Are you comparing SummitAI Asset Management vs. Cherwell Asset Management for your IT Asset Management (ITAM) needs? Choosing the right ITAM solution can significantly impact your organization's efficiency and success.
In this blog post, we'll perform an ITAM software comparison, looking at both tools' features, benefits, and drawbacks.
Furthermore, we’ll introduce a third alternative, InvGate Asset Management, a rising star in the ITAM landscape known for its unique functionalities and capabilities.
Read on and unlock the potential for improved ITAM strategies that will take your business to greater heights!
Table of contents
- TL;DR
- What is SummitAI Asset Management?
- What is Cherwell Asset Management?
- Considering InvGate Asset Management as an ITAM solution alternative
TL;DR
- Cherwell Asset Management is lauded for its adept integration capabilities, customizable interface, and cost-effectiveness. However, users have voiced concerns about the implementation process, occasional user interface awkwardness, and a need for enhanced advanced features and API capabilities.
- SummitAI Asset Management excels in its user-friendly interface, extensive reporting options, and cost-effectiveness. However, users have reported customization limitations, difficulties with multi-device usability, and concerns with agent syncing.
- InvGate Asset Management revolutionizes IT asset and inventory management by seamlessly integrating data, incorporating a powerful CMDB Map Builder, and offering advanced automation capabilities. These cutting-edge features work together to optimize operational efficiency and drive productivity within organizations.
Most looked-at features by buyers
When buyers assess IT Asset Management solutions, they consider several critical capabilities to find the best match for their specific needs and business requirements.
Here are some essential factors that buyers take into account when choosing an ITAM solution customized for their organization.
- Automated management and proactive alerts - The solution should allow automated workflows for routine tasks such as software updates, patch deployments, and system maintenance. This enables efficient operations and timely responses to critical events through automation and proactive alerts.
- CMDB map builder - Users can define and document relationships between different components, such as hardware devices, software applications, network connections, and dependencies. Visualizing these relationships helps organizations understand the impact of changes, assess risks, and plan for effective Incident and Change Management.
- Unified IT Asset and Inventory Management - Users can efficiently track and handle their entire IT asset inventory from a single platform. The solution should automate asset discovery and capture vital information like hardware specifications, software versions, and ownership details.
- Enhanced cybersecurity compliance - Buyers seek a tool that continuously monitors assets and their security posture to detect and mitigate security risks proactively.
- Proactive cost management and financial optimization - The solution should incorporate financial data, contract lifecycle management, licenses, and other relevant information to understand operational costs comprehensively.
- Service desk integration - Integration with help desk software facilitates smooth information flow between Asset Management and IT Service Management (ITSM) processes. This enhances communication, streamlines workflows, and improves overall service delivery.
- Flexible deployment options - Users prefer a platform that offers flexibility in choosing deployment models, including cloud-based, on-premise, or hybrid solutions.
- Remote management with integrated tools - Integration with popular remote desktop tools allows IT teams to diagnose issues, apply patches, perform software installations, or conduct system updates remotely without requiring physical presence.
- Software Management optimization - This feature enables users to monitor software installations, ensure proper Software License Management, and identify instances of over or underutilization.
- Comprehensive infrastructure insights - The platform should provide complete visibility into IT asset status, performance, and usage, empowering users to make informed decisions and optimize their infrastructure. It should also offer robust reporting and analytics features.
What is SummitAI Asset Management?
SummitAI IT Asset Management utilizes artificial intelligence to effectively control assets, ensuring optimal utilization and compliance. This AI-powered solution seamlessly integrates with IT Service Management, aligning with industry standards such as ITIL and IMAC. Its primary functionalities encompass:
- Software Asset Management
- Hardware Asset Management
- Asset Lifecycle Management
- Asset Compliance Management
SymphonyAI Summit, the software company behind SummitAI IT Asset Management, focuses on AI-driven IT management solutions. Their product offerings cover both IT Service Management and IT Asset Management platforms. Established in 2015 and headquartered in Pune, India, SymphonyAI Summit serves a diverse global clientele, boasting over 100 organizations as customers.
What users like from SummitAI Asset Management
SummitAI Asset Management has earned widespread recognition and garnered positive customer feedback, as evidenced by reputable sources like Gartner. Some advantages users have emphasized include the following:
- Application control and asset integration - The application control feature, along with seamless asset integration, proves to be highly effective in streamlining users' workflows.
