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Lifecycle Management

Lifecycle Management tracks every Configuration Item through its complete journey, from initial procurement and deployment to eventual retirement and disposal. Understanding where each asset is in its lifecycle is essential for planning, budgeting, and compliance.

Overview​

Every IT asset goes through a predictable lifecycle. NopeSight provides a comprehensive set of statuses to track each phase:

Procurement → In Stock → Deployed/Active → Maintenance → Retired → Disposed

By managing lifecycle status consistently, you can:

  • Plan hardware refreshes before assets become unreliable
  • Track deployment readiness of new equipment
  • Monitor maintenance windows for critical assets
  • Ensure proper disposal and data sanitization
  • Comply with regulations requiring asset tracking

CI Lifecycle Statuses​

NopeSight supports 14 lifecycle statuses covering every phase of asset ownership:

Deployment Phase​

StatusDescriptionTypical Use
PendingAwaiting deployment or setupNew assets being configured
In StockIn stockroom, available for deploymentSpare inventory
ReservedReserved for a specific purpose or projectPre-allocated equipment
In TransitBeing shipped or moved between locationsTransfers and new deliveries

Operational Phase​

StatusDescriptionTypical Use
ActiveCI is operational and in useDefault for discovered assets
DeployedActively deployed in productionProduction servers and workstations
LeasedLeased equipment (vs owned)Assets on lease agreements

Maintenance Phase​

StatusDescriptionTypical Use
InactiveNot currently in use (powered off, stored)Temporarily unused assets
MaintenanceUndergoing maintenance or repairsAssets being serviced
QuarantineIsolated due to security concernsCompromised or suspect devices

End of Life Phase​

StatusDescriptionTypical Use
RetiredEnd of life, no longer in useDecommissioned assets
DisposedPhysically disposed or recycledAssets removed from inventory
LostCannot be locatedMissing assets
StolenReported stolenAssets reported to security

Setting Asset Status​

During CI Creation​

When creating a new CI manually, set the initial status in the Asset section:

  1. Open CMDB > Add Configuration Item
  2. In the Asset section, select the appropriate Status
  3. Common initial statuses: In Stock (warehouse), Pending (being configured), or Active (already deployed)

During Discovery​

Assets discovered through network scanning are automatically set to Active status, since they were found running on the network.

Updating Status​

  1. Open the CI in the CMDB
  2. In the Asset section, change the Status dropdown
  3. Save the changes

The status change is recorded in the CI's audit trail for compliance tracking.

Assignment Tracking​

NopeSight automatically tracks when assets are assigned to users:

Assigned To​

The Assigned To field records who is currently using the asset. When this field changes, the system automatically records:

FieldDescription
First Assigned DateThe date the asset was first assigned to any user. This date never changes once set.
Last Assigned DateThe date of the most recent assignment. Updates each time the assignee changes.

These dates are tracked automatically and displayed as read-only fields in the Asset section. They help answer questions like:

  • "How long has this asset been in service?" (time since first assignment)
  • "When was this asset last reassigned?" (last assigned date)
  • "Has this asset ever been deployed?" (first assigned date exists or not)

Lifecycle Workflows​

New Asset Deployment​

1. Asset received    → Status: In Stock, Stockroom: IT Warehouse
2. Configuration     → Status: Pending
3. User assignment   → Status: Active, Assigned To: John Smith
                       (firstAssignedDate auto-set)
4. Production use    → Status: Deployed

Hardware Refresh​

1. Identify aging    → Review Device Age report
2. Order replacement → New asset: Status: In Transit
3. Receive delivery  → New asset: Status: In Stock
4. Configure new     → New asset: Status: Pending
5. Swap equipment    → Old: Status: Retired
                       New: Status: Active, Assigned To: (transferred)
6. Dispose old       → Old: Status: Disposed

Security Incident​

1. Incident detected → Status: Quarantine
2. Investigation     → Asset isolated from network
3. Remediation       → Status: Maintenance
4. Cleared           → Status: Active (return to service)
   OR
4. Compromised       → Status: Disposed (decommission)

Lease Return​

1. Lease expiring    → Status: Leased (flagged for review)
2. Data wipe         → Status: Maintenance
3. Return to vendor  → Status: In Transit
4. Returned          → Status: Disposed (removed from inventory)

Lifecycle Reporting​

Use the built-in reports to monitor your asset lifecycle:

  • Device Age Distribution: See how old your fleet is across age buckets
  • Devices In Stock: View all assets currently in stockrooms
  • Device Status by Stockroom: Understand the lifecycle stage of stored assets

Navigate to Reports to access these dashboards.

Best Practices​

Status Discipline​

  1. Update promptly: Change status as soon as the asset's state changes
  2. Use the right status: Choose the most specific status available
  3. Don't skip steps: Move through lifecycle stages sequentially
  4. Audit regularly: Review assets stuck in transitional statuses (pending, in transit)

Assignment Tracking​

  1. Always assign: Every deployed asset should have an assignee
  2. Clear on return: Remove the assignee when assets are returned
  3. Review dates: Use first/last assigned dates for utilization analysis

Compliance​

  1. Track all phases: Ensure disposed assets have a complete lifecycle trail
  2. Document reasons: Use the CI description or notes for context on status changes
  3. Quarantine protocol: Immediately quarantine assets involved in security incidents
  4. Retention policy: Define how long retired/disposed records are kept