Technology trends setting change and demand for IT asset management

Edge and mobile computing, multiplied by IoT, drive ITAM market and opportunities
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(Image: Stockfresh)

5 September 2019

Despite the increasing use of cloud services, organisations are finding that their IT asset estate continues to grow.

From mobile devices to instrumented plant and the Internet of Things, the sheer number of items that need to be managed, made visible and protected has grown and, arguably, become more complex.

Unsurprisingly, analysts have predicted that the market for IT asset management tools and services will see significant growth over the coming years. According to research by Market Research Future, the global IT asset management software market will accrue approximately $3 billion (€2.7 billion) by 2023, with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 8% in that period.

The expansion of interconnected IT infrastructure is driving market growth, according to analyst Mordor Intelligence. In a market overview statement, the analyst said technologies are becoming converged, such as micro data centres instead of traditional data centres, virtual machines instead of actual desktops, cloud instead of data storage devices.

“To improve the bottom line and plan against financial, operational and legal risks, it is necessary for companies to keep a track of all their assets from different locations,” said the analyst.

Macro trends are also impacting how the practice of IT Asset Management (ITAM) is carried out. As indicated by Mordor Intelligence, edge computing, IoT, and other emerging technologies are impacting how IT and digital assets are being identified, monitored and managed.

Tracking devices is a primary function of an ITAM programme, writes the International Association of Information Technology Asset Managers (IAITAM). But as organisations become more dependent on mobile IT environments, how do practitioners find reliable ways to track those assets when they are literally on the move, the association asks.

ITAM managers can, through IoT, use of the Internet Protocol (IP) collect, store, and share data without the need of human intervention, says IAITAM. With the IoT, asset managers not only can track the location of assets, but also get information about their environment: temperature, light exposure, evidence of human or animal tampering, and even their interaction with other assets.

IAITAM cites examples of successful implementations of these technologies and systems in cold chain distribution, medicine and vaccine tracking.

As more organisations adopt technologies from mobile devices to instrumented machinery and IoT-enabled supply chains, ITAM practitioners and managers will become increasingly important.

The Irish Computer Society is helping organisations prepare for this by providing introductory courses in ITAM, aimed at anyone who is new to discipline, including IT administrators, CFOs, project managers, and other IT roles. It is accessible to those without an IT background. The course is geared for people from all departments, as ITAM programmes are generally implemented interdepartmentally, including by roles such as budget managers, IT service departments and finance.

See here for more details of this two-day introductory course starting on the 9 October.

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