or more processes associated with a given IT asset from the plurality of IT assets based on information stored in the profile of the given IT asset and in managing the one or more processes associated with the given IT asset the asset process manager generates and/or modifies information that is stored in the profile of the given IT asset, and
the common database being in communication with the service manager such that the service manager manages issues related to functionality of a given IT asset of the plurality of IT assets based on information stored in the profile of the given IT asset and in managing the issues related to the functionality of the given IT asset the service manager generates and/or modifies information that is stored in the profile of the given IT asset.