Do you know the difference between software asset management and digital asset management? How about hardware asset management? Do you know what it is and if it’s worthwhile for your business to implement it? In this blog post, I’ll be outlining some of the things to consider when determining whether or not software asset management will help your business. It’s a complicated topic, especially since there are lots of different ways companies use it.
Software asset management (SAM) is a big topic in business. It’s not just about just protecting your systems from viruses and malware. It’s also about IT asset management, like making sure you spend you spend the right amount of money on software licensing. There are many software options for SAM which can make it confusing to sort through all your choices. I’ll break down my favorite SAM software options that I think will be best for small and large businesses alike. If you have any questions, or want me to elaborate on anything, just leave a comment below.
Asset Panda
Asset Panda prices out at 500 assets for $1,500 per year, including unlimited users, free applications with barcode scanning, customizable CSV import with field mapping, “premium” technical support, and custom reporting, making it our choice as the best value for asset management software. Pros
- Highly configurable dashboard
- Feature-rich mobile app with barcode scanning
- Can include images, videos, and voice recordings in data files
- Solid technical support
Cons
- Longer user learning curve
- No network discovery
Asset Panda is a cloud-based asset management system suitable for businesses of any type or size. Though it looks and feels like a turnkey solution, AMS is anything but that. In addition to offering premium features such as unlimited users and custom reporting, Asset Panda can easily be configured to meet any business’s niche requirements, all for $1,500 per 500 assets, making it our choice as the best value for asset management software.
Asset Panda is as complete a package as any business needs to track and manage its assets. Its inventory management module combines inventory and asset management under one platform and includes the ability to manage assets at multiple locations and moving between locations. Designated users may customize workflows for managed assets and inventory, which are easily tracked using UPCs or serial numbers.
Asset Panda also offers the ability to add photos, documents, and videos to asset data files, and users have access to some solid reporting options with built-in reports that allow for customization as needed. They also have a mobile app to scan bar codes and add assets on the fly, and it is completely integrated with the web application. The app can generate reports and also features mobile audit and GPS tracking. That’s an unusual amount of features for a mobile app.
The downside to Asset Panda is that, with its greater capacity to configure and customize comes a steeper learning curve. It can be more difficult for companies that don’t have internal IT support. However, the good news for small to mid-size businesses is that everyone is treated as premium users, with complete access to phone support. Users also have access to a web portal and an online knowledge base. Free training is included.
The 14-day free trial is short compared to others offering 30 or 45 days.
ManageEngine AssetExplorer
With its mature toolkit and abundance of advanced features, including top-notch reporting, unique relationship maps, and support for both physical and virtual assets, ManageEngine AssetExplorer is our choice as the best overall asset management software. Pros
- Feature-rich toolset with mature technology
- Easy setup
- Reasonably priced
- Familiar Windows-style user interface
Cons
- No mobile application
- Not for small businesses with limited IT staff
ManageEngine AssetExplorer is a web-based solution packed full of tools and features to handle all aspects of asset management, including inventory management, software license administration, compliance review, and more. With its mature technology, ease of setup, and reasonable price, ManageEngine AssetExplorer is our choice as the best overall asset management software.
For businesses new to asset management, ManageEngine AssetExplorer’s feature-rich toolset may seem a bit overwhelming. However, if you start with its 30-day free trial, you can shorten the learning curve. The setup can appear incredibly daunting with the excessive number of tabs and drop-down menus. But ManageEngine AssetExplorer includes an excellent Quick Links feature to help you stay focused on the tasks you need to complete.
It also helps that the interface has a Windows look and feel. Adding devices can also seem daunting due to the sheer number of choices. But the Windows Agent Configuration simplifies the process when using installed Windows Agents on new devices.
ManageEngine AssetExplorer’s mature technology shines through with its reporting capability. In addition to a few dozen pre-built reports, the system can export reports in multiple formats to include all past queries. You can also easily create completely customized reports. In addition to scheduling reports to run, they can be scheduled for email delivery to specific recipients.
A significant downside to ManageEngine AssetExplorer is the lack of a mobile application. While the program can be accessed on a mobile browser, its somewhat complicated user interface (UI) can make navigating on mobile devices more difficult. It’s okay for more straightforward tasks, such as handling repair tickets and troubleshooting on the road.
The starting price for ManageEngine AssetExplorer is $995 per year for 250 IT assets, but you have to contact ManageEngine for a detailed quote.
