Hello, I've been tasked with identifying some Kace SMA Best Practices when it comes to inventory and asset managment and end point accountablity.
1. We have quite a few assets that have not checked in for about a month or so. The Agents appear to be up to date on most of them. What would be an easy way to locate these assets?
2. When an asset is replaced and/or Repurposed or Retired , is there a automated process to update asset status or does the status have to be manually changed every time?
3. I have some other questions about how sub types are generated but will ask at another time.
We are basically trying to identify a process for how assets are updated in Kace when they are imaged with the agent checking in to Kace but, then turned off and stocked in the deployment area until they are deployed. We've got about 200 or so assets that have not checked in and nobody knows where they are, Sitting on a shelf or actually deployed as loaners that are not on the network so they are not checking in. Thanks for any feedback!
Answers (1)
Asset Management is not just about Inventory and agent, and as such you physically need to manage all assets in the same way. The best practice way (ITIL) involves People, Process and Technology. KACE provides the Technology part, with a repository and a means of updating data to provide information such as Location and Status. However a Technology will fail without overlaid Process, so You will need processes such as Goods In, Starters and Leavers, Moves and a Changes, Stores and retirements defined, which make reference to updating the Technology, and guide staff what to update and when, so you know what is actively being used and what is sat on the shelf.
With all that said People are the weakest link, so providing tools to allow staff to update data, quickly, easily and when required, such as mobile apps or asset scanners remove some of the obstacles, but you really need to add responsibilities for Asset Data updates to contracts, roles and responsibilities to enable you to enforce updates and implement Asset Management KPI’s.
KACE has no “Best Practice” for Asset Management, it just provides one part of the ITIL Trilogy, Technology, and you will need expert advice and experience to cover all 3 parts effectively if you are serious about getting this right.
Only then will you stand a chance of seeing any of the savings that an effective Asset Management process can provide.
