IBM Control Desk
IT Hardware Assets & Software License Management – Workshop
Self-facilitated
Plan
Acquire
Retire
Deploy
Manage
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IBM Systems Middleware
© 2015 IBM Corporation
Why You Should Use This Deck
 Your company has recently purchased IBM Control Desk.
 Successfully deploying an implementation of an asset and or license management system
is more than just an install of the software.
 Conducting a workshop to design and define the management processes and the use and
configuration of the new tool set are steps in the overall methodology of software
implementations.
 The deck is built with a focus on the IT asset life cycle.
• The IT Asset Lifecycle is supported by use cases and a known maturity model, these are all used for
the workshop discussions and design. These are tools to think through and understand a process from
a user’s perspective, and the standard procedures for the business to be effective.
 Workshops allow stakeholders and all user levels to come together to define business
processes, which in turn helps ensure adoption of the new software/project.
• Ensure that you include all the stakeholders in the planned workshop
 To ensure faster agreement of new process changes.
 Establish project focus, ownership and drive momentum.
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How to Use This Deck
 This deck is designed to facilitate a workshop and to be used in a group setting.
• The slides should facilitate discussion and ensure design and configuration decisions.
• The collaborative workshop should take a day or two days to ensure complete design.
 The workshop should be more than talking about current processes, it is a focus on
improving and aligning proven procedures, improving maturity and ensuring a design of
IBM Control Desk to support the business.
• Do not recreate current tool capabilities into IBM Control Desk, this will produce failure before you
start.
• Always assess and ask “why?” when appraising current processes. Be cognizant of what works and
what doesn’t. Build on what works in your current processes, do not be afraid to reconstruct what does
not work!
 The life cycle slides are not designed to ask every question for each phase, they are meant
to focus the group on what processes are necessary, and how to design the software for
the implementation.
• Before the workshop, understand the maturity model to the best of your ability and remove the levels
of the maturity model you will not need to focus on.
• The deck is NOT built to work with all levels of the maturity model, that would not produce usable
outputs.
 Draw diagrams, write on whiteboards or present diagrams/documents to help illustrate
points or relay information among the attendees.
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To Be Completed before the Workshop
 Establish or determine the maturity level of your organization’s overall IT asset and software
processes. This deck is designed to focus the workshop on your maturity level.
o Maturity Models can be located in the provided document embedded here and also
in the reference section of this power point.
o It is possible that each process is not of the overall level of maturity for your processes. If so it is ok to
use the model construct for a single process in a different level of maturity.
o Once the overall maturity level is understood, Please remove the other maturity level details from
slides 14-15, 18-19, 22-23, 26,27, 30-31. Such that you would remain with only 1 maturity slide per life
cycle phase.
 Ensure the base data design is complete or ensure during this workshop the focus can be to
also define the base data.
o If the IBM Control Desk base data design is complete it should be understood by attendees (details on
Base Data in Project Configure link in notes section below)
 Have the facilitators read the items noted in the pre-read list (list in note section below)

Collect any current documentation or diagrams on current processes to reference during
discussion. > If you will use your own use cases be sure to update the use case slides.

Consider using the Process Content Packs, if you determine their use, understand the
impact on the workshop decisions and design.
Process Content Packs - Informational