All ManageEngine AssetExplorer users have access to 24/7 technical support, which is another key differentiator. Its support for virtual hosts and virtual machines is also a rarity. The only downside is there is no support if you’re managing a lot of mobile devices, though there is support for voice-over-IP (VOIP) phones.
InvGate Assets
We chose InvGate Assets as the best asset management software for small to medium-size businesses with limited IT staff because it checks all the boxes, including easy setup, ease of use, advanced reporting, and remote desktop, all at a reasonable price. Pros
- Quick and easy setup
- Straightforward and easy-to-follow navigation
- Alarms can quickly show problems with assets
- Reasonably priced for small to mid-size businesses
Cons
- Limited reporting
InvGate Assets covers all the essential software and hardware bases for tracking assets and inventory and doing so with an easy installation and easy-to-use interface, making it our choice for the best asset management software for small to medium-size businesses.
Out of the box, InvGate Assets allows businesses to track their assets with features such as advanced reports, network discovery, remote desktop, change management, license management, software deployment, and software metering. InvGate shortens the user learning curve with a straightforward and easy-to-follow UI. The navigation for getting reports is as simple as conducting a regular search and then exporting the data to Microsoft Excel.
InvGate’s alert system is easy to set up, and it quickly notifies users of any problems with assets. They also use a straightforward approach to getting assets into the system, with a simple agent install on any machine or device to be tracked. The system supports clients using Windows, Mac OS, and even Linux.
The price you pay for InvGate Assets depends on the number of nodes you want to support. Nodes are only counted if an agent will be installed for the InvGate Assets application. Other access points, such as IP phones, printers, routers, and fax machines aren’t included in the nodes count.
They offer three plans—Insight, Service Desk, and Assets—but pricing is not readily available on their website. To get a quote, you must request it by filling out a form and having the company contact you.
InvGate support is ideal for businesses with limited IT staff that might need more handholding. Subscribers receive unlimited access to phone support and a web support portal that includes a self-service knowledge base. Users have access to documentation and can request assistance with problem reporting throughout the license period.
Ivanti IT Asset Management
For businesses wanting more flexibility in tracking key data points, Ivanti IT Asset Management offers many pre-built reports, which can be further customized based on personal queries. That makes Ivanti IT Asset Management our choice for the best custom reporting. Pros
- Mobile and desktop workspaces
- Familiar Windows-style interface
- Easy wizard setup
- Workflows and processes can be customized
- Several tech support options
Cons
- Does not offer a cloud-based service
- Lengthy, hardware-heavy installation process
- 24/7 phone support only available on premium plan
There are several reasons to like the feature-rich Ivanti IT Asset Management Suite. But the one that stands out for enterprises that want to quickly and explicitly highlight key data points is its reporting capability. With lots of pre-built reports available and the opportunity to build more queries, Ivanti IT Asset Management is our choice as the best custom reporting AMS.
Ivanti offers everything a business needs to accurately track and efficiently manage IT assets through their complete lifecycle, including asset discovery, financial management, software compliance, and license management. The setup uses a Windows-based interface, making it more intuitive for Windows users. The wizard follows a straightforward path to get you to your initial network scan for assets, with steps along the way to learn configuration and administration. After the initial scan, you can install agents on those machines.
Although Ivanti can tap into both mobile and desktop workspaces, it does not offer a cloud-based service, which means a more involved installation with minimum hardware requirements. For businesses that can manage an on-site installation, the upside is a faster response time for asset discovery and report generation. As previously mentioned, the reports quickly return information, even after manipulating queries to see more data.
Like many AMS providers, Ivanti’s pricing is based on the number of nodes that need support, and similar to InvGate Assets, Ivanti counts only the number of agents installed. So, IP phones, routers, and other network devices that can’t install an agent are not included in the asset count for determining the price. Ivanti does not publish its pricing but instead asks interested parties to contact them for an estimate.
Ivanti also offers a free trial of the Asset Management Suite. But since the trial software must be installed on a local server, you will need to confirm that your machines meet the minimum hardware requirements.
An Ivanti subscription includes access to technical support, including phone support, a web portal, and online self-service. For a premium, Ivanti offers a dedicated technical account manager’s support, with a target response time of 30 minutes or less. There is 24/7 phone support for critical issues, but this is only available with premium enterprise-level support.
Conclusion:
When it comes to small business, owning critical software can help save time and money. But what you need is not just the critical software, but also a digital asset management solution that lets you manage those assets at a lower cost.