Cmpleting the CMDB Circle: Asset Management with Barcde Scanning WHITE PAPER
The Value f Barcding Tday, barcdes are n just abut everything manufactured and are used fr asset tracking and identificatin in mst businesses. Barcding shuld be used whenever there is a need t accurately identify r track smething. Manufacturers, such as Dell, include barcdes n their desktps and laptps as unique identificatin numbers. A cmmn asset management best practice is the use f barcdes fr all assets. As equipment is received, it is tagged with a barcde label and then deplyed. When barcdes are implemented in business prcesses, prcedures can be autmated t increase prductivity and reduce human errr. Hw imprtant is barcde scanning fr effective asset management? Hw shuld barcdes be used and when? When is discvery nt enugh? And what is the best way t implement barcde scanning alng with asset management sftware, such as BMC s Service Desk Express (SDE), a.k.a., Magic Service Desk? This paper examines varius barcde scanning slutins and the value prvided fr effective asset management. Tday, mst rganizatins have sme srt f IT asset management system r plicy in place. The mst imprtant cmpnent f asset management is a cnfiguratin management database r CMDB. The CMDB cnsists f cnfiguratin items such as PCs, Servers, Tablet PCs, Switches, and Ruters, alng with the relatinship f that cnfiguratin item t ther IT assets within the rganizatin. Often times, the CMDB cnsists f a single data repsitry utilizing a sftware asset prgram such as Peregrine s AssetCenter, r BMC s Asset Manager. Mre ften than nt there is n single database cntaining all the rganizatin s data. Instead, mst rganizatins utilize several data stres ranging frm Excel spreadsheets t data captured frm autdiscvery tls such as Micrsft s SMS. The ne cnsistency, amng mst rganizatins, is that they all believe their assets are better rganized than they actually are. Why CMDB Accuracy is s Hard N matter hw much emphasis is given t standard desktp and server cnfiguratins, the crprate wrld is far frm perfect. Rules are brken everyday making CMDB accuracy a daunting task. Reliable asset management is an xymrn. Cntributing factrs include: PDAs, cell phnes and Blackberry s are prliferating at a rapid rate. These items are difficult t track, are usually nt discverable with cmmn aut-discvery tls, and are usually assigned t an individual, nt necessarily a lcatin. The small size and mbility mean that the items are prne t theft, misplacement, and are easily damaged. In additin, PDAs and cell phnes are nw starting t make up a mre significant cst f equipping the typical ffice wrker. The laptp is becming the standard desktp system. Althugh the laptp vs. desktp debate cntinues, mst emplyees view laptps as a status symbl and with prices falling, mre desktps are being replaced by laptps. The traveling nature f laptps makes them mre vulnerable t damage, lss, theft, and unauthrized use. Nearly all large rganizatins have sme srt f telewrk plicy that allws a substantial number f emplyees t wrk at hme. Accrding t the Dieringer Research Grup, the 1
number f emplyed Americans wrking frm hme grew t 44.4 millin in 2004. Nearly all f these emplyees require mbile cmputing resurces which are difficult t track and maintain. Many asset management systems rely exclusively n aut-discvery tls nly fr data cllectin. A key challenge is that sme nn-netwrked assets fall utside the scpe f aut-discvery tls, fr example, scanners, printers, inventry items, and spare parts. Als, aut-discvery tls d nt prvide lcatin infrmatin such as building and rm number, nr will nt wrk with PC s when they are pwered dwn. Since these items are part f the ttal asset database, an actual physical inventry is required t accurately capture these assets. Since nn-discverable and mbile assets can make up as much as 30% f an rganizatin s ttal asset ppulatin, a regular physical inventry is required t ensure the integrity f the CMDB. An accurate inventry allws fr just-in-time purchasing decisins as it ensures that inventry levels are at ptimal levels. Increasing inventry accuracy als ensures that expected levels f service are maintained. Aut-discvery tls are nt enugh. A successful asset management prcess must include all assets, nt just thse cnnected t a netwrk. Additinally, aut-discvery tls nly identify what assets are netwrked with n indicatin f building r lcatin. Thus, in additin t autdiscvery tls, an asset management prcess must include mbile cmputing hardware and applicatin sftware. Cmpleting the Circle T be effective, a CMDB must be accurate. Barcde scanning prvides a lw-cst, highly reliable methd f ensuring database integrity, especially amng mbile assets and assets that are nt easily discverable. RightStar s MagicWand, develped specifically fr use with BMC s Service