Taking EA down to desktop
- 1. Page 1 The COE and IT Asset Management; Taking the Enterprise Architecture down to the Desktop Cora L. Carmody August 2004
- 2. Page 2 IT Asset Management (ITAM) The Policies, Processes, Systems and Controls for the Orderly Planning, Acquisition, Deployment, Use, Insight, Refresh, and Retirement (Reallocation and/or Disposal) of all IT Assets (desktop computers, laptops, etc.)
- 3. Page 3 ITAM Goals • lower the Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) • increase SAIC’s technological agility • improve SAIC’s cash management • Other benefits – cycle-time reduction in the procurement, payment, and accounting of IT assets, – substantial cost savings in software licensing, property taxes, and stealth (or shadow) support • The methodology of ITAM is fundamental in implementing a Common Operating Environment (COE) and the standards policies, processes and IT architecture associated with COE – seamless integration of IT asset information with accounting asset information with systems management and software license information.
- 4. Page 4 Basic ITAM Requirements • E-Procurement from Hardware Vendors • Standard Image Load at Manufacturer Site • Automated Entry into Asset Database • Hardware and Software Inventory Management • Real-time Support with Help Desk Access • Electronic Software Updates • Hardware Refresh/Disposal • Software License Management (limit liability) • Software License Capture/Redeployment
- 5. IT Asset Management’s Evolving Goals and Phases of Value Contribution to the Enterprise from “Economic Performance Gains With IT Asset Management” Gartner Group
- 6. Page 6 A s s e t E n t r y U s e I n s ig h t T e c h R e f r e s h A s s e t R e t ir e m e n t AssetUsefulLife A c q u is it io n C o n f ig u r a tio n S e t U p T r a in in g A c c o u n ts / P a y a b le A s s e t R e g is t r y P r o b le m R e s o lu t io n A p p lic a t io n S u p p o r t M o v e s , A d d s , C h a n g e s B a s e lin e I n v e n t o r y I n v e n to r y M o n ito r in g A s s e t R e c o n c ilia t io n F in a n c ia l A n a ly s is / R e p o r t in g A s s e t R e f r e s h S W L ic e n s e M a n a g e m e n t T e c h C h a n g e M a n a g e m e n t U p g r a d e A s s e t R e d e p lo y m e n t A s s e t D is p o s a l E n t e r p r is e I n te g r a t e d A s s e t M g t S y s te m A s s e t R e p o s it o r y D e p lo y m e n t A s s e t P la n n in g I T C a p it a l P la n n in g F o r w a r d P r ic in g S o f t w a r e B u ild / D is t r ib u tio n C o n tr a c t M o n ito r in g P r o g r a m T e c h R e f r e s h C o n tr a c t M o d s L e a s in g M a n a g e m e n t IT A s s e t M a n a g e m e n t S u p p o r t C e n te r S t d D s k to p P o lic ie s Enterprise IT Asset Management Processes Patent pending
- 7. Page 7 Enterprise IT Asset Management Architecture Concept
- 8. Page 8 Architectural Aspects • For a smooth employee on-boarding process, links can be built from HR to Procurement to Site support – Goal; the new employee’s desktop is present and connected, with accounts, on the first day of work • The information contained by most accounting departments is not technologically complete or accurate to be able to do the necessary migration planning or patch management deployment. • The IT asset registry provides both static and dynamic asset insight
- 9. Page 9 Static Asset Insight • Static Asset Insight refers to managing the accurate asset information at the point the asset enters the enterprise, throughout its useful life, from the vantage point of both the fixed asset accounting system and the infrastructure support systems. • When an asset enters the accounting system, certain information about the asset is recorded at the baseline inventory. • Each record in the fixed asset accounting system includes information on the asset financial owner, depreciation rate, and so on, including summary description of the platform.
- 10. Page 10 Static Asset Insight; 2 • For infrastructure support systems, asset insight is needed as to the location of the asset and the technical composition of the asset. This involves more detailed information than typically is collected in a fixed asset accounting system. Information such as serial number, size of memory, size of hard drive, processor speed, as well as the contents of the initial software build should be recorded. • Both the accounting information and the configuration information represent basically static information and keeping that static information current involves some actions during the useful life of the asset. For example, when a change takes place, such as moving it from one department id to another id, or physical location, the information needs to be kept current for accountability purposes using the Move/Add/Change process.
- 11. Page 11 Dynamic Asset Insight - 1 • With an architecture that provides dynamic asset insight, it is possible to maintain and use extended information about the asset during its useful life from several perspectives. • Using capabilities for desktop monitoring (hardware and software) inventory information is periodically validated on that platform. • So, for example, if on Thursday Bill Smith has a platform with 32 megabytes of memory and on Friday the same Bill Smith now has the same platform but for some reason it only has 4 megabytes of memory, periodic polling of all the assets will reveal this information. • This information is accessible in real time to the support center staff so more intelligent and accurate problem resolution can take place over the phone. Diagnostic discussions can now take place such as “Well, Mr. Smith, I see why Microsoft Excel won’t run, you now only have 4 mbs of memory. Do you know what happened to the other 28 mbs of memory?”
- 12. Page 12 Dynamic Asset Insight - 2 • Desktop monitoring keeps the information on the asset up to date in the IT Asset Repository, making it available for applications such as Decision Support. • Accurate assessments of migration planning – – for example, knowing the exact cost of moving the enterprise to a new desktop application or upgrading versions involves knowing the incidental costs, such as which platforms need processor or memory upgrades, or which platform already has some version of the software. • Accurate software license management – enables some avoidance by knowing when an upgrade license is needed as opposed to buying a new license. – reduce enterprise liability by being able to detect illegal copies of software, – harvest unused licenses and reduce the procurement of unnecessary licenses.
- 13. Page 13 Dynamic Asset Insight - 3 • Another application of Dynamic Asset Insight is the software metering application. • This can provide such information as what platforms are actually using the loaded software applications, and how much time is spent with different features of the software. • Decision support – When to move to server-based concurrent licenses, where the number of users can be more realistically calculated, – Decide what users need more training on the applications they use most, or on features of the applications they are not using.
- 14. Page 14 Summary • The vision of Enterprise IT Asset Management is one that reaches from traditional enterprise business systems down to the desktop • Reach is both in support processes and architectural integration to the business systems • And enhanced by a common culture of IT excellence