Gartner: The growing role of ITAM service providers

12 June 2012
3 minute read
ITAM News & Analysis

Gartner: The growing role of ITAM service providers

12 June 2012
3 minute read

ITAM Review readers kindly helped with a survey last year compiled by Victoria Barber from Gartner.

The survey results were discussed at the EMEA Gartner IT Financial, Procurement & Asset Management in London last year and Victoria also produced a paper based on the results.

I apologize for the horrible delay in sharing these results with you. I hope you still find them useful (The survey was conducted in August 2011 in preparation for the event in September, Victoria’s paper “Survey Analysis: ITAM Review Survey” was published in December 2011).

Victoria looked at how ITAM Review readers make use of ITAM Service providers and how organizations go about selecting them.

Synopsis:

  • ITAM Review readers are increasingly looking to harness the skills of third party providers to bolster their in-house ITAM skills
  • Providers are mostly focussed on helping with tools and data generated but there is a growing requirement for help with entitlement and process design.
  • Readers see a conflict of interest working with licensing resellers and prefer tool providers or independent specialists.
  • Of the 109 respondents – 38% are currently using external service providers to help with ITAM

Some selected highlights:

ITAM on the up

“ITAM has clearly been practiced for some time, but there appears to have been a significant upsurge in ITAM activity (an increase in 36%) in the last three years, which has emphasized a need to maximise value from existing assets while money is short. This means that the investment in ITAM is finally seen as having a more compelling business case”. Victoria Barber, Gartner.

Why use third party providers?

“Discussions with IT asset managers reveal that those organizations using third-party ITAM services do so because of the difficulty in funding additional head count and sourcing the skills and knowledge that they require. For example, given the complexity of licensing and the variation from vendor to vendor and product to product, it is unsurprising that this experience is sourced externally”.

“This survey and the partnered website indicate that IT asset managers and their peers are using third parties to identify gaps and areas for improvement as they mature, as part of a framework for continuous improvement”

“Leverage external expertise for ongoing support rather than ad hoc assistance to maximise ITAM maturity and capability”.

What are the most important selection criteria when choosing an ITAM Service Provider (by priority)

  1. Depth of software licensing knowledge and commercial advice
  2. Track record and established client references
  3. Deep technology skills
  4. Cost or the ability to ensure that engagement is cash positive
  5. The service provider will take on our financial liability for managing the assets
  6. Trust and financial independence from other vendors

You can gain access to the full paper via this link. If you are not a Gartner client you can access the paper via their free trial, which I mentioned in this previous article.

NB: These are not affiliate links, The ITAM Review did not benefit commercially from this collaboration.

Can’t find what you’re looking for?