Technology in the classroom has greatly evolved over the last 30 years. As of May 2020, almost 60% of schools had a 1:1 digital learning program. Deploying one-to-one devices or other tech assets can be challenging for a district of any size. Tracking these assets can be even more challenging. Asset tagging can help your district easily manage your electronic assets.
But what is asset tagging? And how can they help your district?
What is asset tagging?
Asset tagging is the process of applying an asset tag to tech assets. An asset tag is a unique label that identifies electronic assets (K-12 devices, monitors, peripherals, etc). In a sound asset management system, no two asset tags are the same.
What do you put on an asset tag?
This varies by school, but generally an asset tag includes the name of the school with a barcode and a numeric, or alphanumeric, code. Schools can also include contact information to aid in the recovery of lost devices.
What is the purpose of an asset tag?
The main purpose of an asset tag is identifying devices. With students and educators in multiple classrooms, asset tags aid in locating lost devices.
Asset tags can also be linked to other technical identifiers like serial number, Mac address, IEMI, and other operating system data. Schools or organizations can also choose to add their own parameters to asset tags like school, location, class, etc.
All asset tag data can then be transferred to a database for device management. Additional information, like user information, can also be added or updated to the database over time.
Why is asset tagging important?
Managing electronic assets can be challenging, even for small schools or districts. K-12 devices and other tech can also be expensive. Asset tagging helps protect this investment.
There are several benefits to asset tag management:
Simplifies Device Management
Asset tagging allows schools to easily access information on every device in your fleet no matter the size. The barcode is particularly helpful to quickly recall information for a particular device, simplifying deployment and device return.
Enhances Security
Asset tags allow you to batch whitelist or blacklist sites according to Mac address. This not only protects students, but also allows you to control what sites they visit.
Return Lost Devices
Asset tags enable the return of lost devices in several ways. For example, the school’s information can be physically listed on the asset tag so others can return the device if left in a public space. Tech assets can also be tracked via network access points.
Track Devices
Always knowing where your tech assets are is key. See where deployed tech travels within your network, as well as easily return devices that are misplaced within your school building.
This can be particularly helpful at the end of the year when missing devices and their users can be easily identified. It can also be helpful when students or teachers leave or transfer schools to ensure all school-issued tech is returned.
Employing an asset management system is one of the most important decisions your school will make. Not only does it protect your educational technology investment, but it can also simplify lifecycle management and device buyback.
Asset Tagging with AGiRepair
AGiRepair can provide asset tagging through our provisioning services. We’ll save your IT team precious time by asset tagging and preparing your devices for deployment.
We customize our provisioning services to your district’s needs from tag specifications to completing initial setup of your K-12 devices. Some features of our provisioning services include:
- Preliminary data capture from box (serial number, IEMI, ICCID, etc.)
- Internal data capture (Mac address, Bluetooth Mac address, UDID, etc.)
- Attach asset tag according to specifications
- Completing initial device setup
- Installing and deleting applications
- Setting user profiles
- Assigning asset tags with school-provided codes
- Casing devices
- Physically sorting devices for simplified unloading
- Shipping devices to one receiving location or multiple schools within your district
- Providing a comprehensive spreadsheet with all data captured in the process
How can we help your district simplify your asset tagging and deployment systems? No matter the size of your district, we can alleviate the burden of deployment with our streamlined provisioning services. Get started by requesting more info today.
AGiRepair is a leader in mobile device repair, offering comprehensive solutions for school districts, repair depots, and other organizations. For more information, contact us today!
