ISO/IEC 19770-1 is the primary international standard for IT Asset Management (ITAM) systems. It provides a comprehensive framework for organizations to manage the full lifecycle of their IT assets—from acquisition to disposal—ensuring cost optimization, risk mitigation, and compliance with corporate governance. Evolution of the Standard
The standard has undergone several significant revisions to keep pace with changing technology:
2006 (First Generation): Launched primarily as a Software Asset Management (SAM) process standard.
2012 (Second Generation): Introduced a tiered approach, allowing organizations to implement and achieve certification in incremental stages rather than all at once. Iso 19770-1 Pdf
2017 (Third Generation): Broadened from just software to include all IT assets (hardware, software, cloud, and digital information) and aligned with other major ISO management standards like ISO 27001 (Information Security) and ISO 20000 (Service Management). The Tiered Implementation Roadmap
To make implementation manageable, the standard suggests three to four tiers (depending on the version referenced) that build upon each other:
Tier 1: Trustworthy Data – Focuses on accurate inventory and baseline data so management knows exactly what assets exist and who owns them. ISO/IEC 19770-1 is the primary international standard for
Tier 2: Practical Management (or Life Cycle Integration) – Establishes basic management controls, including policies, roles, and responsibilities throughout the asset lifecycle.
Tier 3: Operational Integration (or Optimization) – Focuses on improving efficiency and effectiveness by integrating ITAM into operational processes like finance and procurement.
Tier 4: Full ISO/IEC Conformance – Represents best-in-class strategic management where ITAM is fully integrated into the organization's strategic planning. Key Benefits of ISO 19770-1 Clause 10: Improvement
Implementing this standard according to its best-practice guidelines offers several strategic advantages: ISO/IEC 19770-1:2012(en), Information technology
Tier 1 is for small-to-medium businesses or enterprises just starting. Requirements include:
You cannot achieve certification without the official document. However, for internal improvement, you can follow publicly available summaries. Here is a simplified gap assessment based on the standard's spirit:
| Area | Question | Compliant? (Yes/No) | | :--- | :--- | :--- | | Inventory | Do you have a single, unified inventory of all software (including SaaS)? | | | Entitlement | Can you instantly prove you own 100 licenses of Microsoft Office 2021? | | | Reconciliation | Do you compare inventory vs. entitlements every month? | | | Process | Is SAM documented in a process manual, not just tribal knowledge? | | | Roles | Is someone held accountable for SAM failures in their performance review? | | | Security | Does a "new software request" trigger a security and compliance review? | |
If you answered "No" to three or more questions, you need the ISO 19770-1 PDF to build a remediation plan.