How to inventory your IT assets

IT asset inventory is the process of discovering, recording, and maintaining data about hardware, software, network, and cloud. For more than a handful of endpoints, automated inventory software is the most reliable way to keep records current across on-premises, remote, and mixed operating system environments.

Which IT inventory tools support mixed environments?

IT teams can inventory mixed environments with PDQ for Windows and macOS, or with Microsoft Intune, ManageEngine AssetExplorer, Lansweeper, and Ivanti Neurons for Discovery for broader Windows, macOS, and Linux coverage. Compare operating system support, inventory depth, remote-device visibility, and required agents or enrollment methods before choosing a platform.

Inventory capabilities may differ substantially by operating system, even when a platform supports Windows, macOS, and Linux. Before choosing a tool, confirm which hardware, software, user, security, and lifecycle fields it collects from each OS, how often that information refreshes, and whether remote devices remain visible outside the corporate network.

What are the main ways to inventory IT assets?

There are two main options for inventorying IT assets: the manual approach and the automated approach. But if you’re managing more than a handful of machines, we hope for your sake that you go with the latter.

The manual approach

The good ol’-fashioned manual approach usually involves a spreadsheet and an unending headache. While it isn’t the worst thing if you only oversee a few machines with limited software, it isn’t scalable. Additionally, your inventory will almost always be at least a little out of date.

The automated approach

Asset management software provides an automated alternative to antiquated manual processes. A high-quality asset management tool can scan devices to gather relevant information so that you’re not left staring at spreadsheets while all the other sysadmins are out having fun.

An asset manager also ensures your information is more current, which means you can base your decisions on more reliable and up-to-date information. Plus, it’s a little more challenging for shadow IT to sneak in undetected.

How do you inventory IT assets in 7 steps?

Following asset management best practices can save you time and ensure everything goes off without a hitch. Here’s our seven-step process to set you off on a good path.

1. Plan and prepare

Get your asset management system in place, noting your specific policies and procedures along with what tools you’ll use in the process. You’ll also want to define team member responsibilities so that nothing falls through the cracks.

2. Perform asset discovery

Now it’s time to identify the assets in your environment! If you’re doing this manually, you’ll want at least four caffeinated beverages. If you’re using an asset discovery tool, it’ll just scan devices for you to compile a list. Needless to say, we prefer the second approach. (But we’ll still enjoy those caffeinated beverages as we put our feet up on the desk and relax.)

3. Record relevant information

You’ll need to gather relevant asset data and other asset information to compile your inventory. The right tool can gather the details most sysadmins care about, such as installed software and its version, device model and manufacturer, online status, last-seen information, and more.

If you rely on manual IT asset management, this step could get a little hairy. It may even require physically touching user devices. Get your hand sanitizer ready.

4. Group assets effectively

Organizing assets into logical groups further streamlines the endpoint management process, allowing you to administer sets of machines with common attributes rather than independently overseeing each individual device. You might group assets by location, department, function, type, or other factors that make sense in your environment.

5. Track assets

Unfortunately, IT asset management doesn’t stop once you’ve put together an asset inventory. Continued asset tracking is essential to keeping that information up to date. Monitoring asset performance, configuration, usage, location, and maintenance history can help inform your resource allocation and planning.

6. Maintain assets

Maintaining your assets is critical to effective IT asset management. That’s where patch management and preventative maintenance come in handy.

7. Perform regular audits

“Audit” may be one of those offensive words you try to keep out of your vocabulary, but audits serve an important purpose in IT inventory management. Routinely reviewing your inventory information helps you confirm that your inventory method is doing the trick and collecting accurate, comprehensive information. And ensuring your records are accurate can, in turn, help with compliance, operational efficiency, and informed decision-making.

How do you inventory macOS in mixed environments?

Inventorying Macs can require a different approach than inventorying Windows devices. Traditional Windows discovery often relies on Windows-specific technologies, domain credentials, and network access. Macs are more commonly inventoried through an installed agent, mobile device management enrollment, or a combination of the two.

An inventory agent can collect information such as installed applications, operating system versions, and device details, including when a Mac is working remotely. MDM adds Apple-native enrollment, configuration profiles, security policies, and remote commands. For comprehensive Mac management, organizations frequently use both: MDM for enrollment and control, and an inventory agent or integration for additional reporting and a unified view of the wider fleet.

PDQ takes an agent-based approach to Mac inventory and lets administrators view Windows and macOS devices in the same cloud console. The Mac agent may be installed directly or distributed through a supported device management platform. Because macOS inventory capabilities may differ from Windows capabilities, teams should compare the available data against their reporting, compliance, and troubleshooting requirements.

What is IT asset management?

IT asset management (ITAM) is the process of tracking and managing IT assets throughout their lifecycle, from procurement and deployment through maintenance and retirement. It helps IT teams understand what they own, where it is, who uses it, and whether it is secure, supported, and cost-effective.

Hardware assets

Hardware asset management oversees physical assets, also known as fixed assets. These include any physical IT equipment, such as laptops, desktops, printers, and servers. An IT asset inventory may include details like the brand, model, serial number, location, usage history, and more.

