What is the Hardware assets system schema?
The Hardware assets system schema is part of the Assets common data model. It provides a ready-to-use structure for tracking the physical and virtual hardware in your organisation - from laptops and servers to network gear and peripherals - along with the models, stockrooms, and stock rules that support them.
Unlike the foundational People, Geography, and External organizations schemas, Hardware assets is a vertical schema: it builds on those foundational schemas, referencing the people, locations, and manufacturers they define.
Why use this system schema?
Without a shared hardware schema, every team tracks devices differently — in spreadsheets, tickets, or separate tools — leading to duplicates, gaps, and no single view of what you own.
With the Hardware assets system schema, you get:
A consistent model for every hardware type — laptops, servers, switches, monitors, and virtual machines all share a common set of attributes, with type-specific attributes added where they matter.
Built-in connections to the people, places, and vendors that matter — each asset references the person who uses it, the location it sits in, and the organisation that made it, reusing the foundational schemas instead of duplicating data.
Financial and lifecycle tracking — purchase price, book value, warranty expiry, and status are modelled as structured attributes, so you can report on value and automate refresh, renewal, and disposal.
A hardware standards library — approved models, chassis types, operating systems, stockrooms, and stock rules are modelled as object types, so procurement and inventory stay consistent.
What's included
The Hardware assets system schema is organised into a hierarchy. All hardware types share a common set of attributes, and each group adds its own type-specific attributes:
End user compute — Laptop, Desktop, Workstation, Tablet, Mobile phone
Infrastructure — Physical server, Storage array, Compute blade, Mainframe
Network gear — Switch, Router, Firewall, Wireless access point, Load balancer
Peripheral — Monitor, Printer, Docking station, IP phone, UPS
Miscellaneous — Other
Virtual hardware — Virtual machine
Hardware standards library — Hardware model, Chassis type, Operating system, Stockroom, Stock rule
Common hardware attributes
Every hardware type inherits these attributes. Each group below adds its own attributes on top of these.
Attribute | Description | Type |
|---|---|---|
Asset tag | The physical sticker identifier of the hardware asset. | Text |
Serial number | The manufacturer's unique identifier of the hardware asset. | Text |
Status | The lifecycle state of the hardware asset. | Status |
Model | The hardware model of the hardware asset. | Reference → Hardware model |
Chassis type | The chassis type of the hardware model. | Reference → Chassis type |
Manufacturer | The manufacturer of the hardware asset. | Reference → External organizations > Organization |
Primary user | The person currently responsible for the hardware asset. | Reference → People > Person |
Location | The physical location of the hardware asset. | Reference → Geography > Location |
Stockroom | The stockroom where the hardware asset is stored. | Reference → Stockroom |
Allocated department | The department responsible for the hardware asset. | Reference → People > Department |
Cost center | The cost center financially accountable for the hardware asset. | Reference → People > Cost center |
Environment | The environment in which the hardware asset is deployed. | Select |
Purchase date | The date the hardware asset was purchased. | Date |
Purchase price | The purchase price of the hardware asset. | Number |
Residual value | The estimated residual value of the hardware asset at end of useful life. | Number |
Current book value | The current book value of the hardware asset after depreciation. | Number |
Warranty expiry | The date on which the hardware asset's warranty expires. | Date |
Acquisition type | The method by which the hardware asset was acquired. | Select |
Criticality | The business criticality of the hardware asset. | Select |
PO number | The purchase order number under which the hardware asset was acquired. | Text |
Comments | Free-text notes about the hardware asset. | Paragraph |
End user compute
Hardware assigned directly to end users, including laptops, desktops, tablets, and mobile phones. Includes: Laptop, Desktop, Workstation, Tablet, Mobile phone. Adds these attributes to the common set:
Attribute | Description | Type |
|---|---|---|
Hostname | The logical network hostname of the end user compute asset. | Text |
MAC address | The hardware network address of the end user compute asset. | Text |
IMEI | The international mobile equipment identity of the mobile asset. | Text |
Operating system | The operating system installed on the end user compute asset. | Reference → Operating system |
OS version | The version of the operating system installed on the end user compute asset. | Text |
CPU type | The CPU type of the end user compute asset. | Text |
RAM | The total memory of the end user compute asset, in GB. | Number |
Storage | The total disk capacity of the end user compute asset, in GB. | Number |
Managed by | The management platform responsible for the end user compute asset. | Select |
Physical condition | The physical condition of the end user compute asset. | Select |
Current assignment | The current assignment type of the end user compute asset. | Select |
Replacement date | The planned replacement date of the end user compute asset. | Date |
Last inventory date | The date the end user compute asset was last confirmed to exist. | Date time |
Infrastructure
Hardware that supports shared services and data centre operations, including servers, storage, and blades. Includes: Physical server, Storage array, Compute blade, Mainframe. Adds these attributes to the common set:
Attribute | Description | Type |
|---|---|---|
FQDN | The fully qualified domain name of the infrastructure asset. | Text |
Management IP | The out-of-band management IP address of the infrastructure asset. | Text |
Function | The business function of the infrastructure asset. | Select |
Rack location | The rack location of the infrastructure asset. | Reference → Geography > Location |
Rack unit (U) | The rack unit position of the infrastructure asset. | Number |
Power draw (W) | The maximum power draw of the infrastructure asset in watts. | Number |
