Asset Management and CMDB
Purpose and map of the hub
Section titled “Purpose and map of the hub”The Asset Management Hub governs the lifecycle of IT assets (hardware, software, cloud) and their representation in the CMDB: inventory, discovery, software management (SAM), licences and ELP (Effective License Position), contracts, procurement, renewals, FinOps, normalisation, optimisation, compliance, governance, integration and reporting. It covers the types IT-ASS, IT-CI/CMDB-*, IT-LICENSE and contract records.
Asset Hub landing page
Section titled “Asset Hub landing page”What it is for. It is the entry point to asset management: it collects the tiles for inventory, CMDB, catalogue, discovery, licensing, contracts, procurement and reporting.
When to use it. At the start of your asset management session.
How to open it. From the Home / IT Hub (Asset Hub tile) or from «CMDB / Assets».
What it shows. The tiles for all the hub’s pages (Inventory 360 – Lifecycle State Machine) and the link to the Integration Hub.
How to use it. You choose the area you want.
What happens next. You reach the chosen page.
Notes. Visibility depends on your role (asset/SAM manager).
Inventory 360
Section titled “Inventory 360”What it is for. It is the unified inventory of assets (hardware, software, virtual) with their lifecycle (Ordered → In Use → Retired).
When to use it. To view and manage the asset estate.
How to open it. From the Asset Hub, Inventory tile.
What it shows and how to use it. The list of assets with list controls (filters, search, views); an asset’s detail opens the IT-ASS/IT-CI ticket with its lifecycle status.
What happens next. Changes update the inventory and the CMDB.
Notes. «360» view = all asset types in one place.
CMDB / Configuration Management
Section titled “CMDB / Configuration Management”What it is for. It is the Configuration Management Database: management of CIs, their classes and relationships, the CSDM model and data quality.
When to use it. To explore CIs, analyse their dependencies and maintain CMDB quality.
How to open it. From the Asset Hub or from the IT Hub’s CMDB / Assets action.
What it shows. The «Configuration Management · CI Explorer» console in tabs:
| Tab | Content |
|---|---|
| Explorer | CI exploration (search, filters, detail) |
| Classes | CI classes (data model) |
| Relationships | Relationships between CIs (CMDB-REL: dependencies, hierarchies) |
| CSDM | Common Service Data Model (business services, CMDB-SERVICE) |
| Discovery | Linked discovery runs |
| Stewardship | Data quality/ownership (data steward) |
How to use it. You explore CIs and relationships; you run the Impact Analysis (Impact Analysis (CMDB-IMPACT)) to assess the blast radius of a change/incident/maintenance; you maintain data quality (stewardship) and the CSDM model.
What happens next. Changes are reflected in the topology and service maps.
Notes. CSDM links CIs to business services with SLAs and uptime targets.
Software & Product Catalog
Section titled “Software & Product Catalog”What it is for. It is the catalogue of normalised software products (and models).
When to use it. To manage the catalogue of recognised products (publishers, versions).
How to open it. From the Asset Hub, Catalog tile.
What it shows and how to use it. The list of products/models with publisher and metadata; you maintain the catalogue used by normalisation and licensing.
What happens next. The catalogue feeds recognition of installed software.
Notes. The basis for SAM (Software Asset Management).
Cloud & SaaS Inventory
Section titled “Cloud & SaaS Inventory”What it is for. Inventory of cloud and SaaS assets.
When to use it. To register cloud resources and SaaS subscriptions.
How to open it. From the Asset Hub, Cloud/SaaS tile.
What it shows and how to use it. The discovered cloud resources and SaaS subscriptions, with attributes and costs.
What happens next. It feeds FinOps and optimisation.
Notes. Complements on-prem discovery.
Discovery Center
Section titled “Discovery Center”What it is for. It is the asset discovery centre (on-prem).
When to use it. To configure and run discovery scans.
How to open it. From the Asset Hub, Discovery tile.
What it shows and how to use it. Discovery sources and runs (CMDB-DISCOVERY-RUN) with results and schedule.
What happens next. The discovered CIs populate the CMDB and the inventory.
Notes. Complements ITOM Discovery (Discovery & CMDB) and the Cloud Inventory.
License Estate & ELP
Section titled “License Estate & ELP”What it is for. It manages the software licence estate and the ELP (Effective License Position): comparison between entitlements and consumption.
When to use it. To monitor seats, expiry dates, costs and licence compliance (IT-LICENSE).
How to open it. From the Asset Hub, Licensing tile.
What it shows and how to use it. Licences with vendor, total/used seats, expiry, cost; the ELP calculation (surplus/deficit).
What happens next. Deficits create compliance risks; surpluses create optimisation opportunities.
Notes. Fed by the catalogue and normalisation.
Vendor Audit
Section titled “Vendor Audit”What it is for. It supports licence audits by vendors (Oracle, IBM, SAP).
When to use it. During a vendor audit or while preparing for one.
How to open it. From the Asset Hub, Vendor Audit tile.
What it shows and how to use it. The licence position per vendor with the specific metrics the audits require.
What happens next. It reduces the risk of non-compliance and disputes.
Notes. Focused on vendors with complex licensing.
Contracts
Section titled “Contracts”What it is for. It manages the contracts linked to assets (maintenance, support, OLA/UC).
When to use it. To view and manage contracts and their expiry dates.
How to open it. From the Asset Hub, Contracts tile.
