In an earlier blog post about IT Challenges In Transitioning To A Fully Remote Workforce, one of the key challenges that we touched upon was how remote and hybrid work impacts device lifecycle management.

In this blog post, we will dive deeper into not just device lifecycle management but IT asset management (ITAM) as a whole in remote and hybrid work environments.

The following are some of the key areas of asset management where the impact of a fully remote or hybrid work environment needs to be considered:

1. Asset Tracking and Inventory

Asset tracking has been one of the most daunting challenges when it comes to remote and hybrid work environments. Tracking the physical location of assets such as laptops, tablets, etc. are problematic since they are tied to the movement of the employees.

Remote asset tracking solutions like agent-based software or cloud-based asset management can monitor remote assets in real-time but bring challenges around privacy and laws on employee monitoring and consent. This is further exacerbated if the organization has a mix of Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) and company-owned devices.

So, the ITAM process needs to be adapted to accurately capture information about asset usage and location in real time while effectively navigating employee monitoring and workplace laws.

2. Security and Compliance

We are all aware that home network security is typically not maintained at the same level as office network security. With respect to the home network of employees, an organization has its hands tied. The organization has no control over the devices that connect to the home network and the security features employed on the network. There is little they can do other than keep the company-owned device secure. This makes ensuring data security and compliance even more challenging.

Therefore, in a remote or hybrid environment, ITAM should include measures to enforce security policies and protect sensitive information. This may require implementing an endpoint security solution, rules for remote access, and encryption to ensure compliance with regulatory requirements.

3. Software License Management

Software license management is concerned with ensuring compliance with the terms and conditions outlined in the software licensing agreements. It also deals with adherence to the permitted usage, distribution, and modification of licensed software products. This is necessary to avoid legal and financial consequences, such as penalties and fines.

Remote work brings challenges in direct oversight and control over devices, making it difficult to ensure that employees are using licensed software correctly and adhering to the organization’s usage policy. In remote work, the use of personal devices is quite common, and this makes license management more complex.

Finally, the lack of ready access to IT support that remote workers face can also lead to software usage and license management issues. When remote employees face technical difficulties with software or delayed support and lack of guidance, they may seek alternatives in the form of pirated or unauthorized software.

Limited physical access to devices and a lack of stringent control over the software installation process, make it easier for unlicensed or unauthorized software to find its way onto company devices, which exposes the organization not only to legal liabilities but also serious security risks.

Therefore, ITAM should also have centralized software license management adept at tracking software licenses and monitoring compliance on remote devices.

4. Remote Device Management

In a remote and hybrid environment, an ITAM system also needs to be able to address remote device management challenges, including managing security settings, updates and patches, and software upgrades. This plays a key role in maintaining the health and performance of the devices, ensuring longevity, optimal utilization, and consequently favorable return on investment.

5. Procurement And Deployment Of Assets

In a remote environment, bringing devices into effective action is much more complicated than in traditional office settings. The delivery of the right device with the right configurations at the right time is hindered by geographical and administrative issues.

Here are a few examples of common procurement and deployment-related challenges:

• Lack of availability of devices with preferred configurations.

• Ensuring that procured devices are stored securely, yet are easily accessible for configuring them remotely as well as are ready for shipping at short notice.

• Conforming to export laws and documentation requirements when shipping devices to a different country.

• Devices that contain lithium-ion batteries need to follow stringent packaging, transportation, and documentation guidelines since lithium-ion batteries are considered dangerous items.

• Recovery of devices at the end of service from different geographical locations.

Therefore, ITAM needs to adapt to the changing needs of a globally mobile workforce. This may require creating remote-friendly procurement processes, vendor management, and contract negotiations.

6. Employee Training and Awareness

A robust ITAM system includes employee education on ITAM policies and procedures with a special focus on the changes resulting from remote or hybrid work. The education ideally includes guides, best practices, and training programs covering asset usage policies, security best practices, and reporting procedures for lost or stolen devices.

Employee training must be an ongoing process that regularly communicates changes in policies, procedures, and threat landscape as well as reinforces individual responsibilities in managing IT assets, helping create a security-conscious culture.

7. Asset Retirement

The final phase of a device lifecycle can often be the most important with respect to security and data protection. While in use, a device can have a lot of sensitive information like proprietary information, financial information, codes, and personally identifiable information of employees and clients. Asset disposal plays a critical role in preventing sensitive corporate information from falling into unauthorized hands.

Asset retirement includes coordinating equipment return, securely erasing data from the device, and managing recycling or e-wasting of the hardware according to environmental regulations.

Conclusion

The emergence and adoption of remote and hybrid work have created massive upheaval in IT support services, especially in IT asset management within an organization. In order to effectively handle the challenges of remote and hybrid work environments, ITAM needs to adapt.

This evolution of ITAM requires a combination of technological solutions, policy updates, and employee training. The new version of ITAM will address the challenges of remote work and continue to ensure the efficient use of IT assets regardless of the location from which employees operate.

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