Best of Asset Tagging in ICT – For Better Management in 2022
Asset Tagging (Labeling) in ICT has become more of a demand than a challenge. Businesses often supply new gear to their employees to replace outdated older models. This has varying costs, just like how equipment is in demand. However, it is getting harder to maintain track of the lifecycle and location of company-owned assets as a result of the shift to remote working and rising demand for new technologies.
Companies must be able to keep track of assets, identify them, and ascertain the type of data they store due to the increasingly strict Data Protection rules and the quickly altering employment environment.
Particularly if the fundamental cause were to be due to inadequate measures relating to the management of IT equipment in circulation, losing client data and having it misused can seriously harm a brand’s reputation and weaken public trust. Let us discuss the best techniques for IT asset tagging by answering the following questions.
What are the benefits of Asset tagging in ICT?
Assets Tagging in information and communications technology has numerous advantages (ICT). Tagging assets makes it easier for users to find and access the information they need. It also aids in ensuring that the information is correct and up to date.
Assets Tagging can also aid in the management and organization of information technology resources. Administrators can ensure that all relevant information is available when and where it is needed by tracking the location and status of assets.
Finally, asset tagging can aid in improving the efficiency of ICT systems. Users can quickly find the information they require by identifying and categorizing assets. This can help save time and make navigation easier.
How can you effectively use Asset tagging in ICT for better management?
The process of associating digital objects with specific pieces of information, such as their name and location, is known as asset tagging. This process can be used to improve search and retrieval efficiency and make it easier for people to find the information they need.
In ICT, asset tagging can be used in a variety of ways. It can, for example, be used to organize and catalog digital objects. It can also be used to pinpoint the location of digital objects. It can also be used to track changes made to digital objects.
In ICT, asset tagging can be used in a variety of ways.
Why are assets tagged?
Through the use of tags, a business has given the option to create a rolling inventory based on the location and lifecycle of its hardware, as well as the potential stages at which any particular asset may be. By properly tagging assets, a company may distinguish between those that are brand new and those that might soon be decommissioned.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, equipment is being used in farther-flung areas, making it harder to implement the controls necessary for efficient asset management. But when done effectively, asset tagging will provide more information than just who might be using a specific gadget right now; it can also provide information on the item’s history, present location, and asset health, among other things. Even tracking warranty information can be done with asset labeling.
Data security is frequently the main concern when deciding whether to adopt an asset tagging program in firms that work with IT devices. Data that is sensitive to a company’s operations can be stolen and misused by criminal elements when IT hardware is stolen, lost accidentally, or disposed of improperly. Asset tagging prevents this by establishing a central inventory that can be followed and managed, regardless of where in the world that particular piece of IT equipment.
What are the best practices for IT asset tagging?
1- Focused Procedures
Every asset tagging project needs established guidelines that are precisely laid out in a way that makes it impossible to approach it incorrectly or leave room for error. The standards that must be followed by the entire workforce, across the board, are established by these mutually agreed-upon boundaries.
They must take care of:
- Who is in charge of managing assets?
- A transparent chain of custody for any deployment, transfer, or decommissioning
- What to do when reporting asset problems?
- Which assets are subject to tagging and tracking?
Your IT asset management teams will typically be in charge of enforcing these regulations, and they should also inform the rest of the workforce of them.
2- Inspect your inventory.
An inventory inspection requires the identification, tracking, and listing of every item of employer equipment, from high-risk items like laptops and hard drives to peripherals like mice and printers that, despite possibly posing a lower risk of loss to the business in terms of capital expenditure, must still be identified, tracked and listed. Running particular software that enables asset tracking can make this easier. You could, for instance:
Activate agent scans for installed software
To locate Windows-based devices on a network, perform a domain scan.
scan the network for Mac, Linux, and printers.
3- Incorporate pertinent details into your asset tags.
Each tag must have identification information, like:
- Model and make information
- original price
- Item details
- assigned division
- Identified user/owner
- Item age and condition
When ITAM teams evaluate equipment needs or status, this data will help them decide whether users need new equipment and help them start the life-cycle process for older asset returns.
4- Identify lifecycles when labeling assets.
Lifecycles have a direct impact on data security and performance. Low performance lowers an asset’s relative value, which reduces the possibility of any financial gain and raises the possibility that the asset will need to be fully disposed of. In turn, this raises the possibility of data leaks, which, if not handled securely and appropriately, could be dangerous. Effective planning in the future significantly lowers this risk and the cost to the company.
A lifecycle of an asset might resemble this:
Each step must fulfill specific requirements, such as the expected operability and usability throughout the asset’s lifecycle. If not, it will certainly be less effective to update the IT Asset Management teams on the status of the asset’s maintenance or replacement.
Asset tagging and tracking must be used consistently to stay up to date with the vast range of running assets because lifecycles will vary. Knowing when assets are nearing the end of their useful lives is crucial since this is when optimum handling methods are required to keep the company’s assets secure, compliant, and with the highest possible residual values.
What are Important tips for asset labels?
Cloud databases and physical barcodes or labels that can be put to assets and scanned to display the pertinent data instantly are only two of the many options for creating asset tags and storing them.
If you’re utilizing physical labels, they have to be simple to apply to moving or stationary assets. Labels should only contain a minimal amount of information in order to save space and increase usability. It should be sufficient to include your organization’s name and a number, barcode, or QR code that can be quickly found in a database that may house a large number of other devices.
Another thing to remember is each tag should include a number chain that’s unique enough to not be confused with another. Numbers should refrain from using zeros as this can cause software glitches. Number chains should be alphanumeric or be assigned with a specific identifier.
For example, if you’re tagging laptops, the number could be ‘LAP12345’. For human-readable tags make sure that you use suitable fonts, such as “serif” to enable easier differentiation between commonly confused characters, such as “1” & “I”.
Managing IT assets must consider every stage of an asset’s lifecycle. This means every IT Asset Management professional needs to consider secure IT asset disposition when implementing their compliance strategies. To learn more about why this matters, watch our webinar.
Why is IT Asset Disposition important for IT Asset Management?
The disposal of IT assets should be included in IT governance standards by enterprises to manage risks and control expenses. Businesses are frequently put in unnecessary danger when private information is misplaced or taken when assets are sold. Our webinar examines the ways in which ITAD may help to mitigate these risks, taking into account asset lifecycles and the ways in which ITAD can support ITAM deliverables.
Conclusion
The process of associating digital objects with specific pieces of information, such as their name and location, is known as asset tagging. It can be used to improve search and retrieval efficiency and make it easier for people to find the information they need. Tagging also aids in ensuring that the information is correct and up to date. Data security is frequently the main concern when deciding whether to adopt an asset tagging program. Data sensitive to a company’s operations can be stolen and misused by criminal elements.
Asset tagging prevents this by establishing a central inventory that can be followed and managed, regardless of where in the world that particular piece of IT equipment may be. Lifecycles have a direct impact on data security and performance. Knowing when assets are nearing the end of their useful lives is crucial. A lifecycle of an asset might resemble this: Each step must fulfill specific requirements, such as expected operability and usability throughout the asset’s lifecycle.
