What is IT Asset Management (ITAM)?
IT Asset Management (ITAM) is the practice of inventorying, optimizing and managing the full lifecycle of an organization's technology assets: hardware (servers, workstations, network equipment), software, licences, contracts and cloud services. ITAM covers every stage of the lifecycle — acquisition, deployment, usage, optimization and decommissioning.
SAM (Software Asset Management) is a subset of ITAM dedicated specifically to software assets. It aims to ensure licence compliance, optimize software spending and prevent publisher audit risks (Microsoft, Oracle, SAP, Adobe, etc.).
The ISO 19770 standard defines the international reference framework for ITAM and SAM practices. An ISO 19770-aligned approach enables organizations to structure their processes, demonstrate compliance and significantly reduce the financial risks associated with publisher audits.
ISO 19770
SAM
ITIL
CMDB
Microsoft · Oracle · SAP
Problems we solve
No reliable inventory
Unable to know precisely which software is deployed, on how many workstations, and whether licences are properly covered.
Costly over-licensing
Licences paid for but never used, unoptimized volume commitments, duplicates across competing products.
Publisher audit risk
Unintentional under-licensing exposing the organization to significant financial penalties during a Microsoft, Oracle or SAP audit.
Unmanaged lifecycle
End-of-life hardware not replaced, outdated software not updated, impossible budget planning.
Our ITAM methodology
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1
Existing state audit — Discovery
Comprehensive inventory of hardware and software assets deployed across the organization (on-premise and cloud), identification of held licences and comparison with contractual entitlements.
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2
SAM compliance analysis
Comparison of held licences vs. deployed software for each publisher (Microsoft, Oracle, SAP, Adobe, etc.). Identification of over-licensing (potential savings) and under-licensing (audit risks).
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3
Optimization & rationalization
Cost reduction plan (removal of unused licences, consolidation), contract renegotiation recommendations, alignment with actual business needs.
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4
Sustainable ITAM governance
Definition of ISO 19770-compliant ITAM processes, integration with the CMDB (ITIL), dashboards, team training and establishment of lasting governance.
Expected results
ROI
ROI on software spending through elimination of over-licensing
ISO 19770 compliance and publisher audit protection
Full technology estate visibility
Reliable and proactive IT budget planning
Frequently asked questions about ITAM
What is the difference between ITAM and ITSM?
ITSM (IT Service Management) covers the management of IT services as a whole — incidents, changes, problems — following the ITIL framework. ITAM is a complementary discipline focused on assets (hardware, software, licences). Both practices are linked through the CMDB, which feeds both ITSM and ITAM.
How do I start an ITAM initiative in my organization?
The first step is always an existing state audit (discovery) to establish a reliable inventory. From this inventory, you can measure the gap between held licences and actual deployments, then build an optimization roadmap. Nexus Conseils TI supports you from this very first step.
Does ITAM also apply to cloud assets (SaaS, Azure, AWS)?
Yes. Cloud Asset Management (CAM) is an extension of ITAM to cloud environments. It covers tracking SaaS subscriptions (Microsoft 365, Salesforce, Zoom, etc.), optimizing IaaS/PaaS consumption (Azure, AWS, GCP), and governing identities and access. This is now a critical concern as enterprise cloud spending continues to grow rapidly.
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