Benefits & challenges of device reclamation: recovering lost or missing devices

Did you know that according to Gartner, "about 30% of enterprise IT hardware may be lost, missing, or 'inactive' in enterprise environments today, which happens at any stage of the lifecycle — from procurement to provisioning to upgrading"? Ghosted devices are devices that are either no longer in use or have fallen out of active management but still remain a part of the company's asset inventory.

That's 30% of your hardware estate you could be paying leasing fees, software licenses, and ongoing service costs for, and this doesn't even include the additional devices you have to buy to replace those or the enormous amount of e-waste your organization is creating. 

In this article, we discuss how organizations can use device reclamation as a way to prevent or at least minimize device ghosting and examine the advantages and disadvantages of the approach so you can decide if this is right for you.

How do you prevent device ghosting?

There are multiple strategies to prevent devices from becoming lost, stolen, misplaced, or ghosted. Some are more successful than others and, almost always, a combination of several strategies works best.

Clear processes and instructions on how to decommission a device

It seems kind of obvious that we need to provide clear processes and instructions on how to properly decommission devices once they are broken or unusable. This includes establishing a formal process for employees to follow when they no longer need a device, such as returning it to the IT department or following a specific decommissioning procedure. Clear instructions should be easily accessible and communicated regularly to employees to ensure they are aware of the proper steps to take. But for many organizations, this gets lost in the shuffle.

Put someone in charge

Most organizations don't have a single person in charge of tracking the company's devices. But think about it this way: Considering that 30% of devices are ghosted, you could be looking at more than $1,500,000 in savings every year if you have 20,000 employees and you allocate $250 per employee for devices. 

Regularly audit your IT assets

Regularly auditing IT assets is crucial for identifying ghosted devices. Organizations should conduct periodic audits to ensure that all devices listed in their inventory are accounted for and in use. Audits should be thorough and include both physical verification of devices and checks of device-usage logs. By identifying lost or missing devices during audits, organizations can promptly take action to decommission them and mitigate potential security risks.

Device buy-back programs or Amnesty Days

Implementing a device buy-back or trade-in program can also be an effective strategy to prevent device ghosting. By offering incentives for employees to return old or unused devices, organizations can encourage responsible device disposal and reduce the likelihood of devices being abandoned or lost. This approach not only helps prevent ghosting but also promotes a culture of sustainability and responsible asset management within the organization.

Automate your device decommissioning process

While the above-mentioned strategies can be helpful, they are more or less Band-Aids without a strategy to automate device lifecycle management and decommissioning processes. You need to track devices from procurement to provisioning and all the way to decommissioning, including reassignments to other users, locations, or departments. For example, a useful way to keep tabs on your devices is to flag any devices that haven't connected to your internal network in the last 30-90 days. If this happens, the employee who is assigned to the device (and potentially their manager) needs to be emailed and followed-up on.

This can be achieved through the use of device lifecycle management tools, like Juriba (out-of-the-box) or ServiceNow (with some custom work), that can automatically detect and decommission devices that have not been used for a specified period. By automating the process, organizations can reduce the likelihood of devices being forgotten or overlooked, thereby minimizing the risk of ghosting.

What is device reclamation?

In order to automate your device lifecycle management and decommissioning processes, you need to first reclaim the devices that have been lost or are missing. The process of identifying and repurposing inactive or ghosted devices within an organization is referred to as device reclamation. This process typically involves several key steps:

1. Identification: Locating devices that are not being used or have been lost in the shuffle of daily operations. This might involve auditing hardware assets or using IT management software to track down unused devices.

2. Assessment: Evaluating the condition and potential usability of the identified devices. This can include checking for hardware issues, software updates, or compatibility with current systems.

3. Reintegration or Disposal: Depending on the assessment, the devices may be reintegrated into the active pool of resources, repurposed for different roles, or safely disposed of if they are no longer viable.

This process helps in optimizing resource utilization, reducing waste, and ensuring that the company's hardware assets are efficiently managed. It's particularly important in large enterprises where tracking every device can be challenging and unused assets can represent a significant financial overhead cost.

Benefits of device reclamation

Device reclamation offers numerous benefits for organizations, making it a crucial aspect of effective device lifecycle management. By implementing device reclamation strategies, organizations can minimize the environmental impact of electronic waste, recover valuable materials, and save money.

Minimizing the environmental impact of electronic waste

Electronic waste, also known as e-waste, has become a significant environmental concern due to the increasing number of discarded electronic devices. Ghosted devices contribute to this problem, as they often end up in landfills or are improperly disposed of. Device reclamation addresses this issue by ensuring that ghosted devices are properly recycled or refurbished, reducing the amount of e-waste generated.