- Software metering and non-compliance awareness - The software metering functionality enables users to track software usage, allowing for optimized software licenses and cost savings. Additionally, the non-compliance awareness feature helps organizations adhere to software licensing agreements and avoid potential legal and financial risks.
- Discovery tool - The discovery tool provided by SummitAI captures detailed information about hardware and software assets.
- Software inventory, normalization, and compliance reports - Users highly appreciate these functionalities for their effectiveness and value.
- Predictive maintenance - The predictive maintenance feature enables proactive planning and minimization of asset downtime.
- User interface - The platform offers a clear and efficient dashboard, providing easy access to essential information with a precise presentation of critical data. The user-friendly layout and intuitive interface simplify navigation for both new and experienced users.
- User experience - SummitAI ensures a positive user experience with its easy-to-use interface, facilitating seamless interactions and swift task execution. The inclusion of the CINDE chatbot enhances user support, providing quick responses to common queries.
- Operational benefits - Users experience enhanced productivity and collaboration across teams. The tool's improved speed in operations saves valuable time. The visual inspection capabilities help users better understand asset status and condition, while remote asset monitoring provides convenience and flexibility.
- Cost efficiency - SummitAI offers comprehensive features at a competitive cost, making it a cost-effective choice compared to other solutions.
- Additional features - Users value the multiple reporting options, enabling customized reports tailored to their needs. The all-in-one platform covers various requirements, including Service Management and IT Asset Management, streamlining operations.
What users don’t like from SummitAI Asset Management
Despite SummitAI Asset Management's many strengths and positive attributes, it is not immune to customer concerns and criticisms. Here are some common complaints expressed by users in reviews from trusted sources such as Gartner:
- Customization and compatibility - Users desire better support in customization to align the tool with their specific needs. The limitation of the discovery tool's compatibility with Microsoft OS may restrict its usability in diverse environments. Certain customizations require support team intervention, leading to potential delays.
- Usability and accessibility - Some users find the requirement for multiple clicks for certain functions cumbersome. The inability to use the tool on multiple devices simultaneously is limiting. Accessing and performing maintenance tasks on the platform can be challenging. Users have reported issues with agent syncing, impacting data accuracy and reliability. Moreover, the UI/UX could be enhanced, and there are concerns about the login method.
- Reporting and security - Users desire quicker reporting capabilities for faster decision-making. Some have expressed concerns about security-related issues with existing data.
- Pricing - Users compare SummitAI's pricing with other tools and have raised concerns about overall price considerations despite acknowledging good features for the price.
- Specific features - Challenges have been reported in displaying resolved ticket counts per analyst, affecting reporting and analytics.
What’s SummitAI Asset Management’s argument over Cherwell Asset Management?
SummitAI Asset Management contends that it offers a comprehensive and robust solution, highlighting the following key differentiators:
- Feature set - SummitAI Asset Management has a broad range of features and functionalities, encompassing application control, software metering, predictive maintenance, and non-compliance awareness. These features enable organizations to optimize software usage, minimize asset downtime, and avoid legal and financial risks associated with non-compliance.
- Discovery tool - The detailed and effective discovery tool SummitAI provides captures comprehensive information about hardware and software assets. This tool ensures better asset visibility and control, facilitating more informed decision-making.
- User interface and experience - SummitAI offers a user-friendly and intuitive interface that simplifies navigation and enhances user experience. The efficient dashboard and inclusion of the CINDE chatbot further streamline interactions and support, allowing for swift task execution and improved productivity.
- Operational efficiency - Users experience enhanced productivity and collaboration across teams with SummitAI's improved operational speed. The platform's visual inspection capabilities and remote asset monitoring feature provide added convenience and flexibility.
- Cost efficiency - SummitAI's cost-effective pricing, combined with its comprehensive feature set, makes it an attractive choice for organizations looking to optimize their Asset Management operations without compromising functionality.
What is Cherwell Asset Management?
Cherwell Asset Management is an IT tool designed to streamline the management of software and hardware assets. This comprehensive solution aims to reduce software license costs, minimize IT overhead, and mitigate risks associated with software audits.