Ensure Design Document is updated as part of the workshop! See embedded doc.
•
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Identify a documenter for the workshop and provide them this Design Document.
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The Next Slides Should Be Used in the Actual Workshop !
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Define Project Objectives, Goal, and Mission
 Describe and document the mission – Where do you want to be?
• Understand your strategy for hardware & software asset management and how it fits into the wider
operational & business context.
o Does it align to the overall business goals?
• This is a critical step for all attendees, to ensure all in the organization are in agreement of the goal
and objectives
• Ensure this mission is agreed to at the executive level
• This drives the overall project and approach
 The Maturity Models provide goals, they are very simple in how they are stated, it
could give a jumping off point for how to set your goals or mission looking ahead
to the next level of the maturity structure.
 Measure for success - How do you know you made it?
• This does not need to be endless metrics but you need to be able to measure the success, or steps.
• Examples:
o All assets are recorded in the database, including where, and who is using it.
o Hardware and software are viewed as a grouping of assets, but linked for use
o Refreshes are planned, executed and worked within the timeline of the plan, exceeding customer
expectations on replacements.
o Disposed of assets (retired) are properly recorded, data secure and removed from site, timely.
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High Level Discussion Topics
 Are there shortcomings of processes or capabilities that should be discussed & what priority
should they be addressed in this project?
• It may not be possible to tackle them all so priority is key
• Do not try and rebuild old tool in new tool, you will carry the shortcomings with you.
 Are your hardware and software processes interlocked in flow, teams, roles and disciplines?
 What data if any will need to be migrated from existing tools (assets, licenses,
categorization, organization, item lists, cost centers, locations, work groups)?
 Are there any regulatory (SOXS), audit compliance or best practice (ISO19770, ISO2000,
ITIL, COBIT) requirements that must be met?
• If yes, who is the stakeholders or interested parties, that can ensure compliance?
 Does the project have in scope items or exclusions?
• Ensure they are documented and adhered to throughout workshop session.
 What metrics, SLA, KPIs & reports are produced now, and what is required additionally
going forward? How does the process perform against targets today?
• Do not recreate reports just to create them, validate they are needed as many reports
exist in legacy systems that are unused or of no value with next or current processes.
 Integrations, are the necessary or a nice to have?
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Next Few Slides are focused on Designing with the Asset & Software Lifecycle
 Slides 10 – 29 are slides that focus on each phase of the Asset & Software Lifecycle.
• Plan, Acquire, Deploy, Manage, Retire
 For each phase of the lifecycle, there are several slides which will drive your discussion with
a focus on use cases, questions about the use cases, as well questions to focus on the
maturity of your processes in this phase.
 If your business already has use cases defined, use them in conjunction with the discussion
and corresponding lifecycle phase.
 If only a list of requirements exists and not use cases, it is suggested to utilize the use
cases provided in conjunction with the provided slides.
• It is not recommended to base design on only a requirements list. This can cause the
tool not to flow based on user tasks and cause user dissatisfaction.
 The high level questions apply to all lifecycle steps, use cases and model levels to help
foster discussion points and design for proper tool configurations.
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Asset Management Lifecycle
Plan
Acquire
Control
Retire
Audit
Reconcile
Deploy
Manage
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© 2015 IBM Corporation
Life Cycle Phase of Planning & Purchasing
Planning & Purchasing Overview
• Asset Procurement Planning
• Requisitions
• Vendor Management
• Quotes
• Purchase Orders
Plan
Acquire
Control
Retire
Hardware Use Cases
• For a new asset request, it is necessary to plan as the requests come or
anticipate based on asset data and knowledge of the coming requests. It is
necessary to ensure enough assets for a coming timeframe or just in time
delivery.
Audit
Reconcile
Deploy
Manage
• As an asset manager it is necessary to replenish the asset stock, either just in
time or periodically, through planning & a predefined purchase process.
• The Asset & Software Manager(s) must be able to view, analyze the asset
data, to do this they must have a dash board or way to ensure data visibility,
control and maintenance.
Software Use Cases
• A common software request is that of a new license agreement for new of
additional software, this process must ensure strict flow and controls to ensure
compliance, no over buying and ensure software use and productivity.
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Attention
The next three slides focus on the Plan
phase of the lifecycle. This slide depicts
what high level processes are managed
in the Plan phase.
Reminder it is not necessary to use all
questions from within the maturity
structure, be sure and use the level of
questions that best aligns to your
businesses level of maturity for planning
and purchasing.
IBM Systems Middleware
© 2015 IBM Corporation
Plan
Acquire
Deploy
Manage
Retire
Discussion Questions
• Using the Use Cases from the previous slide as a reference, work through these questions as a group
• This is not an exhaustive list, but can help ensure deep discussion for process, procedures, and establishing a design
for IBM Control Desk
• Note that Use Cases can be present across the life cycle phases, but will encompass the life cycle tasks or activities.
As you move through your design, you may visit a use case that is across many phases.

How structured are your requests for new asset(s) or software license(s) processes? Are there standards, lists and do you
leverage a self-service requesting approach?

Are the systems (tools) for Management and procurement the same system or are they integrated? If Integrated, which
system is the system of record for “lists” and standards?

What are the Roles that are interlocked to the approval process and does it occur at a planning phase or at the Acquire
phase?

Is budgeting a yearly task and if so does IT have control of spend after the budget cycle?

How does the asset process/tools support the planning cycle, are PC counts and percentages of refresh and retirements
calculated for budget /spend?

Is it possible planning is does at each asset or license request?

Are purchase orders created for a bulk buys? Or are your main vendors/suppliers at least aware of possible need for
upcoming year?

What data is drawn (extracted/viewed) from the system to support the planning of hardware need for a coming timeframe?
Is data reviewed from the system or extracted for Licenses when bought, or also when renewed and renegotiated?

