IT Asset Management in SDLC and their collaboration

In my childhood, I remember that we used to go to school six days a week, and it started with six classes in a day, then it went to eight classes in a day with lab exercises as we progressed. I was quite organized to keep the books and copybooks (writing pads) day-wise, as per the school routine the previous evening, in my bookshelves. This made my school going easier as I just needed to pick up the books/writing pads from that slot of my bookshelf. Sometimes when the routine used to get changed, all I used to do — change or shift the books to other slots to be picked up for the next day.

Knowingly or unknowingly, in fact, I was doing Asset Management in my childhood.

The system of operation has become complex as we have moved forward, especially in the IT Domain, and we require a true asset management system and process in place

In relation to Asset Management, there are different types of Assets.

• Financial Asset Management: cash, stocks, bonds, mutual funds, and bank deposits, etc
• Enterprise Asset Management: expensive and complex physical assets, such as vehicles, plant, and heavy equipment, etc
• Infrastructure Asset Management: public infrastructure assets such as water treatment facilities, sewer lines, roads, utility grids, bridges, and railways
• Public Asset Management: transport (economic group), water supply (health group), and sporting and cultural facilities(Social .. group), etc
• IT Asset Management: Computers, Laptops, routers and switches, network inspection devices, physical servers, and data centers, etc
  • We will address in detail how the Software Development Life Cycle and IT Asset Management can work in collaboration with each other. 
• Fixed Assets Management: vehicles, computers, furniture, and machinery, etc, of the organization
• Digital Asset Management: files created electronically, like photos, videos, Design Files, Presentations, Marketing contents, etc

A more organized way of IT Asset Management(ITAM) in Software Development Life Cycle or in ITSM, or in  Application Lifecycle Management requires deep thinking/planning through proper selection of tools and their collaboration. Asset management is a structured program to deliver the service levels that the customers require while minimizing the whole-life costs of asset ownership.

ITAM principles apply to all aspects of the asset life-cycle, as depicted in the diagram below

Effect of Collaboration of SDLC and ITAM of ITSM

When we talk about SDLC, it has a defined process of Software development. The IT Asset Management (ITAM) within the Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC) ensures that all software and hardware assets are effectively tracked, managed, and utilized throughout the various phases of development. Proper integration and collaboration between ITAM and SDLC can lead to improved efficiency, better compliance, and enhanced overall project outcomes

The incidents arising from the ITSM Operation domain can lead to problems and, in effect, create a change request to rectify through the software development life cycle by using proper assets and thus minimize the risk of re-appearing.

Usefulness of collaborating ITSM with SDLC

• Improved Asset Visibility: Using ITSM’s CMDB, all assets are catalogued and tracked, providing clear visibility into their status and history.
• Enhanced Change Management: ITSM’s change management processes ensure that asset changes are controlled and documented, reducing the risk of errors.
• Better Risk Management: ITSM helps identify and mitigate risks associated with asset management, enhancing security and compliance.
• Efficient Incident and Problem Management: ITSM tools streamline the handling of defects and issues, improving overall asset quality.
• Streamlined Deployment and Maintenance: ITSM processes ensure that deployments are well-coordinated and that assets are properly maintained throughout their lifecycle.
• Integrating ITSM with SDLC provides a structured and efficient approach to managing software assets, ensuring that they are properly created, maintained, and utilized — ultimately leading to higher quality software and better service delivery.

Role of DevTools in Supporting ITSM and Asset Management Implementation

DevTools, being a Platinum Solution and a Cloud Specialized Partner of Atlassian, helps the customer to augment the ITSM or DevSecOps process in the organization and embrace the Asset Management Solution using Jira Service Management.

Typical Capability that DevTools Implements using ITAM of Jira Service Management

• Asset and Configuration Management
  • Detailed inventory of all assets, including hardware, software, licenses, and more.
  • Storing information about assets and their relationships, which helps in tracking configurations and dependencies using the built-in CMDB (Configuration Management Database)
• Customizable Asset Fields
  • Custom Schemas and Attributes
  • Create Assets Structure using Templates and Forms
• Automation and Workflows
  • Automated Workflows creation by using JSM for asset management processes, such as procurement, maintenance, and decommissioning. Automations can trigger actions based on specific events or conditions.
  • Set up approval workflows to manage asset requests and changes, ensuring that proper authorization is obtained before any significant actions are taken.
• Integration with ITSM Practices
  • Incident and Problem Management to identify and resolve issues related to specific assets.
  • Change Management is incorporated by using JSM to manage changes to assets, including tracking requests, approvals, and implementations.
• Reporting and Analytics
  • Custom Reports by Integrating BI Tools.
• Engage in discovering IT Assets from the network or subnet

DevTools implements Best Practices for Using Jira Service Management for Asset Management

• Establish Clear Policies and Procedures
  • Ticket tracks assets, and assets follow the ticket
• Centralize Asset Information
  • Regular Updates: Keep the CMDB up-to-date with regular audits and updates to reflect changes in the asset inventory.
• Enhance Data Accuracy and Consistency
  • Data Validation
  • Training and Awareness
• Automate Routine Tasks
  • Use Automation Rules: Leverage JSM’s automation capabilities to handle routine tasks such as asset assignment, status updates, and notification alerts.
  • Reduce Manual Effort: Automate repetitive processes to reduce manual effort and minimize the risk of errors.

A typical example of Asset Allocation and its Status could be as seen below

Whereas the Schema Object graph indicates the different relations and inbound/outbound connections, which brings immense benefit in understanding the asset behaviour

By leveraging the powerful features of Jira Service Management and following best practices, organizations can effectively manage their assets, ensuring they are used efficiently, maintained properly, and aligned with overall business goals

Conclusion: Effective asset management throughout these phases of SDLC in collaboration with tools and processes ensures that software projects are developed efficiently, with high quality, and are easier to maintain and secure.