Tools for IT Professionals: 7 Essentials to Support the Entire Lifecycle

From asset management to security to workflow automation to data analytics and beyond, using the right IT tools is essential for keeping tech professionals on track in an increasingly complex digital workplace. 

Below, we’ll highlight our top seven tools for IT professionals that can help you better manage operations end-to-end. 

1. allwhere 

The employee device lifecycle is incredibly complicated with plenty of twists and turns along the way. 

For example, there’s:

• Device procurement
• Deployment and onboarding for remote work teams
• Asset management
• Security
• Device retrievals
• Device storage

Each stage comes with its fair share of logistical complexities. But when you put it all together, especially at scale with a large number of remote/hybrid workers, things can quickly become overwhelming. 

That’s why many businesses use allwhere, a service with an accompanying software tool, that dramatically streamlines the entire asset lifecycle from start to finish. You can learn more about the details of the IT hardware lifecycle in a related article. 

For example, at allwhere, we partner with a wide network of reputable vendors to ensure you find the optimal hardware with outstanding customer support at a reasonable cost. 

And because we’re not reliant on a single vendor with our IT procurement solutions, you don’t need to worry about an item being out of stock, as we can simply find an alternate source for quick, reliable fulfillment. 

Another key allwhere feature is network visibility and lifecycle management. Through a centralized dashboard, you can see which employees have what devices, where each device is located, when updates/upgrades need to be made, and more. 

So at a glance, you always know what’s available and where each device is in its lifecycle to better optimize the average equipment lifespan and maximize your ROI. 

And when it’s time for retrieval, allwhere handles that as well, where we ship retrieval kits all around the world and take care of shipping, as well as communication. If you’re looking for hands-off IT lifecycle management, allwhere should definitely be on your radar.

Learn more about our IT asset management services and software here.

2. Jamf

If your business primarily or exclusively uses Apple devices at scale, Jamf can be a highly effective management software tool for managing and securing Apple devices while helping you optimize your IT resources. 

In their own words, “Whether you have a handful of Mac, iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, Vision Pro, or Apple TV devices — or tens of thousands — Jamf delivers enterprise Apple management and security designed for today’s workplace.”

One of the main features is an Apple device dashboard, which concisely breaks down exactly what you have in your information technology network, including info like iOS version, iOS build, and even battery level. 

With it, you get a bird’s-eye view of what’s being used by your workforce at any given time. 

Another of the top features is a detailed security dashboard, where you can get a clear overview of malware protection, web protection, app blocking, and removable storage. 

Jamf also allows you to manage software and app usage to maintain tighter access control, enforce security policies, and perform patch management to drastically reduce the odds of a data breach.

If you have an Apple-heavy workforce, Jamf should be one of your top 10 tools. 

3. Google Workspace

Moving from Apple to Google, this is a great option if your business frequently uses Google’s suite of collaboration tools and project management apps, with some examples including:

• Gmail
• Drive
• Google Docs
• Sheets
• Slides
• Meet
• Calendar
• Gemini artificial intelligence

With Google Workspace, you can efficiently manage all of these apps via a user-friendly cloud solution, while leveraging cutting-edge AI capabilities and enterprise-grade security. 

Here are some key features.

• Access to a custom-branded email that shows your company name
• Streamlined appointment scheduling (this is perfect for SaaS companies that frequently schedule product demos)
• Simplified contract management
• Ultra-professional video conferencing similar to Microsoft Teams

You also get access to advanced AI tools and AI models that use machine learning and data science, which can assist in software development and application development, similar to GitHub Pilot and IntelliJ IDEA.

Besides that, Workspace offers top-of-the-line data security with robust access control, encryption, anti-abuse protocol, and more. 

And if you’re concerned about migrating your company’s data to this platform, there are no worries, as you can “securely copy your email, files, and data to Workspace. Their tools and setup guides provide a smooth transition for teams of any size.”

