What are the biggest challenges to inventorying hardware and software in a factory? Have you ever heard of IT Asset Management or IT Asset Management? Have you ever imagined going through all the sectors of a factory to find devices? Follow with us 7 Challenges for Hardware and Software Inventory in Industry.
Our team works on projects throughout Brazil and along with this great demand, great challenges arise. The list below highlights the main challenges encountered in one of our projects. We visited 18 locations in Brazil to make Software and Hardware Inventory of devices that couldn't be done remotely, so let's go!
1 – Large distance between devices
Often when inventorying devices on a factory site, we come across the difficulty of reaching that device. You never know if that scale 60 km from the factory has a computer or not.
2 – Risks to access certain sectors
When accessing a factory land, we are in various risk situations and to reduce it you will use PPE. Items such as escape masks, safety boots, and chemical repellents will be your great allies.
3 – Degraded Devices
In hunting machines, it is very common for some to appear in precarious conditions. Some with already corroded cables, totally dusty and that do not receive preventive work in time. Of course, it's much harder to find something that hasn't been used in years.
4 – Lack of knowledge about the sectors
The local IT team usually doesn't know all the terrain, when we ask from a certain place we get negative in several ways. Information on how to get to the sector, the number of machines and if there is anyone in the area make the search becomes an adventure.
5 – Rules and restrictions
In some critical operation locations it is difficult to gain access and to take inventory on that machine. We then enter an approval process that can be lengthy depending on the hierarchy of the company. There were cases that to get to 1 computer, we need the approval of 4 people beforehand.
6 – Manufacturing Environment
The factory environment is not the most relaxing. Noise, high temperature and risky operations are happening all the time by your side.
So, be extra careful and make a good Software Inventory.
7 – In a factory, information does not reach everyone
Some sectors in the factories are not the most aware of projects in the industry. When we come up with the proposal to inventory the devices, many remain resistant. Anyway, nothing that a good conversation doesn't solve.
Conclusion on Hardware and Software Inventory
Locating devices in a manufacturing plant is not easy, we have challenges with people, processes and policies. But every difficulty is rewarded with knowledge and the experience brings more proximity to end users. We soon understood how to better assist the industry with its IT pains.
And of course, nothing better than at the end of this work to see all the Hardware and Software information in a single portal, being managed as a live CMDB, following Software Asset Managementee extracting the best views of Hardware and Software cost reduction, Hardware and Software Inventory
We are 4Matt Tecnologia, specialists in Software Governance and Cloud Spend Management.