Inventory software on Linux
Taking Stock
© Lead Image © Wong Yu Liang, 123RF.com
As a network grows in size, it becomes increasingly difficult to keep track of hardware, software, licenses, and infrastructure. Inventory solutions can provide significant relief.
IT administrators are responsible for computers working smoothly. As a company expands, keeping an eye on individual hardware components, cabling, software packages, licenses, and operating systems becomes increasingly time consuming. Having multiple locations aggravates the situation.
Inventory solutions that deliver a precise overview of the installed hardware and software and take into account the entire lifecycle of an installation (including maintenance, support contracts, and planning) promises some relief. This month's column looks at three of these software tools.
Standards
The most professional inventory solutions are geared toward the IT Infrastructure Library (ITIL) standard. The ITIL standard, developed in the 1980s, originated in the United Kingdom. It comprehensively describes the components of IT service management [1]. Meanwhile, the requirements have evolved constantly to take account of technical development. Professional inventory and monitoring packages are therefore often ITIL certified.
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