Desk Express, is a sftware mdule designed fr mbile cmputing PDAs r barcde readers t mre accurately track cmputers, equipment, furniture, and ther resurces. Using the BMC Service Desk Express Applicatin as a CMDB, MagicWand dwnlads inventry, lcatin, and client data int Palm OS r Pcket PC based barcde scanners. Then, the barcde scanner receives r verifies inventry by scanning the applicable asset barcde and physically entering the lcatin int the barcde scanner. Then inventry, lcatin, and client data are upladed t stre and synchrnize with the Service Desk Express CMDB fr autmatic inventry and asset recnciliatin. Cmmunicatin with the mbile barcde scanners is achieved via wireless lcal area netwrks (WLAN) r cradles cnnected t a cmpany's LAN. At the press f a buttn, the data updates are synchrnized with the Service Desk Express CMDB. Unlike aut-discvery sftware tls which can identify inventry items, but can t always lcate them, MagicWand may be used t recncile: Buildings & Rms Inventry Items Clients Staff Inventry Actins Vendrs Inventry Catalg 2
MagicWand prvides any r all f the fllwing applicatins: Asset Verificatin - One Buttn Audit A simple scan f the asset tag reveals mdel descriptin, asset tag, serial number, building, rm, and client assigned. Any f these attributes may be changed based n the user s permissins which are managed in Magic. Asset Tracking - Recrds mvement f inventry items frm ne lcatin and/r client t anther. It als prvides a recrd f all actins assciated with an inventry item thrughut its lifecycle t include: Installatin Reallcatin / Mvement Repair De-install / Excess Receiving - Capture infrmatin fr large quantities f equipment upn receipt, quickly and easily: Part # & Descriptin, Asset Tag, and Serial Numbers Vendr Packing Slip, PO, and Invice Numbers Warranty Infrmatin Scanner Flexibility The MagicWand applicatin will run n Symbl SPT, PPT and MC series handheld scanners and n numerus Palm brand devices using Scket SDIO add-n scanning mdules. These Palm OS and Windws Mbile Pcket PC platfrm cmputers were chsen t prvide the highest level f strage space and flexibility fr deplyment f this and future Asset Management applicatins. A Symbl scanner is typically used fr a mre ruggedized applicatin such as warehuse r factry flr. Palm r Pcket PC scanners are gd chices when there are large numbers f assets that are stred r when signatures are required. A Palm Tungsten PDA with maximum memry capacity can stre as many as 160,000 recrds, thereby prviding the capability t hld an rganizatin s entire database n a PDA. The advantage f string the entire database n a handheld scanner is fr ease f synchrnizatin and speed when multiple scanners are deplyed fr an inventry recnciliatin applicatin. Barcde Scanning Raises Prductivity and Prvides a Rapid Return n Investment In mst enterprises, asset verificatin, asset tracking, and asset receiving chres are labr intensive. Taking inventry may require physical visits t each lcatin t visually identify the equipment present. A typical duty is t recrd inventry changes by hand and then data-enter the changes int the asset database later. The use f barcde scanning will reduce the time required t verify and recncile inventry by mre than five times. Likewise, asset receiving by hand requires persnnel t manually enter data int the asset database. The use f barcde scanners t perfrm the data entry will result in a labr savings f mre than three hurs saved fr every hur spent with a scanner. 3
Additinally, receiving and inventry persnnel spend less than 40% f their time n inventry and asset verificatin. Much f this time is spent at a desk perfrming administrative wrk such as data entry. Freeing up these valuable human resurces will imprve yur ability t maintain yur rganizatin's physical assets. An even greater benefit is the perfrmance imprvement fr help desk trubleshting calls. Call duratin t the help desk will decline with mre accurate IT asset infrmatin available t the technician. Specific functinal imprvements in an autmated asset management system with barcde scanning can include the ability t: Enable technicians t transfer data int the asset management system frm the lcal and remte sites Minimize paperwrk at the desk, maximizing time in the field Prvide help desk analysts access t lcatin specific asset infrmatin at the wrksite Access previus wrk histry fr imprved trubleshting Streamline cmmunicatins between technicians and their cwrkers and supervisrs In summary, t be effective, a CMDB must be accurate. Barcde scanning prvides a lw-cst, highly reliable methd f ensuring database integrity, especially amng mbile assets and assets that are nt easily discverable. Further, a rapid ROI supprts the cnclusin that barcde scanning is a necessary cmpnent f a CMDB, required t cmplete the CMDB circle. 4