Free Edition Growing businesses have growing needs. Hence it's not baffling to see their IT infrastructure expand rapidly, with time. Newer devices and BYOD policies - all of these significantly contribute to the growth of endpoints in the network. While the need to manage and secure these endpoints doesn't need any introduction - lifecycle management of obsolete and non-compliant devices is as crucial as it can be.
Aged devices, or devices that have fallen out of compliance pose serious threats and operational challenges. The outdated hardware and misconfigurations in the systems can not only lead to productivity constraints but are also one of the leading causes of cyberattacks.
A streamlined IT asset lifecycle management process ensures that organizations maintain a secure and compliant network. This article talks about why lifecycle management matters, its key stages, and the best practices for managing obsolete and non-compliant devices using ManageEngine Endpoint Central.
Obsolete devices are endpoints that have reached the end of their support lifecycle (as specified by the OEM). Additionally, when systems can no longer run essential applications or operating systems, owing to hardware incompatibility or lack of compatibility with modern security standards, they can be classified as obsolete.
Non-compliant devices are endpoints that violate security or regulatory standards, as set by the organization. Endpoints can be marked as non-compliant by the organization's compliance monitoring tools because of one or more reasons such as unpatched software, unauthorized applications installed in them, or any other deviations.
Most organizations today rely on IT asset management solutions to streamline the device lifecycle management in their network. These solutions automate the entire process - starting from the procurement to the de-commissioning of the endpoints.
Iterated below are the reasons why every organization should focus on device lifecycle management as a mandatory and scheduled activity:
Device lifecycle management is a continual process that works best with automated scans at fixed intervals. The below points outline the key stages of the process:
Effectively managing the obsolete and non-compliant endpoints requires more than ad-hoc scans. It is important to develop a proactive strategy to ensure that the outdated endpoints are promptly identified and the necessary actions are implemented.
Here are some of the best practices that can be followed:
Automated IT asset discovery via dedicated ITAM tools helps continuously detect and classify endpoints based on configuration, age, usage, and compliance status. This eliminates any manual errors, improves visibility, and accelerates the process of endpoint classification.
IT teams should establish well-rounded policies that define when or how an endpoint should be classified for replacement or retirement. The criteria may include factors like (e.g., 5+ years), lack of support, or inability to meet performance benchmarks.
Unified dashboards and a centralized console make it easier to track multiple facets of the device lifecycle management process, such as OS patch levels, disk encryption status, license and warranty stats, user privileges, system health, and so on.
Optimizing device reuse can greatly reduce the costs associated with IT procurement. Re-imaging old or aging but functional devices and reassigning them to roles with lower resource demands, such as visitor kiosks or conference room systems can reduce waste, capEX, and maximize ROI.
It is crucial to maintain complete audit logs for all endpoint changes, such as patch deployments, software installations, ransomware detections, other end-user activities, and end-of-life actions. These records support compliance audits and help during forensic investigations.
Employee training is often the most non-technical part when it comes to streamlining the device lifecycle management process. Educating the employees about the proper ways to notify the IT teams in case a device is unable to function properly, or communicating the risks of using obsolete or non-compliant endpoints should be mandated.
IT teams should ensure that before the endpoints are decommissioned and phased out of the network, any business critical or sensitive data should be removed from them.
ManageEngine Endpoint Central - a unified endpoint management and security solution that offers full-scale IT asset management capabilities along with its wide array of endpoint management offerings. It empowers IT teams with the necessary capabilities required to proactively monitor, identify, and decommission devices as and when required.
Here's a brief on how Endpoint Central's capabilities can help at various stages of the lifecycle management process.
| Stage | Endpoint Central's Capabilities |
|---|---|
| Procurement & Onboarding | Configuring devices irrespective of their location via lightweight agents, installing the required applications or OS, and adding them to asset inventory during provisioning. |
| Monitoring & Maintenance | Continual, real-time visibility into the hardware and software assets, uptime, usage patterns, and performance trends. |
| Compliance Management | Automated detection of missing patches, vulnerabilities, misconfigurations, policy violations, and non-compliance with installed applications, app control policies, and more. |
| Patch & Software Management | Automated patch deployment for Windows, macOS, Linux, and over 1000 third-party applications . In addition, it also supports updates for mobile devices. |
| Decommissioning | Secure wiping of sensitive data in the endpoints, agent uninstallation, and audit logs for the retired systems. |
Not just this, Endpoint Central's built-in integrations with vulnerability scanners, helpdesk software, SIEM, and business intelligence tools make it the all-in-one solution for not only the lifecycle management of endpoints but also the overall management and security of the endpoints in the network.
Try out the features first-hand with a fully functional 30-day free trial.