SALT LAKE CITY, UT, Oct. 14, 2009 (Marketwire) --

SALT LAKE CITY, UT -- (Marketwire) -- 10/14/09 -- Avocent Corporation (NASDAQ: AVCT), a global leader in IT operations management, today announced the availability of a new LANDesk white paper: "KOALA in Depth: Assignment: Foundation for Reconciliation." This white paper is the fifth and final installment of a comprehensive five-part series that explores in detail the five key elements of asset management -- Key costs, Ownership, Accountability, Lifecycle status and Assignment (KOALA).

The fifth installment discusses the importance of ensuring the right assets are with the right people in order to create value for the organization, regardless if the asset falls into the category of service management infrastructure or end user consumption. This paper also discusses how assignment tracking determines compliance to both internal and external accountabilities and expectations. Tying assignment discipline to the other KOALA elements now provides the foundation for more accurately assessing value trends, and driving both operational and purchasing decisions.

"Knowing the who, what, where and how of IT assets should be the goal of every organization," said Steve Daly, executive vice president and general manager of Avocent's LANDesk business unit. "It is our goal to provide best practices and protocols to create simple processes that ensure accurate asset assignment information for both internal and external auditing purposes."

Failure to track simple assignments -- and failure to maintain the discipline to ensure accuracy -- limits the effectiveness of any IT Asset Management program, regardless of the type, value, or complexity of the assets. This white paper is based on two key principles that help IT organizations avoid this challenge:

--  Assessing Value: Context Matters -- The core purpose of an IT asset is
    to provide value to the business.  By utilizing the tools to aid in
    assignment tracking in conjunction with the other key KOALA attributes,
    organizations can determine value analytics, as well as improve operational
    effectiveness.

--  Compliance Requires a Baseline -- When undergoing an audit, most
    auditors are searching for three key elements: accurate records, programs
    to manage adherence to standards, and evident of consistence discipline in
    following those programs.