What it shows and how to use it. Contracts with counterparty, start date, expiry and value.
What happens next. Expiry dates feed renewals (Renewals Calendar).
Notes. Linked to the SLA←OLA←UC chain (IT processes).
Procurement
Section titled “Procurement”What it is for. It manages procurement (purchase requests, orders).
When to use it. To start and track purchases of assets/licences.
How to open it. From the Asset Hub, Procurement tile.
What it shows and how to use it. Purchase requests and orders with status and budget; they can be linked to ES orders (ES-ORDER).
What happens next. The delivered order enters the inventory.
Notes. With budget approval where required.
Renewals Calendar
Section titled “Renewals Calendar”What it is for. It is the calendar of upcoming renewals (licences, contracts, certificates).
When to use it. To plan renewals and avoid interruptions/non-compliance.
How to open it. From the Asset Hub, Renewals tile.
What it shows and how to use it. Upcoming expiry dates in calendar view, with priority.
What happens next. Renewals start procurement or contracts.
Notes. Fed by automatic alerts (60/30 days).
FinOps
Section titled “FinOps”What it is for. It manages cloud costs and spend optimisation (FinOps).
When to use it. To monitor and optimise cloud spend.
How to open it. From the Asset Hub, FinOps tile.
What it shows and how to use it. Costs per service/resource, trends and savings recommendations.
What happens next. The recommendations guide optimisation.
Notes. Fed by the Cloud/SaaS Inventory (Cloud & SaaS Inventory).
Normalization Console
Section titled “Normalization Console”What it is for. It normalises software/asset data (publisher names, versions, editions) for a consistent inventory.
When to use it. To clean and standardise the data collected by discovery.
How to open it. From the Asset Hub, Normalization tile.
What it shows and how to use it. The entries to normalise and the normalisation rules.
What happens next. The normalised inventory improves licensing and ELP.
Notes. Essential for SAM.
License Optimization
Section titled “License Optimization”What it is for. It optimises the licence estate (reallocation, downgrade, decommissioning).
When to use it. To reduce licence costs by using surplus and under-utilisation.
How to open it. From the Asset Hub, Optimization tile.
What it shows and how to use it. Licence optimisation opportunities with their financial impact.
What happens next. The actions reduce costs and ELP deficits.
Notes. Complements FinOps and ITOM optimisation.
Compliance & ELP
Section titled “Compliance & ELP”What it is for. It checks licence compliance and the ELP position.
When to use it. To assess the risk of software non-compliance.
How to open it. From the Asset Hub, Compliance tile.
What it shows and how to use it. Compliance status per publisher, deficits and corrective actions.
What happens next. Deficits feed purchases/optimisations; risks flow into GRC.
Notes. ELP = Effective License Position.
SAM Governance
Section titled “SAM Governance”What it is for. It governs Software Asset Management with policies, controls and segregation of duties (SoD).
When to use it. To define and monitor SAM policies.
How to open it. From the Asset Hub, Governance tile.
What it shows and how to use it. SAM policies, controls and SoD violations.
What happens next. Violations generate corrective actions.
Notes. Linked to GRC.
Integration Fabric
Section titled “Integration Fabric”What it is for. It manages asset management integrations with CMDB, ITSM, ERP, HR, IAM and Cloud.
When to use it. To connect the data sources that feed the inventory and the CMDB.
How to open it. From the Asset Hub, Integration tile.
What it shows and how to use it. Connectors to external systems with status and mappings.
What happens next. The integrated data updates inventory and CMDB.
Notes. Complements the Integration Hub (Integration Hub and import).
Reporting & Forecast
Section titled “Reporting & Forecast”What it is for. It is asset management reporting and forecasting.
When to use it. To produce reports on the estate, costs and compliance, and spend forecasts.
How to open it. From the Asset Hub, Reporting tile.
What it shows and how to use it. The AM report catalogue with preview, export and forecast.
What happens next. Reports support budget and optimisation decisions.
Notes. Includes the spend forecast.
Client Assets & Licenses
Section titled “Client Assets & Licenses”What it is for. It manages assets and licences per customer.
When to use it. When you manage assets on behalf of customers.
How to open it. From the Asset Hub / customer area.
What it shows and how to use it. Assets and licences grouped by customer.
What happens next. Changes update the customer’s inventory.
Notes. Linked to Customer Service (Customer Service, Enterprise Service and ICC).
Lifecycle State Machine
Section titled “Lifecycle State Machine”What it is for. It is the lifecycle editor for assets/CIs (state machine).
When to use it. To define/change lifecycle states and transitions.
How to open it. From the Asset Hub / settings.
What it shows and how to use it. The states (e.g. Ordered/In Use/Retired) and the allowed transitions; you model them graphically.
What happens next. The model governs the asset lifecycle in the inventory.
Notes. Configuration function.
Impact Analysis (CMDB-IMPACT)
Section titled “Impact Analysis (CMDB-IMPACT)”What it is for. It analyses the blast radius of a change, incident or maintenance on a CI and on the linked services.
When to use it. Before a change or during an incident, to understand what is affected.
How to open it. From the CMDB Relationships/Explorer tab (CMDB / Configuration Management), Impact Analysis action.
What it shows and how to use it. The target CI, the change type and the blast radius (linked services and CIs, risk level).
What happens next. The result informs change approval and communication.
Notes. Based on CMDB relationships (CMDB-REL) and CSDM.