What data is necessary to be readily available for the asset and software managers to ensure visibility, control and ongoing
maintenance of the asset and license portfolios?
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Plan
Acquire
Deploy
Manage
Retire
Maturity Level
• Based on your organization’s level in maturity for the Plan phase of the lifecycle, discuss and allow the
questions to influence the design or configuration requirements.
• Do not use all levels of the model as it will result in a poor design.
• It is valid to take 1 or more process through questions in a different level, as they may be more advanced, but
ensure if it should be your motivation to move all processes up a level? Can this be achieved without issue?
1. HW - Chaotic (Uncontrolled environment ) || SW - Basic (Ad hoc)
• Can you define a somewhat repeatable planning process with this tool with the resources you have? Such as 4 times a
year asset counts are reviewed and discussed for what IT assets or licenses may be needed for the next month or
quarter?
• Could asset counts of types be a focus for the first phase of the project with a goal towards , ensuring all are assigned to
a owner or custodian throughout the year?
• Could licenses be reviewed quarterly for upcoming renewal/maintenance fees being due? If so how might that drive
towards repeatable process for procurement activities
2. HW - Reactive ( Limited accountability ) || SW – Standardized (Tracking)
• How might the tool and processes ensure the ability to produce a report or accurate asset, count, who has it, where it is
used and what sort of software exists for planning what may need to be changed or updated in a given time?
• Is there any discovery source, that could be viewed independently to understand single asset data views when necessary
by the asset manager or team? In order to plan replacement?
• Does the discovery tool provide any insight into software deployed in the business environment? To start to establish a
list of vendors of software supplied by them and may need to be covered under maintenance, thus there is a cost that
needs to be known, for financial knowledge?
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Plan
Acquire
Deploy
Manage
Retire
Maturity Level (continued) (It is not necessary to use all questions in each level of maturity)
3. HW - Proactive (Life cycle focused ) || SW – Standardized (Tracking)

Are there dedicated staff providing visibility to the “needs” of the IT assets and licenses in the planning phase whether that be
daily, yearly or quarterly?

Is there a documented process followed by any and all resources to understand what needs to be “planned” for in a future time
frame? Even if that time frame is next week?

Are there controls in place before a vendor may be used for purchasing from?

How might license data be understood or viewed should new project be considered? Is the tool providing visibility through a
structured process?
4. HW - Service Oriented (Service level management) || SW – Rationalized (Policies, Procedures…)

Do you have agreements in place with finance or leadership for planning and defining IT asset or software need for a given
time frame? (yearly is common)

Are there pre-defined rules or practices in place for the refresh, replacement processes, which support planning and enable
purchasing to team to negotiate bulk or strong vendor deal?

Does your Software team or manager review and discuss license agreements with business owners well in advance to plan for
vendor and contract negotiations to help reduce ongoing or capital costs?
5. HW - Value Creation (Cost recovery) || SW – Dynamic (Service Oriented)

Are the business units or departments directly linked into the Planning for assets or licenses such as defining who or what
must be refreshed based on business projects or goals?

Is there on going review and discussions for ensuring the planning processes are effective and adapting to business projects?

