This is the final post in my blog series addressing the many myths and misconceptions about agent-based IT asset management technology.  The four parts to the series are as follows:

1. Intro: The Great Debate
2. Agent Deployment
3. Data Collection
4. Network and End-User Impact

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This post is part 3 of 4 of a series of articles addressing many of the common misconceptions associated with agent-based asset management solutions.  The four parts in this series are:

1. Intro: The Great Debate
2. Agent Deployment
3. Data Collection
4. Network and End-User Impact

(more…)

This post is part 2 of 4 of a series of articles addressing many of the common misconceptions associated with agent-based asset management solutions.  The four parts to the series are as follows:

1. Intro: The Great Debate
2. Agent Deployment
3. Data Collection
4. Network and End-User Impact

(more…)

Part 1) The Great Debate

Having read (and responded to) comments to Martin Thompson’s recent blog post about the pros and cons of using agent-based IT asset management technology, I felt compelled to articulate my perspective on the subject.  It’s a topic that seems to generate a fair share of controversy, and although I may live to regret stirring the pot (novice blogger that I am), I believe the arguments in favor of agent-based technology have been generally under-represented, poorly understood, and, in my opinion, often unjustly maligned.  Specifically, some of the advantages of installing a client (such as the ability to communicate with a central server on a regular basis, collect software metering data, etc.) have given rise to an exaggerated claim that agents are, by definition, “invasive,” and therefore, by extension, inherently “flawed.”

So in this series of posts I plan to represent the “other half” of IT asset management professionals who actively choose agent-based technology.  As part of this, I’ll do my best to dispel some of the myths surrounding agent-less technology that occasionally lead to political and organizational arguments against deploying solutions that, in many cases, are more apt to deliver the kind of business value that’s being sought. 

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