Technology assets include all the tools your company uses to operate, store and process data, and deliver services. This includes not only computers and servers but also software and IT infrastructure. From a risk management and cybersecurity standpoint, this is one of the key asset categories that must be tracked, protected, and maintained.
In practice, this covers all devices, apps, and cloud or digital services your business depends on. These are the core building blocks of any small or mid-sized business—so you should inventory them, manage them, secure them, and keep improving them, just as you do with your people, data, and facilities.
What technology assets do small and mid-sized businesses commonly use?
- Hardware – laptops, desktop computers, servers, mobile phones, printers.
- Networking equipment – routers, firewalls, switches, Wi‑Fi access points.
- Software – accounting software, CRM, ERP, HR systems, Microsoft 365, Google Workspace.
- Cloud services (SaaS, PaaS, IaaS) – e.g., Salesforce, Slack, Microsoft Azure, Amazon Web Services (AWS).
- Data storage media – external drives, backup tapes, USB flash drives.
- Internal IT services – help desk, admin tools, monitoring.
This includes everything that supports your information assets (data) and without which the business could not operate.
Why your company should know its technology assets
- Business enablement – without technology, most SMBs can’t serve customers effectively.
- Security risks – every device or application can be targeted (phishing, malware, ransomware).
- Compliance – frameworks like NIST CSF and ISO 27001 require an inventory of technology assets.
- Financial impact – outages of IT services or cloud providers can cause direct losses.
Common questions in small and mid-sized businesses about technology assets
- What counts as a technology asset? Laptops, servers, software, cloud services (SaaS, IaaS), networking gear, and storage/media.
- Why is it important to track them? Without an inventory, you don’t know what to protect. Asset tracking is foundational for cybersecurity and risk management.
- How are technology assets different from information assets? Information assets are the data and knowledge you protect. Technology assets are the tools (hardware, software, services) that store and process that data.
How to Manage Technology Assets in SMBs
- Maintain an IT Asset Inventory — a complete list of hardware, software, and cloud accounts.
- Assign Ownership — define who is responsible for each device or application.
- Keep Everything Updated — maintain the inventory and apply software patches regularly (patch management).
- Assess Risks — identify which technologies are critical to operations.
- Have a Recovery Plan — backups, disaster recovery, and fallback to alternative services.