Does the planning process by the IT Asset Manager or Software Manager include the level of employee productivity when
considering a refresh or new software license, such as updating or changing out financial software or pcs to ensure the
IBM Systems Middleware
financial team delivers on their mission and are productive?
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Acquisition & Commissioning
Acquisition & Commissioning Overview
•
•
•
•
Plan
Asset and software Receipt & Inspection
Asset Returns
Commissioning and Trial Run
Asset & Software Registration/Recording
Hardware Use Cases
• For a new hardware asset request, a purchase order will be created to facilitate the
acquisition either singly or in bulk, this flows next to the receipt of the goods to ensure
the order is properly fulfilled, or partially received. In the asset tool this would at least
signify the receipt of the box(es) if not the asset shell and serial numbers.
Acquire
Control
Retire
Audit
Reconcile
Deploy
Manage
• As an asset manager it is necessary to replenish the asset stock, either just in time or
periodically, leveraging a predefined purchase order and receipt process. Receipt often
sets off automation or control to the next step.
• An Asset Manager needs a view into the open orders to ensure vendor compliance and
agreements, the timely action of receipt is critical to this visibility, control and
maintenance.
Software Use Cases
• An end user Request of software automated or manual can result in a purchase of a
license or simply the allocation of one, if the new license is received it is necessary to
ensure it is recorded and controlled for deployment.
• A request for Operational software (server based) often a need for acquiring additional
licenses which can trigger the procurement and receipt process. It is critical to record
this receipt as the license can quickly be allocated at point of receipt.
• A common software request is that of a new license agreement for new or additional
software, this can often result in new purchase orders for the software licenses as this
is a new agreement and could be a new vendor.
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Attention
The next three slides focus on the
Acquire phase of the lifecycle. This slide
depicts what high level processes are
managed in the Plan phase.
Reminder it is not necessary to use all
questions from within the maturity
structure, be sure and use the level of
questions that best aligns to your
businesses level of maturity for planning
and purchasing.
IBM Systems Middleware
© 2015 IBM Corporation
Plan
Acquire
Deploy
Manage
Retire
Discussion Questions
• Using the Use Cases from the previous slide as a reference, work through these questions as a group
• This is not an exhaustive list, but can help ensure deep discussion for process, procedures, and establishing a design
for IBM Control Desk
• Note that Use Cases can be present across the life cycle phases, but will encompass the life cycle tasks or activities.
As you move through your design, you may visit a use case that is across many phases.
 Are there defined receiving processes? To ensure accuracy of vendor delivery?
 Are the roles and responsibilities clear and defined to ensure segmentation of duty? (prevent theft in
process?)
 How is the receipt of goods notified with appropriate parties such as Asset manager? (manual?)
 How are license keys with software Secured or recorded in the receiving process for new or additional
licenses?
 Are the tasks of receiving recorded and so systems can update and kick on next steps such as the
implementation of server software ? Change management processes?
 If an IT asset must be returned, are the processes defined to ensure procurement is notified for
replacement?
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Plan
Acquire
Deploy
Manage
Retire
Maturity Level
• Based on your organization’s level in maturity for the Acquire phase of the lifecycle, discuss and allow
the questions to influence the design or configuration requirements.
• Do not use all levels of the model as it will result in a poor design.
• It is valid to take 1 or more process through questions in a different level, as they may be more advanced, but
ensure if it should be your motivation to move all processes up a level? Can this be achieved without issue?
1. HW - Chaotic (Uncontrolled environment ) || SW - Basic (Ad hoc)
• Are receipts completed by who ever took the box from shipper?
• Is there any documentation of where software is stored once media is received if physical media?
• Are counts verified at any time in the receipt process?
• How are returns recorded and tracked for replacement?
2. HW - Reactive ( Limited accountability ) || SW – Standardized (Tracking)
• Are there roles and accountability in the receiving process?
• Is any data of the asset recorded in a system of record?
• Is the next person in the process or step noted so tasks can being?
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Plan
Acquire
Deploy
Manage
Retire
Maturity Level (continued) (It is not necessary to use all questions in each level of maturity)
3. HW - Proactive (Life cycle focused ) || SW – Standardized (Tracking)
•
•
•
•
Are assets created at point of receipt, or through a discovery tool?
Does the discovery tool update any part of the asset record before allocation?
Is there a clear cut procedure for advising finance of the items receipt to be added to the “books” for
depreciation or accounting?
If new software is received are there any controls to ensure license and documentation is scanned or
securely stored?
4. HW - Service Oriented (Service level management) || SW – Rationalized (Policies, Procedures…)
• Are vendors monitored for receipt and shipping agreement metrics? Accounted and recorded for vendor
discussions, or performance review?
• Does the vendor work directly with receiving resources to ensure just in time inventory?
• Are the assets created and recorded through scanning or an automated data upload from vendor file?
• Are software updates and media received and recorded as part of the overall software vendor contract
and agreement?
5. HW - Value Creation (Cost recovery) || SW – Dynamic (Service Oriented)
• Is the receiving process integrated into any other connected system such as the financial system so no
manual steps for alerts are needed?
• Is the change or work system interconnected to the receipt system to ensure software and hardware next
steps are kicked off via any automation?
• If an item is returned is the deficiency documented for measurement of vendor performance?
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Deployment: Allocation & Tracking
Deployment, Allocation & Tracking Overview
• Asset Allocation Planning & Workflows
• IMAC (Install, Move, Adds, Changes) Planning & Assignment
• Asset Movement/Transfer Planning and Execution
• Plan vs. Actual Analysis
• Asset Utilization reports
Retire
Hardware Use Cases
• When the request for a new asset is ready for deployment, the software build, who,
where and when the physical delivery will be arrange with the requestor.
• Deploying multiple assets during the Asset Refresh Process will entail the
management of many physical deliveries, accurate recording of data to ensure data
records are maintained with deployment activities.
• The Asset Manager has extensive need for visibility, control and maintenance, to
ensure the physical delivery of the assets and software are being executed timely
and the data maintained accurately.
Software Use Cases
• The deployment of Software may likely be automated through a distribution tool , or
a manual down load by an end user. It is critical the data is updated.
• The deployment of Operational software when requested is typically controlled
through the change process, It is critical the data is updated, to reflect this.
• A New License agreement enables the business to deploy additional software into
