There are a plethora of SAM tools on the market. Some use third party inventory sources, such as SCCM, whilst others rely on the fidelity of their own data collection technology to deliver the SAM experience. In this article, I will provide an insight into the 5 best “Must Haves” for an inventory/discovery tool.

Every organisation assessing Software Asset Management software will have individual needs and drivers. In some cases, SAM software underpinned by agentless discovery is a requirement. However, in almost all cases, the benefits of an agent-based SAM solution far outweigh the short-term convenience of agentless SAM software.

The difference between a discovery tool and an inventory tool is that a discovery tool is usually a network scanner that will pick up all network devices at moment of scan, known or unknown, such as routers, switches and printers. It also provides patchy overview of software installations. An inventory tool is usually agent based and will provide granular detail of software installed and used on any given device.

So, here are my top 5 functions to look for in an inventory/discovery tool: