When businesses are first creating an IT asset management (ITAM) system, it can be helpful to know some examples of what computer assets are in a business. That way, you can better identify them to create an accurate inventory system with all the necessary information to manage asset lifecycles effectively.
This article will dive into some standard computer assets examples as well as information security assets examples. By the end, you’ll have a better idea of which assets should be the focus point of your ITAM efforts and critical assets in cyber security. Keep reading for all the details.
What Is an Example of Assets in Information Technology?
To start things off, one of the prevalent assets you’ll see in the IT world is company servers. Your servers will help share data and resources across the employee network. They make business systems run much smoother.
Since servers are so essential, managing them effectively is a crucial part of a successful ITAM system. They should be regularly maintained and updated to achieve top performance and to implement current cyber security measures to keep your company’s information safe.
What Are Examples of IT Assets?
When managing IT assets, there are many potential categories they may fall under. The specific category of assets is important because different computer equipment requires varying processes and protocols to optimize performance and manage lifecycles effectively.
3 categories of computer assets you may commonly see in a business are hardware, software, and cloud-based assets. Let’s take a look at some IT asset examples that may fall under each of these categories.
What Are 10 Examples of Assets?
Here are ten examples of assets composed of each of the three previously mentioned categories.
Hardware Assets:
- Personal Computers: Desktop or laptop computers used by employees for their daily work.
- Mobile Devices: Smartphones and tablets used for business purposes or mobile workforce.
- Network Switches: Used to connect multiple computers and devices within a local area network (LAN).
- Hard Drives: Physical storage devices used to store and retrieve data.
Software Assets:
- Operating Systems: Software that manages computer hardware and software resources, such as Windows, macOS, or Linux.
- Productivity Suites: Software packages that include tools like word processors, spreadsheets, and presentation software (e.g., Microsoft Office or Google Workspace).
- Customer Relationship Management (CRM) Systems: Software used to manage customer interactions, track leads, and streamline sales processes.
Cloud-Based Assets:
- Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS): Virtual machines, storage, and networks provided by cloud service providers (e.g., Amazon Web Services or Microsoft Azure).
- Software as a Service (SaaS): Online applications that don’t require local installation (e.g., Salesforce or Google Workspace).
- Cloud Storage: Online storage services that allow users to store and access data from anywhere (e.g., Google Drive or Dropbox).
Which Category of Assets is Most Important to Manage?
Out of the different categories of IT assets, your hardware is the most important to optimize and manage in ITAM systems. That’s why our team at Multiply chooses to focus on managing hardware assets to optimize business performance.
If your hardware assets aren’t functioning correctly, equipment like software and cloud-based systems can’t be accessed or used appropriately in the first place. Therefore, how you manage hardware is crucial to your success.
What Assets Do We Need to Protect in Computer Security?
The next step of ITAM requires looking at assets in computer security. In today’s IT world, information security always needs to be at the top of your mind. That includes measures to prevent internal data leaks through data compliance, clearing memory from hard drives during disposition, and cyber security measures to prevent outside attacks.
Some assets that must be protected in computer security are:
- Servers: Critical hardware assets that store and process data, along with hosting applications.
- Endpoint devices: Assets like personal computers and mobile devices.
- Data storage devices: Hard drives, SSDs, and network-attached storage devices.
Each of these core devices must be secured by implementing strong access controls, configuring firewalls, encryption, password policies, and more.
What Are Examples of Secure Assets?
When managing the many different types of assets in cyber security, here’s a quick look at what secured assets will look like in your business systems:
- Secured Networks: Networks protected by firewalls, intrusion detection systems, and encryption protocols to prevent unauthorized access and data interception.
- Secure Servers: Servers with hardened configurations, strong access controls, regular security patching, and monitoring to safeguard critical data and applications.
- Secured Databases: Databases are protected by access controls, encryption, and regular vulnerability assessments to ensure the confidentiality and integrity of stored data.
- Secure Applications: Applications developed with secure coding practices, regularly updated to address vulnerabilities, and tested for security flaws to protect against application-level attacks.
- Secured User Accounts: User accounts with strong authentication measures, password policies, and user access controls to prevent unauthorized access and protect sensitive information.
With all of these core security measures in place, it’ll put you at ease that you’re well-protected from cyber security threats and internal data leaks.
How Multiply Can Help
If you need help with all your hardware asset management needs, Multiply can be your partner for success. Our team is composed of IT consultants and senior service technicians who have over a decade of experience in the field.
When you partner with us, we’ll be there with you each step of the way as you implement a successful ITAM system. We can assist in setting up inventories, asset discovery, self-audits, facilitating communication between teams, and more.
Contact us today for more information about getting started!