the business. The license agreement may only kick of a new request for who will
get the software that is bought from the agreement, or may be the deployment
vehicle to the physical allocation of the actual software.
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Plan
Acquire
Control
Audit
Reconcil
e
Deploy
Manage
Attention
The next three slides focus on the Deploy
phase of the lifecycle. This slide depicts
what high level processes are managed
in the Plan phase.
Reminder it is not necessary to use all
questions from within the maturity
structure, be sure and use the level of
questions that best aligns to your
businesses level of maturity for planning
and purchasing.
IBM Systems Middleware
© 2015 IBM Corporation
Plan
Acquire
Deploy
Manage
Retire
Discussion Questions
• Using the Use Cases from the previous slide as a reference, work through these questions as a group
• This is not an exhaustive list, but can help ensure deep discussion for process, procedures, and establishing a design
for IBM Control Desk
• Note that Use Cases can be present across the life cycle phases, but will encompass the life cycle tasks or activities.
As you move through your design, you may visit a use case that is across many phases.
 Are there defined and repeatable processes for the allocation of software or hardware? Such as a
work tracking system?
 Are assets identified as being next up for a deployment? Oldest first, or specific machine for
specific role?
 Is allocation work monitored for completion and timeliness?
 Are there predefined “tasks” or plans followed as part of the allocation process?
 Are there specific persons or roles defined for the deployment processes?
 Is the number of allocations and asset movements planned based on number of work requests or
resources?
 If the software is deployed by change analysts or specialist, is this work tracked or transitioned to
other systems via automation?
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Plan
Acquire
Deploy
Manage
Retire
Maturity Level
• Based on your organization’s level in maturity for the Deploy phase of the lifecycle, discuss and allow
the questions to influence the design or configuration requirements.
• Do not use all levels of the model as it will result in a poor design.
• It is valid to take 1 or more process through questions in a different level, as they may be more advanced, but
ensure if it should be your motivation to move all processes up a level? Can this be achieved without issue?
1. HW - Chaotic (Uncontrolled environment ) || SW - Basic (Ad hoc)
•
•
•
•
Is allocation tasks assigned to resources in a “system” of any kind?
Are volumes of allocations or work known or planned for?
Are each allocation ad hoc, no defined steps?
Does each resource allocate differently? What impact does this have on planning or delivery?
2. HW - Reactive ( Limited accountability ) || SW – Standardized (Tracking)
• Is the asset change or transfer recorded and planned for resource load?
• Is there any defined repeatable allocation steps?
• Are resources identified for allocation work, to ensure load and delivery expectations?
• Is Software installs or downloads connected to other business processes, change management?
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Plan
Acquire
Deploy
Manage
Retire
Maturity Level (continued) (It is not necessary to use all questions in each level of maturity)
3. HW - Proactive (Life cycle focused ) || SW – Standardized (Tracking)
• Is the asset manager actively able to view and manage work orders (allocation tasks)?
• Is the manager able to update and alter work allocations as necessary?
• Are the documented steps of allocations defined?
• Does the allocation resource understand time expectations and steps? Are the repeated by all resources?
• Is the Software manager made aware of software downloads, allocations and work efforts for software deployments
regardless of resource team?
4. HW - Service Oriented (Service level management) || SW – Rationalized (Policies, Procedures…)
• Are the deployments delivered based on service level agreements?
• Are surveys or reviews conducted of the time to delivery compared to plan?
• Is the allocation time and effort recognized as part of the Total cost of the asset lifecycle?
• Is the allocation directly tied to a financial system for the asset to be known as in service? Some high cost software and
hardware do not begin depreciation till in service?
5. HW - Value Creation (Cost recovery) || SW – Dynamic (Service Oriented)
• Does the asset system automatically update asset data at time of deployment?
• Can allocations be shuffled based on other project work in the work tracking system?
• Is there a discovery system in place to “reconcile” and ensure allocations and assets are online/in-service?
• Does the allocation work begin to establish the effectiveness of the asset processes?
• If cost recovery is used is the cost of allocation part of the recovery over the life of the asset or 1 time cost?
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Management: Maintenance & Compliance
Management, Maintenance & Compliance Overview
• Updates and Maintenance Planning
• Asset issued for Maintenance/ Repairs
• Software Updates
• Alerts and Reminders
• Asset Audits
• Maintenance and Asset health analysis reports
Plan
Control
Hardware Use Cases
• During the life of an asset it is possible for the status to change such as broken,
lost, stolen. It is vital for the correct actions and data updates to take place to
ensure the asset repository reflects the current state.
• The Asset Refresh Process can be quite extensive in data changes and updates,
and it is critical to ensure as the process flows the software data is maintained,
and the new asset is allocated.
• Since much of the data analysis is done by the Asset or Software Manager during
the asset phase of manage it is vital that data accuracy is ensured during this
phase to provide strong visibility, control to the manager.
• Using a discovery tool for reconciliation and asset accountability, during the
manage phase allows the asset or software teams a way to validate and ensure
the environment is as they set the asset repository to be during their activities of
asset maintenance or upkeep.
Software Use Cases
• As an end user determines software is no longer needed and Returns the software
back to the pool for use. Data Accuracy and uninstall is vital for compliance.
• During the life of a software license agreement it can have many changes and it is
imperative to Update License(s) to ensure compliance, reduce cost if possible and
to continually review software for use and productivity in the business.
• Determining if the environment is as the data repository says can occur through
the process of Reconciliation , a discovery source can be helpful in this case
otherwise the need for physical inventory and counts are necessary.
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Acquire
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Retire
Audit
Reconcile
Deploy
Manage
Attention
The next three slides focus on the
Manage phase of the lifecycle. This slide
depicts what high level processes are
managed in the Plan phase.
Reminder it is not necessary to use all
questions from within the maturity
structure, be sure and use the level of
questions that best aligns to your
businesses level of maturity for planning
and purchasing.
IBM Systems Middleware
© 2015 IBM Corporation
Plan
Acquire
Deploy
Manage
Retire
Discussion Questions
• Using the Use Cases from the previous slide as a reference, work through these questions as a group
• This is not an exhaustive list, but can help ensure deep discussion for process, procedures, and establishing a design
for IBM Control Desk
• Note that Use Cases can be present across the life cycle phases, but will encompass the life cycle tasks or activities.
As you move through your design, you may visit a use case that is across many phases.

