Is Hardware Asset Management still relevant?
Hardware might not get as much buzz as cloud or AI, but it's still the foundation of any company's IT setup. More and more organizations are realizing that focusing on software alone only paints half the picture. If you don't keep track of your hardware, you're building up technical debt. This ends up costing you money and making your security weaker.
Why organizations need HAM
Most employees, at least in offices, deliver business value through hardware - usually their computers. Without HAM, it’s impossible to manage fleets ranging from hundreds to tens of thousands of devices - let alone ensure they’re adding value rather than risk. In other words, you can't manage what you don't know you own.
Where HAM quickly proves its worth:
Software Asset Management
Everything employees use for work, whether it's an app or a service, runs on some kind of hardware, either directly or as an access device (like for SaaS apps). Software asset management can't be effective if you only know the type of licenses and how many there are. You also need to know the device it's running on, where it's physically located, and who's using it.
With some software from big companies like IBM, Oracle, and Microsoft, you might also see licensing based on the number of processor cores, which makes it more important to have good visibility and information about hardware asset details.
Cost savings
If you're not using the hardware, you already have, you're basically throwing money away. The HAM gives you a better picture of the equipment used.
This way, you're only buying what you need and making the most of what you've already got.
Hybrid workplace
Do you remember when everyone worked in an office? Keeping track of the hardware was pretty easy, partly because most of the equipment was desktops that mostly stayed in one place. These days, employees are working from all over the place - as long as they've got an internet connection. Basically, this means that laptops, monitors, tablets, and mobile phones are all over the place - just not in the office.
If you don't have a good hardware inventory, it's easy to lose track of your equipment.
Employee onboarding and offboarding.
When a new employee joins the team, there are a few things to take care of, like getting the laptop, phone, and accessories ready. But if a company doesn't really know what they have, they might end up buying new equipment they don't even need, just to keep it dust-free. This can lead to extra costs and delays in deployment.
Then, when the employee leaves, a solid hardware asset management (HAM) system makes sure that all loaned equipment is returned and no sensitive data is lost or leaked.
Security compliance
Standards like ISO 27001, Cyber Essentials, NIS 2, and DORA require detailed asset visibility. HAM gives you audit-ready asset records, complete with lifecycle history and ownership trails at your fingertips.
Why skipping HAM is risky
Neglecting hardware asset management opens the door to a range of operational risks and challenges:
- Security risks - Without full visibility into your hardware, you're at risk of device loss, data breaches, unauthorized access, and missed security patches.
- Inefficiency - Manually tracking assets in spreadsheets takes too much time and often leads to costly mistakes.
- Limited insight - IT can’t clearly demonstrate cost savings or improved performance without accurate data.
- Audit exposure - Gaps between hardware and software records can trigger compliance issues during audits.
- Frustrated users - Lack of asset visibility leads to avoidable delays and errors when resolving support tickets.
Getting started with Hardware Asset Management (HAM)
Rolling out effective hardware asset management doesn’t have to be overwhelming, and the benefits are easy to track and quantify. Start by focusing on a few basic steps:
1. Build a complete Hardware Asset Inventory
Following the principle “start where you are,” compile a detailed list of all active hardware and stock items. This might include spreadsheets, device management tools (such as Microsoft Intune or Jamf), or even paper forms.
Pro tip: For a faster, more accurate snapshot of your hardware environment, consider using automated asset discovery tools. These solutions can handle the heavy lifting for you - capturing even peripheral devices like monitors, keyboards, and more.
2. Manage the full Asset Lifecycle
Beyond hardware inventory, it is essential to track each stage of your hardware lifecycle. This will help you make better use of your existing hardware and plan your budget more effectively. Key phases of asset lifecycle management include:
- Procure - identification of the need for new hardware, specification and order placement.
- Receive - delivery of the asset by the supplier, check its status, and configure it to ensure it meets organizational standards.
- Deploy - allocating the hardware to a user or department and completing the necessary setup.
- Maintain - ongoing condition checks and updates as business needs evolve
- Retire - secure decommissioning, wiping data, revoking access, and recycling hardware
The asset lifecycle management process in ALVAO IT Asset Management.
3. Align SAM and HAM for maximum business impact
Software Asset Management (SAM) and Hardware Asset Management (HAM) go hand in hand. You can't really do one without the other. By combining both into a single IT Asset Management (ITAM) platform, you’ll have all your licensing and hardware data in one place. This unified view gives you critical insights for smarter planning and ongoing optimization.
4. Schedule regular Asset Checks
Put a process in place to regularly verify which assets your employees are actually using. Many ITAM tools can automate this entirely - so your asset manager doesn’t waste time on manual checks, and users can quickly confirm their assigned equipment using an electronic form.
Conclusion
If your organization is looking for a fast, effective way to cut IT costs and strengthen security, Hardware Asset Management (HAM) is the right place to start. If you put a few key processes in place, you can make real improvements in your daily operations and gain stronger control over today's increasingly complex threats.
Not sure where to start? Schedule a meeting with one of our ITAM experts.