Flexera IT asset management: Pros, cons, and alternative
From tracking licenses to handling audits, the challenges in IT asset management can feel endless. That’s where Flexera IT asset management steps in. It’s built to simplify asset management, boost efficiency, and help businesses stay ahead in this tech world.
But like any tool, it’s not without its flaws. In this blog, we’ll explore the benefits Flexera IT asset management brings to the table. We’ll also explore the limitations that might hold you back, and some alternatives to consider.
Whether you’re already using Flexera or other asset management tools, this guide will help you make informed decisions. Let’s dive in!
Overview of Flexera IT asset management
Flexera IT asset management simplifies managing software, hardware, and SaaS assets in hybrid IT environments. Moreover, it addresses the increasing complexity of IT systems while offering clear asset lifecycle management. Businesses can often optimize software licenses, lower audit risks, and improve vendor negotiations.
By combining software, hardware, and SaaS management, Flexera provides a centralized solution. This integration also helps streamline IT operations, reduce manual work, and deliver valuable insights for better decision-making.
Features of Flexera IT asset management
Flexera IT asset management stands out by offering robust features designed to streamline IT asset tracking, licensing, and compliance.
- Complete asset discovery
Establish a strong ITAM practice with reliable and precise data on your software, hardware, and SaaS usage.
Visibility across environments: Flexera IT asset management helps organizations discover and track all IT assets. It includes software, SaaS apps, and hardware, giving a clear view of the company’s IT landscape.
- Accurate recognition: The platform uses a strong Application Recognition Library (ARL) to correctly identify and further organize applications, versions, and publishers.
- License optimization
Flexera helps discover shadow SaaS, eliminate redundant apps, and optimize subscriptions based on real usage.
Product Use Rights Library (PURL): Flexera IT asset management automates license benefits like upgrade rights and hybrid use rights, ensuring efficient license use.
- SKU library: Flexera IT asset management compares purchased and used licenses. As a result, it helps to establish a clear license position across vendors.
- SaaS management
- SaaS visibility and optimization: Flexera IT asset management software helps find SaaS apps in use, manage subscriptions, and remove inactive ones to minimize costs.
- Data protection: It also automatically deletes data from unused SaaS subscriptions to protect sensitive information.
- Hardware asset management
- Lifecycle automation: Flexera IT asset management software automates the entire hardware asset lifecycle, from purchase to retirement, including warranty reminders.
- Contextualization: It connects hardware with organizational data, such as users and cost centers, for improved management insights.
- Policy automation
- Automated actions: The policy engine automates actions based on asset data, thus, supporting governance and compliance.
- Integration capabilities
- Interoperability with other systems: Flexera IT asset management software integrates with IT Service Management (ITSM) tools like ServiceNow and BMC. It also offers an open API for easy expansion and interoperability with other systems and platforms.
- Risk management
- Compliance monitoring: Flexera asset management tools help manage risks around vendor license compliance, regulatory compliance, and security vulnerabilities.
- Proactive risk identification: It also highlights risks and potential improvements through dashboards and visualizations.
- Reporting and analytics
- Data insights: Flexera asset management tools offer in-depth reports on usage patterns, cost-saving opportunities, and vendor management strategies.
By using these features, businesses can effectively manage IT resources, minimize waste, and improve license compliance.
Benefits of Flexera IT asset management
Here are the key benefits of using Flexera IT asset management to optimize your organization’s asset lifecycle.
- Save costs: Reduce extra expenses by optimizing SaaS subscriptions, maximizing license value, and also avoiding software waste.
- Improve data accuracy: Use reliable IT discovery tools to maintain clean, precise data for a strong ITAM foundation.
- Boost productivity: Automate tasks like software license management and asset provisioning often to focus on strategic business goals.
- Ensure compliance: Simplify audits and further meet vendor requirements, including IBM and Oracle certifications, with ease.
- Stay future-ready: Manage hybrid IT complexities and global licensing challenges with a platform built for modern enterprises.
Limitations of Flexera IT asset management
Here are some key limitations of Flexera IT asset management, as noted in user reviews on platforms like G2 and Gartner.
- SaaS management needs improvement: Flexera’s asset management tools’ dashboard and metrics customization are limited and require better development.
- Weekly metering data updates: The platform provides metering updates only once a week, restricting access to real-time data.
- Deployment issues at scale: Large-scale deployments often encounter unresolved issues, thus, leading to delays and team frustration.
- Incomplete API documentation: Limited API examples make customization difficult, also requiring more technical expertise than expected.
- Challenging learning curve: The platform’s unique language and custom actions are hard to grasp, especially for new users.
- High price tag: Flexera IT asset management software is costly. Moreover, its value decreases as cloud-native tools become more efficient.
- Complex SaaS integrations: Integrating with multiple vendors adds complexity and also increases overall costs.
To get the most out of IT asset management tools, organizations should address these challenges with effective strategies.
The Virima advantage: A complete ITAM solution
Virima delivers an all-inclusive IT asset management solution that surpasses the limitations of Flexera asset management tools.
Unmatched visibility
Virima offers unmatched visibility into your IT environment through its advanced IT discovery features.
- Automated discovery and inventory: Virima automatically discovers and further tracks all IT assets, including hardware, software, and cloud resources.
- Near real-time inventory updates: Access near real-time asset data to ensure accurate and informed decision-making.
Actionable insights with ViVID™
Virima Visual Impact Display (ViVID™) combines service mapping with visual overlays to simplify IT infrastructure management.
ViVID streamlines the IT ecosystem by visualizing assets, applications, and their interconnections for better management.
- Visually appealing service maps: ViVID creates clear and interactive service maps with filterable as well as shareable views.
- Data-driven insights: Overlay ITSM data, vulnerabilities, and also other essential details to uncover deeper insights into your environment.
Streamlined IT operations
Virima automates IT processes and integrates with key tools to boost operational efficiency.
- ITSM integration: Seamlessly connect with tools like ServiceNow and Jira for a unified view of IT operations.
- Vulnerability management: Identify and further prioritize risks proactively to improve your IT security posture.
Enhanced collaboration
Virima fosters teamwork by offering a shared platform where IT teams can access and analyze asset data easily.
Future-proof ITAM
Virima’s platform is built for scalability and flexibility. It also ensures data portability across ITSM platforms as your needs change.
Continuous data improvement
Virima’s Autonomic Social Discovery uses a crowdsourcing approach to keep CMDB and ITAM data accurate and updated.
By leveraging Virima’s advanced features, you gain a thorough understanding of your IT assets. Optimize resources, streamline IT operations, and enhance your overall security with a solution designed for continuous improvement.
Empowering your IT asset management tools with Virima
Finding the right IT asset management software depends on your goals and IT environment. For a scalable platform with advanced features like service mapping, software license management, and vulnerability management, Virima stands out as an excellent choice.
The right system significantly plays a key role in achieving success. Flexera offers basic IT asset management, however, Virima provides a more advanced and versatile solution. It helps you gain better insights into your IT assets, optimize resources, and improve overall IT performance.
Take control of your IT assets. Schedule a demo with Virima today and experience the difference!