Is there defined processes to handle updates (IMAC) refresh, lost or fix? Does the system of record reflect
current asset state?

Is the manager or IT specialists able to see when an asset is repaired and ready for return to user? Does
the process enable the user in another way? (Loaner, training machine access)

Is the discovery source “linking” to newly deployed assets and providing view to installed software and
configuration?

Are there predefined work plans for Fix, stolen and refresh?

Are there steps to ensure continuous updating and data accuracy to ensure accurate and effective
management of the assets?

Are there specific persons or roles defined for the maintenance processes (IMAC)?

Is there an overall plan to ensure assets are refreshed based on need, age, software deployments, or
projects?

How is software maintenance ensured, updates, new installs, returns and ensure data accuracy and
reconciliation with what is owned and allocated?

Does a discovery source enable review of software usage not just installations to ensure licenses are truly
used not just deployed?

Is the business (users) involved in helping keep assets correctly assigned and actively returning software as
and when not needed?
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Plan
Acquire
Deploy
Manage
Retire
Maturity Level
• Based on your organization’s level in maturity for the Manage phase of the lifecycle, discuss and allow
the questions to influence the design or configuration requirements.
• Do not use all levels of the model as it will result in a poor design.
• It is valid to take 1 or more process through questions in a different level, as they may be more advanced, but
ensure if it should be your motivation to move all processes up a level? Can this be achieved without issue?
1.
HW - Chaotic (Uncontrolled environment ) || SW - Basic (Ad hoc)
• Does any person or group have responsibility for ensuring data “system” is kept up to date for what it
equipment is maintained by the business?
• Is there an attempt to ensure you know who has what? Periodically ?
• Are broken assets repaired through a systematic process?
• Is all asset/license data “tribal” knowledge, known by one? Is this “one” in the business or in IT?
2. HW - Reactive ( Limited accountability ) || SW – Standardized (Tracking)
• Are asset refresh updates preplanned? Is the data kept current for who has what as the items are
switched out?
• Does the system of record identify those assets recently stolen or lost?
• Is there a discovery tool enabling any part of your asset counts or refresh process for knowing the “setup”
of equipment?
• Is software allocated to persons or business units?
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Plan
Acquire
Deploy
Manage
Retire
Maturity Level (continued) (It is not necessary to use all questions in each level of maturity)
3.
HW - Proactive (Life cycle focused ) || SW – Standardized (Tracking)
• Are the broken, stolen and refresh processes defined, documented and followed?
• Is the IMAC data maintained for these statuses of IT assets?
• Is software licenses or agreements recorded in a system of record for who the business owner is for
financial and contract review?
• Are software allocations assigned to a system or person to ensure license compliance and use?
• Are the refresh, lost, broken processes “interconnected” to financial processes or through a system
connection? To ensure financial asset control?
4. HW - Service Oriented (Service level management) || SW – Rationalized (Policies, Procedures…)
• Are there defined metrics or agreements in place for timely replacements for the refresh process? Is the
process repeatable ?
• Are the suppliers able to timely respond/deliver when a stolen or lost situation occurs? (Just in time
inventory?)
• When software is needed is the process standardized and connected to the financial or procurement
system for automation of the request or purchase.
• Does the manager or group focus on service delivery feedback from the business and customers?
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5. HW - Value Creation (Cost recovery) || SW – Dynamic (Service Oriented)
• Does the IMAC processes factor into the cost recovery you may process?
• Does the discovery tool bring into the “system” details of the assets and software that ensure data
analysis and accuracy?
• Is any of the maintenance, or IMAC activities supported and changed or updated based on decisions
from analytics or data review?
• Does the asset and software data in the system of record, support review of assets and software to
ensure assets and software is updated, changed out to improve user/customer productivity?
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Retirement: Disposing & Reconditioning
Retirement, Disposal and Reconditioning Overview
•
•
•
•
Plan
Asset Retirement Planning
Asset Decommissioning
Re-inspection and Re-admission
Reporting, Analysis
Acquire
Control
Retire
Hardware Use Cases
• Today regulations help drive and control the Asset Disposal Processes ( identify,
gather and dispose), in our businesses today, the asset system or resources need
to be able to identify the assets pending disposal, the readiness of them and the
actual disposal process to ensure data protection and proper disposal steps.
Audit
Reconcile
Deploy
Manage
• As an Asset Manager it is necessary to be able to quickly view or report on what
has been disposed of, what is pending to be disposed and the volumes in order to
make business decisions on the approach, this includes (visibility, control and
maintenance) of the assets even after they have departed the business.
