In this webinar, we explore the power of Microsoft Service Manager! Microsoft Senior Program Manager Aakash Basavaraj shares more on the latest release of Microsoft System Center 2025!
This session also includes a presentation by Brian Winter and Bryan McCartney on how Kodak Alaris Kodak increased hardware asset inventory accuracy from 19.5% in 2013 to 99.9% in 2023! Using Service Manager 2019, Cireson Hardware Asset Management Software, and Power BI, they were able to enjoy a fully-integrated hardware asset lifecycle process with greater efficiency, lower cost, fewer errors, increased productivity.
Cireson is a Microsoft Gold Certified partner focused on creating software solutions that natively integrate with Microsoft technology to maximize your existing investments. With Cireson, you can choose to centralize your business processes on-premise with their Microsoft System Center Service Manager (SCSM) products or in the cloud with their Cloud-based Microsoft 365 IT Service Management (ITSM) Solution.
This webinar covers advancements in hardware asset management through collaboration between Microsoft, Cireson, and Kodak Alaris, alongside a broader focus on innovations in System Center 2025. Detailed summary includes:
Introduction and Participants
Joel Doss, Director of Sales at Cireson, opened the session, highlighting collaboration between Microsoft and Kodak Alaris. Speakers included Adam Dzacky, Cireson’s Director of Product; Akash Basavaraj, a Product Manager at Microsoft; and Brian Winter and Bryan McCartney from Kodak Alaris, who shared their practical applications of asset management improvements.
System Center 2025 Overview
Akash Basavaraj outlined updates in System Center 2025, released in November 2024. Key advancements included:
- Security Enhancements: Reduced reliance on NTLM authentication, integration of TLS 1.3, and Azure Key Vault for secure passphrase storage.
- Hybrid and Heterogeneous Support: Compatibility with Windows Server 2025, Linux workloads, VMware, and Azure services.
- Infrastructure Modernization: Improved tools for cloud migration and hybrid management through Azure Arc.
These features support seamless management of data centers and infrastructure modernization, emphasizing security and hybrid flexibility.
Kodak Alaris Case Study
Kodak Alaris presented their hardware asset management journey, detailing challenges, solutions, and measurable success. Key insights included:
Challenges:
- Inconsistent Asset Data: Over time, asset records became unreliable due to manual processes, lack of physical audits, and procedural gaps.
- High Turnover and Global Operations: With 1,500 employees spread across the globe, tracking hardware—especially in shared environments like manufacturing—posed significant logistical hurdles.
- Budget Mismanagement: Inaccurate records inflated budgets for PC refresh cycles and led to audit discrepancies.
Solutions:
Kodak implemented a series of improvements based on three pillars:
- Data Consolidation and Dashboards: Leveraging Power BI, they created dashboards to monitor asset status, identify discrepancies, and analyze key metrics from multiple data sources.
- Automation of Manual Tasks: By deploying workflows and runbooks through Cireson and System Center tools, repetitive processes like deployments, returns, and updates were automated. Bulk operations, such as workstation refreshes, also benefited from this automation.
- Validation and Notifications: To ensure data accuracy, they introduced periodic audits using PowerShell scripts to validate assets with custodians. Notification systems escalated unresolved issues to supervisors, ensuring accountability.
Results:
- Accuracy: Asset records improved from 19.5% accuracy in 2016 to 99.9% in 2023.
- Efficiency: Automated processes streamlined operations, enabling adherence to service-level agreements (SLAs) with reduced staff.
- Cost Savings: Enhanced accuracy in budgeting and resource allocation minimized waste.
Conclusion and Wrap-Up
The session emphasized the critical role of making use of modern tools like System Center 2025 and Cireson products in addressing real-world challenges. Kodak Alaris’ success underscored how automation, validation, and strategic dashboards can transform hardware asset management. The speakers invited questions to further clarify their strategies and insights.
This webinar highlights the importance of leveraging technology for efficient asset lifecycle management, offering a template for organizations grappling with similar challenges.
