GAA study plan
GAA · Give each week a clear focus.
8 weeks · About 6 hours per week
IT Asset Management Fundamentals and Governance & Asset Discovery, Inventory, and Configuration Management
Define each ITAM lifecycle stage and map where governance controls enter the flow
Draft a one-page RACI covering asset owner, custodian, and ITAM manager roles
Distinguish discovery methods (agent, agentless, network scan, integration) by coverage and blind spots
Build a data-flow sketch from discovery feed to CMDB record to reporting layer
Your checkpoint
A two-page governance summary containing the lifecycle map, role RACI, and discovery-to-CMDB data flow diagram
Asset Discovery, Inventory, and Configuration Management
Design a configuration item class hierarchy with at least three CI types and their attributes
Write reconciliation rules for duplicate and stale CI records
Specify which attributes are mandatory versus optional for inventory records
Create a sample CIS-to-asset relationship model for one business service
Your checkpoint
A CMDB design document with CI class definitions, mandatory attribute table, and reconciliation rule set
Hardware Asset Lifecycle Management & Asset Discovery, Inventory, and Configuration Management
Sequence the hardware lifecycle from request through disposal with the control at each handoff
Compare imaging, staging, and zero-touch provisioning approaches for deployment
Define refresh triggers based on age, warranty, performance, and support status
Draft chain-of-custody steps for retirement and data sanitization
Your checkpoint
A hardware lifecycle runbook covering procurement request, deployment, refresh decision, and disposal with sign-off points
Software Asset Management and License Compliance
Differentiate per-device, per-user, concurrent, and consumption licensing models
Explain the purpose of a software entitlement record and how it links to installed evidence
Outline a reconciliation process that produces an effective license position
Identify the main audit exposure points in an unmanaged software request process
Your checkpoint
A sample effective license position for three software titles, showing entitlements, installs, and gap or surplus
Software Asset Management and License Compliance & Cloud and Virtual Asset Management
Build a software request-to-retirement workflow with approval and reclamation steps
Describe how SaaS subscription tracking differs from on-premise license tracking
Classify cloud assets by service model and explain tagging requirements for cost and ownership
Identify risks of unmanaged virtual machine sprawl and how to detect it
Your checkpoint
A cloud and SaaS asset register template with required tags, owner fields, and a sprawl detection checklist
Asset Security, Risk, and Data Protection & Cloud and Virtual Asset Management
Map asset classification tiers to handling and storage requirements
List the security controls that depend on accurate asset inventory and explain why each fails without it
Outline data sanitization standards for reuse, resale, and destruction
Describe how to assess risk exposure from end-of-support assets
Your checkpoint
An asset risk register with at least six entries scored by likelihood and impact, each tied to a mitigating control
Financial Management, Cost Optimization, and Procurement & Reporting, Metrics, and Continual Improvement
Build a total cost of ownership model including acquisition, support, and disposal costs
Identify three cost optimization levers such as reclamation, right-sizing, and contract consolidation
Select KPIs that measure data quality, compliance, and cost performance
Define a baseline-and-target method for tracking improvement over time
Your checkpoint
A KPI dashboard specification with five metrics, their formulas, data sources, and target thresholds
Stakeholder Communication and Operational Processes & Reporting, Metrics, and Continual Improvement & IT Asset Management Fundamentals and Governance
Draft stakeholder messages tailored to finance, security, and service desk audiences
Document the operational processes for request, change, and exception handling
Design a continual improvement loop from metric review to corrective action
Complete a timed full-length practice set and log every missed topic by domain
Your checkpoint
A final review pack containing the stakeholder communication plan, process flow summary, and a scored practice results log with remediation list
Milestones
Week 2: Can explain discovery method trade-offs and reconciliation logic without notes, scoring at least 80 percent on a 20-question self-quiz covering domains 1 and 2
Week 4: Can produce a correct effective license position from a small sample dataset and identify the gap or surplus for each title
Week 6: Can link at least six security controls to specific inventory data dependencies and justify each risk rating
Week 8: Scoring at least 85 percent on a full-length timed practice set, with no single domain below 70 percent