Software Use Cases
• To ensure the process of Sunset of a License the business needs to ensure it is no
longer on any asset in the business, as well as not being requested any longer.
These actions are key to ensuring the business is only paying for software and
maintenance for those software that provide business value.
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Attention
The next three slides focus on the Retire
phase of the lifecycle. This slide depicts
what high level processes are managed
in the Plan phase.
Reminder it is not necessary to use all
questions from within the maturity
structure, be sure and use the level of
questions that best aligns to your
businesses level of maturity for planning
and purchasing.
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© 2015 IBM Corporation
Plan
Acquire
Deploy
Manage
Retire
Discussion Questions
• Using the Use Cases from the previous slide as a reference, work through these questions as a group
• This is not an exhaustive list, but can help ensure deep discussion for process, procedures, and establishing a design
for IBM Control Desk
• Note that Use Cases can be present across the life cycle phases, but will encompass the life cycle tasks or activities.
As you move through your design, you may visit a use case that is across many phases.
 Is the retirement of assets part of the planning process?
 Is the manager or ITAM resources able to gather quickly the list of assets, that are being
readied for retirement (leaving the business?)
 Are the “technical processes documented to ensure data protection and asset
decommissioning is being followed for regulations?
 Is it possible to create a report for upcoming assets being handed over to the
decommissioning 3rd party ?
 When software is sunset for use in the business, is there a standardized process for ensuring
all licenses are removed from the assets within the business?
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Plan
Acquire
Deploy
Manage
Retire
Maturity Level
• Based on your organization’s level in maturity for the Retire phase of the lifecycle, discuss and allow
the questions to influence the design or configuration requirements.
• Do not use all levels of the model as it will result in a poor design.
• It is valid to take 1 or more process through questions in a different level, as they may be more advanced, but
ensure if it should be your motivation to move all processes up a level? Can this be achieved without issue?
1.
HW - Chaotic (Uncontrolled environment ) || SW - Basic (Ad hoc)
• Are assets retired when the closet or storage is simply unable to hold any more assets?
• Are there standard processes for ensuring asset security and clearing?
• Are asset lists created when assets are handed over to a 3rd party for disposal ?
• Is Software Sunset in the business today?
2. HW - Reactive ( Limited accountability ) || SW – Standardized (Tracking)
• Are assets reconciled with a discovery tool to ensure none are reporting in before retirement?
• Is a physical report or list created or retrieved to ensure the correct assets are retired?
• Are the technical steps followed to ensure the data has been removed from the asset?
• Are there software processes established to ensure any licenses that can be re-used are placed back
into the system of record or assigned back to the user?
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Plan
Acquire
Deploy
Manage
Retire
Maturity Level (continued) (It is not necessary to use all questions in each level of maturity)
3.
HW - Proactive (Life cycle focused ) || SW – Standardized (Tracking)
• Are the dedicated team and resources planning for the retirement throughout the asset lifecycle and
planning phase?
• Are the resources or the processes interlocked to the financial and service desk processes to ensure
assets are being retired?
• Is the decommissioning process documented and followed by each resource similarly?
• Is the report for the retiring assets pre run and used as a check list?
• For software that must be sunset, can the software manager run reports for upcoming assets to ensure
software review and movement to allocated assets and persons?
4. HW - Service Oriented (Service level management) || SW – Rationalized (Policies, Procedures…)
• Can the IT Manager run metrics or service delivery reports or analysis, for retirements and their
frequency or effectiveness?
• Is the retirement of the assets systematically processed to the financial system to be “off the books”?
• If software is being sunset, is there an interlock to the business or the financial team to ensure it has
been retired on the capital books and the allocations of costs are complete?
5. HW - Value Creation (Cost recovery) || SW – Dynamic (Service Oriented)
• Does the discovery system support the retirement process to ensure asset is removed from “system”?
• Are the assets being prepped for retirement are they clearly defined in the asset tool?
• For Service desk agents are they being notified by a system or person to ensure “correct” level of support
on software that is being sunset?
• Is the business (users) driving the need for sun setting software or retirement of assets based on
productivity to their business work?
• Can the management make business decisions (analytics) based on when software or assets will be
retired ? Such as Windows 10 being rolled out but is not supported on older pcs?
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Workshop - Wrap Up
 Ensure you have defined the data sets for the fields and data noted in the design
document?
 Have all use case flows been defined and no action items?