Cherwell Asset Management's primary features include hardware and software inventory, license compliance management, software usage analysis, and an ITAM purchasing system. It seamlessly integrates with Cherwell IT Service Management, enhancing the overall IT ecosystem.
The company behind Cherwell Asset Management, Cherwell Software, was acquired by Ivanti, a leading enterprise Service Management vendor. As a result of the merger, Ivanti is directing Cherwell clients to its Ivanti Neurons platform. However, this abrupt change has caused customer dissatisfaction, creating an opportunity for other ITSM/ITAM vendors to provide alternative solutions.
What users like from Cherwell Asset Management
Cherwell Asset Management has garnered widespread recognition and positive customer feedback, with reputable sources like Gartner acknowledging its strengths. Users have emphasized several advantages of the platform, which include the following:
- User interface and customization - Users highly appreciate the platform's high level of customizability. Additionally, the ability to whitelist and blacklist software by asset is particularly favored by users.
- Tracking and management - Users highly praise Cherwell Asset Management's multiple sourcing service integration capabilities and management of non-IT assets for their effectiveness in asset tracking and management. Using an agent to collect data contributes to accurate and reliable asset information.
- Reporting - Users have positively commented on the software's reporting capabilities with charts, finding them visually appealing and easy to interpret.
- Efficiency and performance - The reliability and performance of the platform's applications have received favorable feedback from users. Its efficiency and ability to track changes and incidents are also highlighted as key advantages.
- Cost - Cherwell Asset Management’s cost-effectiveness and easy out-of-the-box configuration make it an appealing choice for users seeking efficient Asset Management solutions.
What users don’t like from Cherwell Asset Management
Despite Cherwell Asset Management's many strengths and positive attributes, it is not without its share of customer concerns and criticisms. Reviews from trusted sources such as Gartner have highlighted some common complaints expressed by users, which include:
- Limited advanced features and API capabilities - Some users express a desire for more advanced features and API capabilities to meet specific requirements and enhance functionality.
- User interface - The user interface for certain modules and Mapp is criticized for its clunky design and lack of user-friendliness, prompting a need for improvements.
- Inconvenience from frequent minor upgrades - Some users find the frequent minor upgrades to be inconvenient, potentially disrupting workflows and user experience.
- Issues with certain tickets and usability - Certain tickets may not work as expected, impacting usability and causing frustration among users.
- Missing app dynamics system monitoring integration - Users express a limitation in the absence of App Dynamics system monitoring integration, impacting comprehensive monitoring capabilities.
- Performance concerns with specific web browsers - Performance issues with specific web browsers and occasional lag have been reported, affecting user experience and efficiency.
- Implementation process - Some users express dissatisfaction with Cherwell Asset Management's implementation process and suggest room for improvement in its out-of-the-box readiness.
- Challenges with advanced customization - Advanced customization requires significant effort and learning the code base, posing challenges for users seeking tailored configurations.
- Limitations with built-in asset scanning - Users encountered challenges with asset scanning using the built-in option, leading to a desire for better scanning alternatives.
- Considerations for improving the user experience for smaller organizations - Some users suggest optimizing the user experience for smaller organizations to cater to their specific needs.
- A desire for more input in interface design before deployment - Users desire more involvement in the interface design process before deployment to align the platform better with their preferences and workflows.
What’s Cherwell Asset Management’s argument over SummitAI Asset Management?
Cherwell Asset Management positions itself as a strong contender against SummitAI Asset Management, highlighting its own unique strengths and advantages. Here are some key arguments made by Cherwell Asset Management:
- Customizability and user interface - Cherwell Asset Management emphasizes its high level of customizability and flexibility in meeting diverse organizational needs. Users appreciate the platform's ability to tailor the interface and workflows to their preferences, streamlining Asset Management processes. The ability to whitelist and blacklist software by asset is particularly favored, allowing organizations to enforce software policies effectively.
- Tracking and management - Cherwell Asset Management showcases its efficient sourcing service integration capabilities and management of non-IT assets as essential features. Users value the platform's effectiveness in asset tracking and management, along with the use of agents to collect data, ensuring accurate and reliable asset information.
- Reporting capabilities - Cherwell Asset Management's reporting capabilities with visually appealing charts are well-regarded by users. The platform's ability to present data in an easy-to-interpret manner supports decision-making and provides valuable insights into asset performance.