Note that this platform integrates with allwhere. So if you use allwhere, you can sync it with Workspace to simplify employee management, automate onboarding, streamline device retrieval, and much more. 

4. Okta

With data breaches, unfortunately, becoming all too common these days, having a high-end data security tool is a must for running a business of any size. 

Whether you’re a small business with only a handful of employees or a large enterprise, you need to have security completely squared away. 

When it comes to tools that are specifically designed for securing an IT environment, Okta is one of the best around and is known for promptly and professionally handling support requests. 

One of its main focal points is identity security, where you safeguard device access to prevent IT assets from being used by the wrong people. 

According to Okta, it’s designed to help “secure all of your identities within an identity security fabric.” With it, you can “gain end-to-end visibility with proactive remediation and simplify your governance and compliance requirements.”

That way, you can create a framework where trusted employees can seamlessly access the devices they need to maintain high productivity while keeping security threats at bay. 

To accomplish this, Okta uses features like single sign-on for fast access across multiple apps with one set of login information, as well as passwordless features like biometrics for an optimal user experience with high-level security. 

It also lets you strictly control your access settings to ensure each employee only has access to the resources they truly need for dramatically better data security without creating unnecessary friction during collaboration.

5. Ping Identity

While we’re on the topic of security, let’s discuss another support tool that can greatly elevate your data security and provide comprehensive end-to-end protection — Ping Identity. 

First, note that the main difference between Okta and this tool is that Okta is more geared toward everyday companies, like small business owners who need reliable security but have simpler, more small-scale environments. 

Ping Identity, on the other hand, is better suited for larger companies or those in heavily regulated industries where high-end security is critical. 

At its core, Ping offers enterprise-level identity and access management features that work for businesses with highly complex needs. 

Some notable features include user lifecycle management, ultra-secure authentication, decentralized identity capabilities, and robust fraud protection. 

And if you use the PingOne and allwhere integration, you can conveniently secure user accounts, assign roles to better control access, and automatically monitor status updates for full visibility at all times. 

6. BambooHR

Although BambooHR is an HR software tool, it’s also a critical part of IT operations for many companies. 

That’s because it allows HR teams to streamline a wide variety of tasks by using digital processes, with some prime examples being hiring, onboarding, payroll, performance management, and HR reporting. 

We love BambooHR because it serves as a single dashboard for managing countless types of employee HR data. 

For example, you can use it to post digital job ads, manage applications, schedule interviews, and automate onboarding tasks for quick task completion. 

BambooHR allows you to conveniently track the number of hours employees work while using automation tools to streamline taxes. 

It can also be used to gather employee feedback and manage job performance to help optimize the employee experience and equip your team for success. 

And with comprehensive reporting, you can gain valuable insight into things like retention, employee status, PTO usage, and much more. 

7. Square Payroll

While BambooHR covers many different areas of HR, Square Payroll zeroes in specifically on employee payroll, along with managing benefits and ensuring tax compliance. 

So if you’re a small to mid-sized business and don’t necessarily need a platform as robust as BambooHR and mainly need to focus on these core areas, this may be the right tool for you. 

One of the best features of Square Payroll is that it allows you to easily centralize your payroll data from one convenient location. 

Rather than having to manually input information from multiple employee profiles, you can use automation to effortlessly sync information, so that it’s accurate and always up-to-date. 

This makes it an excellent management tool and takes team collaboration to a whole new level. And besides the time this tool saves you on repetitive tasks, it significantly minimizes errors.

Also, the built-in access control and security features help keep sensitive employee information safe and secure. 

In Summary

From IT asset lifecycle management to collaborative cloud solutions to security to HR, there is a wide array of tools that can make the lives of IT professionals easier, while saving time and money. 

A key part of IT asset management best practices is identifying which processes need optimizing and integrating the right tools for the job. Hopefully, this list will provide you with direction on what your team can benefit from the most.