Software assets

Software asset management (SAM) looks at any software in your environment and the associated licenses. An IT asset inventory might track the software version, license key, and more.

Network resources

Network asset management focuses on the network infrastructure, such as routers, switches, and firewalls.

Cloud-based assets

Cloud asset management targets any cloud assets, including platform-as-a-service (PaaS) and infrastructure-as-a-service (IaaS) solutions, virtual machines, SaaS applications, and data stored in the cloud.

What are the benefits of IT asset inventory?

Effective IT inventory management improves security, compliance, cost control, productivity, and planning by giving teams a current source of truth for hardware, software, users, and device status.

Provides a single source of truth

An accurate IT inventory provides a single source of truth, which supports virtually all related IT functions, including the following:

• Configuration management 

• Risk management 

• IT service management (ITSM) 

• IT asset lifecycle management (ITLAM) 

• Compliance management 

• Vulnerability management

Reduces waste

Visibility makes it easier to cut costs by optimizing licensing and preventing unnecessary purchases. Understanding asset usage also helps you spot resources you could make better use of (or retire).

Promotes productivity

Having up-to-date information at the tips of your fingers helps you act quickly. Troubleshooting becomes easier (at least if users cooperate), and you can more efficiently address new vulnerabilities that arise. Additionally, if you experience a cyberattack, an accurate inventory of assets can improve your incident response.

Enhances security

You need to know what’s in your environment to make sure it’s secure. A comprehensive inventory helps you spot unpatched software that threat actors could use to gain entry.

Supports compliance

Fun fact: Compliance audits are even more of an ordeal if you don’t have relevant documentation. An asset inventory is just one small step to getting through your audits unscathed (and without potential penalties).

Informs decision-making

Thinking of adding licenses? Time to replace equipment? Hoping to request a higher budget? Regardless of your impressively ambitious goals, an IT asset inventory can help you actually move the needle (or make an impact if you’re not into corporate-ese).

Best option for small IT teams

For a small IT team, the best inventory tool is usually the one that covers the entire fleet without requiring extensive infrastructure or multiple consoles.

For Windows and macOS environments: Consider PDQ when devices are remote or hybrid and an agent-based cloud platform fits your requirements. It keeps both Windows and macOS operating systems in one easy-to-use console.

For organizations already using Microsoft 365: Intune may reduce tool sprawl by combining device enrollment, inventory, configuration and compliance. Confirm that its Linux inventory is sufficient before treating it as the sole source of truth for Linux assets.

For Windows, macOS, and Linux fleets: Evaluate Lansweeper or ManageEngine AssetExplorer when discovery and detailed IT asset management are the main priorities. Ivanti Neurons for Discovery may make more sense when the organization needs broader enterprise workflows, integrations, and automation.

Before choosing a platform, ask:

• Does it collect the hardware, software, and version details we need on every operating system?

• Can it inventory remote devices that rarely connect to the corporate network?

• Does one console show Windows, macOS, and Linux devices together?

• What agents, MDM enrollment, credentials, or firewall changes are required?

• What is the total cost, including licenses, infrastructure, implementation, and ongoing administration?

The least expensive license is not always the least expensive tool to operate. A slightly higher per-device cost may be worthwhile if it eliminates manual work, duplicate systems, and incomplete inventory records.

IT asset inventory FAQs

What tools help IT teams track hardware and software inventory across mixed environments?

PDQ tracks Windows and macOS devices in one cloud console. Microsoft Intune, ManageEngine AssetExplorer, Lansweeper, and Ivanti Neurons for Discovery support combinations of Windows, macOS and Linux.

What tools give IT teams visibility into a mixed environment in one place?

PDQ provides unified Windows and macOS visibility. Intune, AssetExplorer, Lansweeper, and Ivanti Neurons for Discovery can consolidate Windows, macOS, and Linux information in a centralized platform, although the information collected may differ by operating system.

Is an agent-based or agentless inventory tool better?

Agent-based tools are generally better for laptops and remote devices because the agent can collect information while the device is outside the corporate network. Agentless tools reduce the amount of endpoint software administrators must maintain but may depend on network access, credentials, open ports, and devices being reachable during a scan. Many organizations use a hybrid approach.

Does PDQ inventory Macs?

Yes. PDQ uses an agent to inventory Windows and macOS devices through the same cloud-based console. Because the information available for macOS may differ from the information available for Windows, teams should confirm that it supports the Mac data they need.

What is the best way to inventory Macs alongside Windows devices?

Use an agent or MDM platform that supports both operating systems, or combine an Apple-focused MDM with a cross-platform inventory system. For company-owned Macs, MDM enrollment through Apple Business Manager can simplify deployment, while an inventory agent can provide additional software data and visibility for remote devices.

Automate your IT inventory with PDQ

Manually maintaining an IT asset inventory is time consuming, error prone and, frankly, a real pain. PDQ can help you inventory and manage Windows and macOS devices through a cloud-based console, including devices working outside the corporate network without a VPN.

By bringing hardware, software, and device information into one place, PDQ helps IT teams maintain a more current inventory and reduce the effort required to track remote and on-premises endpoints.

Sign up for a free trial of PDQ to see this cross-platform, agent-based asset management solution for yourself.