With the increasing reliance on technology in all aspects of business, managing and maintaining IT hardware is a critical task. An effective IT hardware inventory management system can help organizations to improve their productivity, reduce costs, and minimize downtime due to hardware failure.
Related article: The 7 Best IT Asset Inventory Software
Why IT hardware inventory management tools are essential
- Cost Savings: Effective IT hardware inventory management tools can help organizations to save money. By providing accurate inventory information, businesses can avoid unnecessary hardware purchases and reduce the amount of time and resources spent on managing and maintaining their IT assets. They can also identify underutilized hardware and redistribute it to where it is needed, reducing the need for new purchases.
- Improved Productivity: In today’s fast-paced business environment, downtime due to hardware failure can be costly. Effective IT hardware inventory management tools can help organizations to minimize downtime by providing real-time information on the health and performance of their IT hardware. This can help businesses to proactively address potential issues before they become major problems, ensuring that their IT systems are always up and running.
- Better Security: IT hardware inventory management tools can also help organizations to improve their security posture. By maintaining an accurate inventory of all IT hardware, businesses can ensure that they are aware of all devices connected to their network. This can help to identify and address security vulnerabilities and reduce the risk of data breaches.
- Compliance: Many industries are subject to strict compliance requirements, and effective IT hardware inventory management tools can help businesses to meet these requirements. By maintaining accurate inventory information, organizations can demonstrate compliance with regulations and avoid penalties for non-compliance.
- Planning and Budgeting: Effective IT hardware inventory management tools can also help organizations to plan for the future and make informed decisions about their IT investments. By providing detailed inventory reports, businesses can identify trends and patterns in hardware usage, allowing them to anticipate future needs and budget accordingly.
So, with the ever-changing landscape of technology and the high cost of hardware, it’s essential to keep track of all the IT hardware in your organization. To help you do this effectively, there are a variety of IT hardware inventory management tools available. In this article, we’ll look at some of the best options out there.
The 8 Best IT Hardware Inventory Management Tools in 2023
SolarWinds N-central
SolarWinds N-central is a comprehensive IT management solution that includes hardware inventory management. This tool allows you to track all the hardware in your organization, including desktops, laptops, servers, and mobile devices. You can also track software licenses, warranty information, and other important details.
SolarWinds N-central has the ability to monitor hardware health. The tool can alert you if a device is experiencing issues, such as low disk space, high CPU usage, or failing hardware components. This allows you to proactively address issues before they become major problems.
Lansweeper
Lansweeper is another popular IT hardware inventory management tool. It allows you to scan your network and discover all the devices on it, including servers, switches, printers, and mobile devices. The tool also provides detailed information on each device, including hardware specifications, installed software, and warranty information.
Lansweeper can generate reports on hardware utilization. This can help you identify underutilized devices that could be repurposed or retired, as well as devices that are approaching the end of their useful life.
Snipe-IT
Snipe-IT is an open-source IT asset management tool that includes hardware inventory management. It allows you to track all the hardware in your organization, including desktops, laptops, servers, and mobile devices. You can also track software licenses, warranty information, and other important details.
One of the best features of Snipe-IT is its ease of use. The tool is designed to be user-friendly, with a simple interface that anyone can navigate. It also includes powerful reporting features, allowing you to generate detailed reports on hardware usage, inventory levels, and more.
Spiceworks Inventory
Spiceworks Inventory is a free IT inventory management tool that includes hardware inventory management. It allows you to discover all the devices on your network and track their hardware specifications, installed software, and warranty information. The tool also includes a help desk feature, allowing you to track IT support tickets.
One of the unique features of Spiceworks Inventory is its ability to track cloud services. This can be useful for organizations that use cloud-based services, such as AWS or Azure. The tool also includes a mobile app, allowing you to access inventory information on the go.
ManageEngine AssetExplorer
ManageEngine AssetExplorer is a comprehensive IT asset management tool that includes hardware inventory management. It allows you to track all the hardware in your organization, including desktops, Laptops, servers, and mobile devices. The tool also includes features for software license management, contract management, and more.
With ManageEngine AssetExplorer, you can create customized dashboards that display the information most important to you, such as inventory levels, software usage, and more. The tool also includes powerful reporting features, allowing you to generate detailed reports on hardware usage, inventory levels, and more.
Freshservice
Freshservice is an IT service management tool that includes hardware inventory management. It allows you to track all the hardware in your organization, including desktops, laptops, servers, and mobile devices. The tool also includes features for ticketing, change management, and more.
Freshservice makes it easy to integrate with other IT tools, such as monitoring tools and remote support tools. This allows you to have a more comprehensive view of your IT environment and streamline your IT management processes. The tool also includes automation features, such as automated asset discovery, which can save you time and effort in managing your IT hardware inventory.
Device42
Device42 is an IT asset management tool that includes hardware inventory management. It allows you to track all the hardware in your organization, including servers, storage devices, network devices, and more. The tool also includes features for IP address management, application dependency mapping, and more.
Device42 automatically discovers and maps your IT infrastructure. This can save you time and effort in tracking down all the devices on your network and understanding their relationships. The tool also includes powerful reporting features, allowing you to generate detailed reports on hardware usage, inventory levels, and more.
IBM Maximo Asset Management
IBM Maximo Asset Management is a comprehensive IT asset management tool that includes hardware inventory management. It allows you to track all the hardware in your organization, including desktops, laptops, servers, and mobile devices. The tool also includes features for maintenance management, contract management, and more.
One of IBM Maximo Asset Management’s advantages is its ability to integrate with IoT sensors. This allows you to monitor the health and performance of your IT hardware in real-time, and proactively address issues before they become major problems. The tool also includes powerful reporting features, allowing you to generate detailed reports on hardware usage, inventory levels, and more.
Infraon’s Fully-Integrated IT Hardware Inventory Management Solution
Infraon’s fully-integrated IT hardware inventory management features are designed to help organizations manage their IT assets effectively, improve productivity, and reduce costs. It allows organizations to track all their IT hardware assets, including servers, desktops, laptops, mobile devices, and more. The tool provides real-time information on the location, health, and performance of all hardware assets for organizations to proactively address potential issues before they become major problems. It also comes with automated asset discovery features, reducing the time and effort required to maintain an accurate inventory.
Key features:
- IT asset lifecycle management – from planning/deploying to support/retiring/replacing
- Stock management to boost your asset ROI & improving availability
- Full tracking – procurement, expiry, status, etc. – with an online geo-map/drill-down map view
- Prebuilt IT ticket management for supporting assets with self-service options like chatbots
- ‘Scan and search’ inventory endpoints for quick deployment
- Web UI & barcode support to track the physical location of assets
- Agent or agent-less desktop scanning – based on asset location
- Asset license overflow management
- IT hardware asset configuration tracking
Related blog: Hardware vs. IT vs. Software Asset Management – Why the need for specific asset monitoring tools?
Conclusion
Managing your IT hardware inventory is essential to the success of your organization. With so many IT hardware inventory management tools available, it can be challenging to determine which one is right for you. Consider factors such as ease of use, reporting features, and integration capabilities when selecting a tool. The tools listed above are some of the best IT hardware inventory management tools on the market and are worth considering for your organization’s needs.
