Light Edge Technology launches asset-tracking solution to curb IT hardware theft

Bobby Richter, technical director at Light Edge Technology, says: "Traditionally, asset-tracking has consisted of keeping records of things like desks, chairs and staplers, but this rather dreary task becomes a complicated and time-consuming procedure when you extend it to the PC realm. The Light Edge system aims to operate as the source of reference for each Emerald computer as well as every individual component that constituted the PC at its birth. This will increase the accuracy of the records kept by our customers and dealers, therefore reducing the time spent on searching for the correct information."

In addition, the introduction of the asset-tracking solution will be beneficial for dealers and customers as it addresses some fundamental security issues.

"Asset-tracking is important as it assists companies to manage and control their IT hardware investment. Computers are sold as single units but they can be disassembled. Therefore, it is not only the computers themselves that need to be tracked but each component that makes up the computer. Once components are removed or replaced with other, possibly inferior ones, the PC no longer operates at the standards it was built to and this causes problems for us, the dealer and the client," says Richter.

If the PC no longer works as it was built and bought to, the productivity of those working on the machines may be impacted. Furthermore, the warranty is based on the PC as it was when it left the Light Edge workshop. If the components have been removed or replaced, the contract with either Light Edge or the dealer is called into question and can have financial implications.

The solution has another, greater, security implication for corporates. For most companies, the Emerald desktop PCs are permanently connected to the network. With the asset-tracking solution, IT managers can check via the asset-tracking system to see if this is still the case. "The software locates the computer via its unique MAC address and will know if the PC is on the network or not. For large organisations with many computers and users, such as universities, this function can play an important role in reducing computer theft," say Richter.

The asset-tracking solution is run and managed at Light Edge Technology and therefore does not require any people or time resource investment on the part of the customer. And, as it is Web-based, the client doesn`t need any special software or hardware to run the solution.

"Once we realised the value of the system in terms of assisting our dealers and clients manage and protect their hardware investment, we decided to roll it out to our entire base. Now, anyone buying an Emerald PC from a once-off customers to our bigger implementation partners will benefit from this solution," concludes Richter.