Maintenance tier | The vendor support tier for the infrastructure asset. | Select |
CPU (cores/sockets) | The CPU socket and core count of the infrastructure asset. | Number |
Back-up status | Whether the infrastructure asset is covered by an active backup policy. | Yes/No |
Last maintenance | The date of the most recent maintenance performed on the infrastructure asset. | Date |
Network gear
Hardware that provides network connectivity and security, including switches, routers, and firewalls. Includes: Switch, Router, Firewall, Wireless access point, Load balancer. Adds these attributes to the common set:
Attribute | Description | Type |
|---|---|---|
Management IP | The management IP address of the network gear asset. | Text |
Firmware/OS version | The firmware or operating system version of the network gear asset. | Text |
Network role | The role of the network gear asset in the network hierarchy. | Select |
Security zone | The security zone in which the network gear asset operates. | Select |
Port density | The total number of ports on the network gear asset. | Number |
Uplink type | The uplink speed capability of the network gear asset. | Select |
Stack member ID | The position of the network gear asset within its stack (applies to stacked switches only). | Number |
VLAN range | The range of VLANs trunked through the network gear asset. | Text |
Power budget (PoE) | The total PoE power budget available on the network gear asset. | Number |
High availability | Whether the network gear asset is part of a high availability pair or cluster. | Yes/No |
MAC address (base) | The primary chassis MAC address of the network gear asset. | Text |
Console connection | The console server and port used for emergency access to the network gear asset. | Text |
Peripheral
Hardware that connects to or extends end user compute devices, including monitors, printers, and docking stations. Includes: Monitor, Printer, Docking station, IP phone, UPS. Adds these attributes to the common set:
Attribute | Description | Type |
|---|---|---|
Connection type | The connection type of the peripheral asset. | Select |
Display resolution | The display resolution of the peripheral asset (applies to monitors only). | Text |
Power delivery (W) | The maximum power delivery in watts of the peripheral asset (applies to docking stations only). | Number |
Printer IP/URL | The network address of the peripheral asset (applies to printers only). | Text |
Firmware version | The firmware version of the peripheral asset. | Text |
Asset category | The asset category of the peripheral asset. | Select |
Ink/toner model | The ink or toner model used by the peripheral asset (applies to printers only). | Text |
Loaner status | Whether the peripheral asset is part of a temporary loaner kit. | Yes/No |
Miscellaneous
Hardware that doesn't fit the other categories. Includes: Other. Uses the common hardware attributes only, with no additional type-specific attributes.
Hardware standards library
The hardware standards library holds the reference data that keeps hardware records consistent — approved models, chassis types, operating systems, stockrooms, and stock rules.
Hardware model
The catalogue of approved hardware models available for procurement and assignment.
Attribute | Description | Type |
|---|---|---|
Model number | The manufacturer's part number or SKU for this hardware model. | Text |
Manufacturer | The manufacturer of this hardware model. | Reference → External organizations > Organization |
Chassis type | The chassis type of the hardware asset. | Reference → Chassis type |
Release date | The date this hardware model was first introduced into the enterprise. | Date |
End of life (EOL) | The date the manufacturer stops selling this hardware model. | Date |
End of support (EOS) | The date the manufacturer stops firmware and parts support for this hardware model. | Date |
Standard warranty (months) | The default warranty period in months for this hardware model. | Number |
Weight (kg) | The weight of this hardware model in kilograms. | Number |
Status | The approval status of this hardware model in the enterprise standard. | Select |
Chassis type
The reference list of chassis form factors used to classify hardware assets. Chassis types are identified by their name; they carry only the standard system attributes (Key, Name, Created date, Last updated).
Attribute | Description | Type |
|---|---|---|
DMTF ID | Standard BIOS chassis ID for this chassis type | Integer |
Target object type | The name of the concrete object type in hardware assets | Text |
Is portable | Whether this chassis type is portable (applies full disk encryption compliance rules) | Boolean |
Is rackable | Whether this chassis type requires a rack or U-slot in the location | Boolean |
Status | The approval status of this chassis type in the enterprise standard | Select |
Operating system
The catalogue of approved operating systems available for deployment on hardware assets.
Attribute | Description | Type |
|---|---|---|
OS family | The operating system family of this OS record. | Select |
Support status | The current support status of this operating system. | Select |
Status | The approval status of this operating system in the enterprise standard. | Select |
Stockroom
The physical or logical locations where hardware assets are stored prior to deployment.
Attribute | Description | Type |
|---|---|---|
Type | The type of stockroom. | Select |
Location | The physical location of the stockroom. | Reference → Geography > Location |
Parent stockroom | The parent stockroom of this stockroom (for hierarchical storage structures). | Reference → Stockroom |
Manager | The person responsible for managing this stockroom. | Reference → People > Person |
Stock rule
The rules governing minimum and maximum stock levels for hardware models in stockrooms.
Attribute | Description | Type |
|---|---|---|
Minimum stock level | The minimum quantity of this hardware model to keep in the stockroom. | Number |
Maximum stock level | The maximum quantity of this hardware model to keep in the stockroom. | Number |
Order size | The quantity to order or transfer when stock reaches the minimum level. | Number |
Hardware model | The hardware model this stock rule applies to. | Reference → Hardware model |
Stockroom | The stockroom where this rule will be enforced. | Reference → Stockroom |
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