 Are there any necessary fields to be added to the user interface? Be sure the
documentation has recorded these fields.
• How to decide what is mandatory?
 It is necessary to identify/discuss any required integrations for the
implementation.
• The required integration(s) should be noted in the design document.
• The overall design of the integration(s) should be a separate workshop, to allow the
inclusion of the technical resources.
 Verify with workshop attendees if there are any open items?
 Set date for validation of the design as it may take the documenter a few
hours/days to ensure completeness before distribution.
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Design Validation
 Once the design is complete and documentation is complete, ensure full
organizational buy-in/sign off on configurations.
• Have a quick working session to share and explain the design and approach with any
who may not have attended the workshop but will sign off on design.
 Once configuration of the software has begun, engage with the users (all roles) to
review early, often and always.
 Design/configuration validation should occur in varying systems such as
development and User Acceptance, or what ever the systems are called, which
are pre-production.
 Pre-production system(s) should be configured based on the design document to
the exact letter.
• If configuration and tool capabilities conflict, the issue should be addressed straight away
with the full team if possible or if necessary.
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Next Steps
 Once validation is complete, configuration of the software should begin.
 Training: Determine any training approach that may be needed for the overall
project rollout.
 Consider and define a rollout strategy, for go live.
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Reference Slides
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IBM Systems Middleware
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Software Asset Management Optimization Model
Basic
Standardized
Ad hoc
Tracking Assets
Little control over
what IT assets are
being used and
where.
SAM processes exist
as well as tool/data
repository.
Information may not
be complete and
accurate and typically
not used for decision
making.
Lacks policies,
procedures,
resources and tools.
34
Rationalized
Active Management
Vision, policies,
procedures, and tools
are used to manage
IT S/W asset
lifecycle.
Reliable information
used to manage the
assets to business
targets.
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Dynamic
Optimized
Near real-time
alignment with
changing business
needs.
Business competitive
advantage through
SAM
.
IBM Systems Middleware
© 2015 IBM Corporation
Process Maturity Model - IT Asset Management
Chaotic
Reactive
Proactive
Uncontrolled environment
Limited accountability
Lifecycle focus
Goals
• “Just want to know what we
own, where it is, and who is using
it”
Goals
• Perform annual physical
inventory and periodic spot
audits
• One-time activity rather than
systematic process
• Report on asset counts, but
cannot produce solid detail data
to identify and resolve problems
Attributes
• No processes, dedicated
people or tools.
• No assigned
accountability or
accounting for changes
• Unpredictable services,
support and costs
• Purchasing is ad hoc
• Unused hardware and
software are not controlled
• Success depends on
quality of people, not
processes.
• Sub-optimization of
efforts occur.
Attributes
• Focus is on asset counting
• Employs physical
inventory & some auto
discovery recorded on
spreadsheets or in a
database
• Accountability lies with IS
organization but there is
ineffective change
accounting
• Hardware & software
view separately, not as
single complex asset
Service Oriented
Service level management
Value Creation
Cost Recovery
Goals
Goals
Goals
• “Clearly defined processes with
accountability that detail the
practical application of people,
processes and tools that support
the ITAM Program”
• Create SLAs for asset
management and use them as a
basis for planning
• Continuous process
improvement with improving
metrics
• ITAM data used for problem
prevention
• ITAM is a core business
process and business enabler
• Measurement of efficiency
(employee productivity) and
effectiveness (customer
satisfaction) of business
processes across all IT assets in
the enterprise.
• Effective change and
configuration management
processes
• ITAM projects use repeatable
processes that are well defined,
adhered to, reviewed, and reengineered when necessary.
• ITAM operations manual with
asset taxonomy produced and
maintained
Attributes
• IT Asset Program has
dedicated staff, reports to IS
& finance organizations
• ITAM with auto discovery
tools is integrated with
Service Desk
• Use of cross-functional
teams for major asset projects
• Lifecycle management
process goes from requisition,
deployment, to retirement
• Conduct periodic reviews of
service delivery quality
• Institute an enterprise
technology refresh plan for
replacement and retirement of
equipment
Attributes
• Metrics are available to
measure program value
• Services are delivered
according to SLA-based
plans
• TCO processes in place
• Automated requisition is
integrated with purchasing
& ERP systems
• Just in time inventory
practices used
Attributes
• There is a cost recovery
process
• Repository, auto
discovery, and asset-usage
tools are all in place
• Seamless integration with
strategic systems
• Decision support and
analytic tools available for
mining asset information
• Inventory system linked to
financial and contractual data
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