SAM, ITAM, FinOps and more – mastering the jargon of IT management

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SAM, ITAM, FinOps and more – mastering the jargon of IT management

In collaboration with our new partners Sonar Clarity, we open the dictionary and bust through the jargon of some of the most common industry acronyms.

Published on 13th September 2024

Cutting through the jargon

Navigating the complex world of IT management can be confusing, especially with the abundance of acronyms and domain-specific terms. Among the most common are SAM, ITAM, and FinOps – often used interchangeably but representing distinct disciplines with unique goals and approaches.

Let’s take a look at what each of them actually means:

SAM - Software Asset Management

Software Asset Management focuses on managing the software lifecycle within an organisation. This involves software acquisition, deployment, licensing, maintenance, updates and retirement. The key objectives of SAM include optimising licensing costs, reducing the risk of non-compliance, and improving operational efficiency.

ITAM - IT Asset Management

IT Asset Management expands the scope to encompass all IT assets within an organisation – including hardware, software, networks, and storage devices. ITAM aims to track, control, and optimise the use of these assets throughout their lifecycle. This enables organisations to better manage their IT investments, improve security and compliance, and make more informed decisions about resource allocation.

FinOps - (Cloud) Financial Operations

FinOps focuses specifically on managing cloud computing costs. It involves tracking and analysing cloud expenditures, identifying optimisation opportunities and implementing strategies to reduce costs. The key goals of FinOps include improving cloud cost visibility, optimising cloud resource usage and aligning cloud spending with business objectives.

TBM - Technology Business Management

Technology Business Management focuses on aligning IT investments with business goals. It uses metrics and analysis to measure the value of IT and identify areas for improvement.

ITSM - IT Service Management

IT Service Management is a framework for managing IT services, aiming to deliver them in a high-quality and cost-effective to users. It defines processes and practices for incident management, service requests, problem management and change management.

DevOps - (Software) Development Operations

DevOps is a collaborative approach to software development that combines developers and IT operations. It aims to shorten development cycles, improve software quality and reduce costs.

CloudOps - Cloud Operations

CloudOps is an approach to managing cloud operations. It involves automating tasks, monitoring performance and managing the security of cloud environments.

SecOps - Security & Operations

SecOps is a collaborative approach to IT security that combines security and IT operations teams. It aims to improve overall security by integrating security into operational processes.

RiskOps - Risk Operations

RiskOps is an approach to managing IT risk. It involves identifying, assessing, and mitigating IT risks.

Relationships and Synergies

Although all of the acronyms we’ve explored can be distinct disciplines, they are intrinsically interconnected and can be used to reinforce each other. For example, SAM provides information on software licenses and usage, which can be used to optimise cloud costs in FinOps. ITAM offers a holistic view of IT assets, essential for effective cloud cost management. FinOps can help raise awareness of cloud costs and promote responsible usage practices across the organisation, benefiting both SAM and ITAM.

Looking for a tool that can help reduce the burden of these many acronyms?

That’s where Sonar Clarity comes in.

Sonar Clarity is a comprehensive software solution that can help you efficiently manage your software and cloud assets. It offers a wide range of features that meet the needs for enabling productive SAM, ITAM, FinOps and more – including:

Asset Inventory and Discovery: Sonar Clarity automatically discovers and inventories all your software and cloud assets, whether deployed on-premises or in the cloud.
License Management: Sonar Clarity allows you to track and manage your software licenses, helping you avoid non-compliance risks and optimise your licensing costs.
Cloud Cost Allocation: Sonar Clarity enables you to allocate cloud costs to different departments, projects, or products, giving you better visibility into your cloud expenditures.
Cloud Resource Optimisation: Sonar Clarity helps you identify underutilised cloud resources and implement strategies to optimise them, reducing your cloud costs.
Reporting and Analytics: Sonar Clarity provides comprehensive reports and analyses on your software and cloud assets, allowing you to make informed decisions regarding IT management.

By using Sonar Clarity, you can simplify and automate your SAM and FinOps processes, saving time and money while improving visibility and control over your IT assets.

Conclusion

SAM, ITAM and FinOps are essential disciplines for organisations seeking to optimise their IT investments, reduce costs and improve efficiency. By understanding the differences and synergies between these disciplines, and using powerful tools like Sonar Clarity, businesses can implement effective strategies to manage their IT assets and get the most out of their IT infrastructure.

For more information on Sonar Clarity, head to our dedicated partner page here.