ITSM without Assets is like driving a car without a speedometer

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The analogy between ITSM without Asset Management and driving a car without a speedometer is the most accurate that appear in my mind. Both situations describe a state where important control instruments are missing that are essential for safe and efficient navigation.

ITSM without Assets is like driving a car without a speedometer

The importance of the speedometer when driving

A speedometer is more than just a measuring device – it is a critical control instrument that enables the driver to:

• Monitor speed and comply with traffic rules
• Optimize fuel consumption through adapted driving style
• Ensure safety for themselves and other road users

Without a speedometer, you are literally driving "blind" and risk not only fines, but also the safety of everyone involved. Driving without it, could be fun, but its not safety.

ITSM without Asset Management: A similar dilemma

What is IT Asset Management (ITAM)?

ITAM encompasses the systematic management of all IT assets throughout their entire lifecycle:

• Hardware Asset Management: Servers, laptops, network devices
• Software Asset Management: Licenses, applications, cloud services
• Lifecycle Management: From procurement to disposal
• Compliance Management: Adherence to license terms and regulations

Learn more about building an object schema for IT Asset Management (ITAM) in Atlassian's official documentation.

The consequences of missing asset transparency

Without a solid ITAM foundation, ITSM operates practically in blind flight:

1. Missing cost control

• Unknown expenses for unused software licenses
• Oversized hardware investments
• Inefficient resource allocation

2. Compliance risks

• License violations through unknown software installations
• Data protection problems with unregistered systems
• Audit difficulties without complete asset documentation

3. Inefficient service delivery

• Longer resolution times without asset context
• Problematic change planning without dependency mapping
• No assistance in the impact analyses during disruptions

4. Strategic blindness

• Impossibility of well-founded technology decisions
• Missing basis for capacity planning
• Complicated vendor negotiations without usage data

The synergy between ITSM and ITAM

Why both disciplines belong together

While ITAM focuses on the assets themselves – their management and optimization throughout the entire lifecycle –, ITSM focuses on the services that use these assets for value creation. This areas are strong connected.

Best practices for integration

1. Complete asset inventorization

• Automated discovery tools for hardware and software
• Regular audits and updates
• Integration with CMDB (Configuration Management Database)
• Using the Build-In Imports like CSV, JSON or Data Manager

You can create Assets object custom fields to better track and manage your IT assets within Jira Service Management. Assets provides a good starting template to do it.

2. Establish lifecycle management

• Clear processes from procurement to disposal
• Automated workflows for asset changes
• Proactive renewal planning

Leverage automation for Assets objects to streamline your asset management processes and reduce manual work.

3. Monitoring and reporting

• Dashboards for asset usage and performance, ok there are not nice at all I think.
• Compliance reports for audits
• Cost transparency through asset tracking
  

4. Service-asset mapping

• Linking services with their underlying assets
• Impact analyses during asset failures
• Dependency mapping for change management

For advanced automation scenarios, you can update Assets custom fields via automation rules and even send webhooks using Assets object data.

Conclusion: Navigation with all instruments

Just as a driver without a speedometer loses control over their vehicle, an IT organization without Asset Management loses control over its infrastructure. ITSM without ITAM is not only inefficient – it is risky.

The integration of both disciplines creates a solid foundation for:

• Informed decisions based on complete data
• Proactive management instead of reactive firefighting actions. I Love a good fight, but it must not be harder as usual.
• Optimized costs through better resource utilization
• Increased security through complete transparency

In today's complex IT landscape, it is irresponsible to operate without these fundamental control instruments. Anyone who operates ITSM without Asset Management is not only driving without a speedometer – they are driving often blindfolded.

Getting started with Atlassian Assets

If you're ready to implement proper IT Asset Management, Atlassian  Assets provides a comprehensive solution that integrates seamlessly with Jira Service Management. Start by:

1. Setting up your first object schema
2. Creating custom fields for asset tracking
3. Implementing automation rules to reduce manual overhead

Remember: Just as you wouldn't drive without a speedometer, don't manage IT services without proper asset visibility. Atlassain provides a complete package buildin to drive .