- Efficiency and performance - Cherwell Asset Management underlines the reliability and performance of its applications as key advantages. Users appreciate the platform's ability to track changes and incidents efficiently, contributing to streamlined asset management operations.
- Cost-effectiveness and configuration - Cherwell Asset Management positions itself as a cost-effective solution with easy out-of-the-box configuration.
Considering InvGate Asset Management as an ITAM solution alternative
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Organizations seeking IT Asset Management alternatives to suit their specific needs and requirements should consider InvGate Asset Management.
As a robust ITAM solution, InvGate Asset Management offers various features and functionalities that make it a viable option for streamlining Asset Management processes.
Let's explore its key features.
Efficient management through automation and alerts
InvGate Asset Management enables process automation and alert setups, ensuring proactive IT management. By creating automated alerts, organizations can monitor contract expirations and notify relevant parties promptly, reducing manual effort and the risk of oversight. This automation streamlines operations, allowing focus on critical tasks and enhancing overall efficiency.
Streamlined operations with CMDB Map Builder
The CMDB map builder tool in InvGate Asset Management offers a clear and comprehensive overview of the IT ecosystem. By visualizing relationships between components, potential impacts on operational continuity can be identified, leading to proactive risk mitigation. This visibility reduces service times, improves operational efficiency, and ensures smoother IT operations.
Enhanced IT Asset and Inventory Management
InvGate Asset Management facilitates a seamless integration process that consolidates data from different sources, including popular operating systems, cloud service providers (AWS, Google, Azure), and MDMs (JAMF, Google Endpoint Manager). This comprehensive integration ensures efficient management of IT and non-IT assets, locations, and people, saving time and providing a holistic view of the infrastructure.
Enhanced cybersecurity compliance with asset monitoring
InvGate Asset Management's asset monitoring capabilities establish and enforce device health rules, facilitating proactive cybersecurity compliance. Quick identification of non-compliance instances allows immediate action to ensure adherence to cybersecurity policies and safeguard the IT infrastructure.
Proactive operational cost management
InvGate Asset Management allows direct incorporation of financial data, contracts, licenses, and other crucial information into the system. By doing so, organizations gain a complete understanding of their operational costs, enabling proactive and informed financial decisions. This approach optimizes budget allocation and maximizes the value derived from IT investments.
A holistic view of IT operations through native service desk integration
InvGate Asset Management seamlessly integrates with InvGate Service Management, providing a native integration that links tickets with devices and people. This integration offers a 360° view of IT operations, facilitating more efficient management. Connecting service tickets to relevant assets and personnel streamlines workflows, enhances communication, and improves issue resolution.
Flexible deployment options to suit needs
InvGate Asset Management understands the uniqueness of each organization's requirements and industry regulations, offering flexible deployment options. This allows choosing between a cloud or on-premise solution, ensuring alignment with specific needs and compliance standards.
Effortless remote management with native integration
InvGate Asset Management natively integrates with popular remote desktop tools like Windows Remote Desktop, TeamViewer, AnyDesk, and VNC. This integration enhances remote management capabilities, providing direct access to devices for troubleshooting and maintenance. With seamless remote access, organizations can efficiently address IT issues, perform necessary maintenance tasks, and ensure uninterrupted operations.
Optimizing software efficiency and reducing costs
InvGate Asset Management empowers organizations to identify and measure the usage of paid software, facilitating efficient Software Management. By gaining visibility into software utilization, underutilized licenses can be reallocated, unnecessary costs reduced, and returns on IT investments maximized. This optimization of software efficiency helps organizations make the most of their software resources.
Comprehensive insights into IT infrastructure
With its robust features, InvGate Asset Management provides detailed and actionable information about IT assets, including their status and usage. This comprehensive insight enables effective management and optimization of the infrastructure, enhancing operational efficiency.
Next steps
Two prominent contenders in the quest for the ideal ITAM solution are SummitAI Asset Management vs. Cherwell Asset Management.
However, as choosing the right IT Asset Management tool can significantly impact your organization's efficiency and success, exploring additional alternatives such as InvGate Asset Management is worthwhile.
Download our free ITAM implementation checklist. This valuable resource will guide you through mapping out the necessary steps, ensuring the successful and seamless integration of your chosen ITAM solution.
