IT Asset Tracking
with RFID
RFID systems are used in IT asset tracking for data centers and enterprises to automate the quality of service, security, and compliance that are crucial to their operations.
RFID technology enables automation in IT asset management, meaning less overhead and more margins for enterprises and cloud companies alike. On the other hand, IT vendors employ RFID source-tagging to move toward a Hardware-As-A-Service model, where they manage their own gear on behalf of their customers.
3 Applications of RFID for IT Asset Tracking
THE CHALLENGES OF IT ASSET TRACKING
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Automation - IT Assets come in high-density configurations, in small and large sizes, which call for tracking and identification methods that can be automated, ie work in bulk, without having to pull the equipment out of the racks.
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Interoperability - With IT Asset Management (ITAM) systems such as Nlyte, ServiceNow, Remedy...
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Metal - Data centers are metal-dense environments and RFID Systems require to be tuned to minimize cross reads and interferences.
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Unique Identification - Traceability is a key feature, preferably enabled with serialized ID (TID) or custom encoding of User and EPC memories.
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Machine and Human-Readable - A best practice that requires printing and encoding on-site or at point-of-manufacture.
HOW CAN RFID SYSTEMS ENABLE IT ASSET TRACKING?
An RFID IT asset tracking system is designed to manage a large variety of IT assets, devices, and equipment, throughout their life cycle:
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High-density - IT assets come in high-density configurations which call for inventory methods that can be automated, work in bulk, and don’t require equipment to be pulled out of racks.
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Metal - Data centers are metal-dense environments and RFID systems and tags require to be tuned to control stray reads and interferences.
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Unique Identification - Asset traceability and compliance are key features enabled with serialized ID encoding.
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Hybrid Information - Identification is encoded and printed to make it readable by both machines and people.
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Tracking - Handheld readers are best suited for flexible, on-the-spot, mobile checks, such as scanning a facility without having to remove any item, or identifying misplaced equipment.
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Monitoring - Fixed readers can be adapted onto server cabinets to automate real-time visibility at the rack level.
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Interoperability - Some IT Asset Management (ITAM) systems facilitate RFID integration by providing native support.
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Embedded - OEMs rely on customized tagging solutions that are embeddable in the hardware at point-of-manufacture to enable tracking features from cradle to grave.
Whether you need to track laptops, mobile devices, PCs, removable storage devices, servers, routers, network cards, or other IT assets, Xerafy has RFID tagging solutions that meet industry standards and are engineered for the job.
Available for both equipment retrofit and source-tagging, the award-winning Xerafy RFID Tags ad Labels designed to deliver optimal performance for IT Assets, be they used On-Metal, Off-Metal, or In-Metal. Compact form factors are available to fit blade servers, rack locations, and mobile devices. More options are available regarding chip memory, materials, and mounting options.
DATA CENTER AUTOMATION
Data center automation leverages RFID systems for critical operational functions such as data center audits, physical inspections, security, and compliance.
An average data center accounts for thousands of servers, routers, and critical equipment, each required to be identified, tracked, maintained, audited, and eventually disposed of.
RFID systems enable the automation of physical data center audits for
a more accurate IT asset inventory, performed more regularly, and standardized across multiple locations, in order to offer real-time operational visibility.
RFID data center asset management solutions are designed to take advantage of the tracking capabilities embedded by IT vendors who source-tag their equipment with RFID. Wider market adoption is now paving the way for new performance and security standards, in accordance with regulations and standards including Sarbanes-Oxley (SOX), the HITECH Act, PCI, HIPAA.
IT ASSET INVENTORY
Data Centers and Enterprises use IT asset tracking to drive their operational performance and control the efficiency and costs of their infrastructure.
A strong IT Asset Management (ITAM) system is built on a comprehensive IT asset inventory, including laptops and other mobile equipment, be they inside the base network or outside.
RFID systems provide advanced IT asset tracking features deployed and automated across multiple locations.
They help organizations remain compliant, prepare for audits, and reduce the likelihood of security risks by simplifying and accelerating asset reconciliation procedures.
And with data captured throughout, actionable insight into the IT asset management lifecycle is created that can be leveraged to manage vendor contracts, optimize purchase orders, and forecast demand for new assets and for maintenance services.
RFID FOR IT VENDORS
IT vendors have been leading the way with RFID source-tagging to streamline IT asset management lifecycle.
IT vendors offer equipment that is source-tagged with RFID
applied directly in or onto the equipment during the manufacturing or the packaging process.
The native RFID features help automate several IT asset management lifecycle processes such as reconciling incoming equipment, provisioning, and deployment.
Help desk support teams use data from their RFID IT asset tracking system to rapidly locate and identify equipment that requires maintenance services, upgrades, and decommissioning, allowing for an active approach to power and heat management in the data center.
At the end of the IT asset management lifecycle, the RFID system will simplify accounting for hardware and the data they contain, ensuring seamless compliance for asset reporting and data protection.
