GLPI vs Teqtivity: The Difference Between Managing Assets and Managing a System
One IT asset management (ITAM) platform puts you in charge of running the system. The other puts you in charge of managing the assets. That difference shapes your daily workload, your total cost of ownership, and how easily you can scale.
Choosing the right ITAM software is more than a feature checklist. The right solution can keep asset data accurate, streamline operations, and help you meet compliance requirements without adding to your team’s workload. The wrong one can slow down processes, add maintenance work, and drain internal resources.
GLPI is an open-source IT asset management platform you can customize extensively, but it requires in-house hosting, updates, and ongoing configuration. Teqtivity IT asset management is a cloud-native platform that’s fully managed and ready to use from day one.
This blog looks at how each platform works, the trade-offs involved, and which approach fits different IT teams. By the end, the differences will be clear in both features and day-to-day impact. The decision comes down to where teams want their time and attention to go: maintaining the platform or managing the assets.
GLPI: The Build-Your-Own Approach
GLPI is a feature-rich, open-source IT asset management system that covers essentials like hardware and software inventory tracking, license and contract management, and helpdesk functionality. Its capabilities can be expanded with community-developed plugins for features such as network discovery and advanced reporting.
The platform’s biggest draw is flexibility. You can install it on your own infrastructure, configure workflows to match your exact processes, and integrate it with other systems through plugins or custom development. For teams with strong technical skills, this offers a high degree of control and customization.
The trade-off is that GLPI is not a turnkey solution. You’ll need the expertise to set it up, keep it running smoothly, and ensure it remains secure and compatible as updates roll out. Managing performance, applying patches, and troubleshooting issues all fall to your internal team.
Teqtivity: The Managed Approach
Teqtivity provides a fully managed, cloud-based IT asset management platform. It is designed to be operational from the moment it is deployed, with all maintenance, updates, and security handled by Teqtivity’s team.
The platform includes end-to-end lifecycle tracking from procurement to retirement, more than 50 ready-to-use integrations with MDMs, service desks, and identity providers, and built-in compliance features such as SOC 2 Type II certification. Automated data synchronization ensures that asset records remain accurate across systems.
Reports and dashboards can be created without coding, making the platform accessible to both technical and non-technical users. With Teqtivity, the focus remains on using asset data to make decisions rather than maintaining the system itself.
Using GLPI or Teqtivity
Maintenance Mode (GLPI)
With GLPI, much of the day can be spent looking after the system before you even get to asset oversight. Mornings might start with checking backups, reviewing plugin updates for compatibility, or patching security gaps. If an integration fails, operations can stall while your team troubleshoots. Asset records may need manual syncing before reports can be run, meaning decisions are often based on data that’s already out of date. Every technical task takes time away from managing the assets themselves.
Impact: More hours spent maintaining the system means fewer hours improving asset performance.
Management Mode (Teqtivity)
With Teqtivity, you skip the system upkeep and start the day with ready-to-use insights. Compliance reports are already generated, asset records are up to date, and automated alerts flag upcoming warranty expirations or loaner returns. Integrations update automatically, so your data stays accurate across systems without manual work. The focus stays where it belongs: planning budgets, optimizing asset performance, and making decisions based on reliable, real-time information.
Impact: All your time goes into managing assets, not managing the platform.
Side-by-Side: GLPI vs Teqtivity
The following comparison provides a quick view of how each ITAM platform operates, helping teams evaluate which aligns best with their requirements.
| Feature | GLPI | Teqtivity |
|---|---|---|
| Deployment | Self-hosted, cloud possible with extra setup | Fully cloud-based |
| Setup Time | Weeks or months | Days |
| Maintenance | In-house | Managed by Teqtivity |
| Compliance | Configurable by admin | Built-in, audit-ready |
| Integrations | Often plugin-based | 50+ native connections |
| Reporting | Customizable with technical skills | Customizable without coding |
| Lifecycle Management | Basic, extendable with plugins | Full lifecycle tracking built in |
With Teqtivity, compliance features are built in and audit-ready. You may also want to read our blog on how Teqtivity improves operations for IT teams.
Cost Considerations Over Time
GLPI’s open-source nature means you can skip licensing fees at the start, but the total cost of ownership can rise quickly. Infrastructure, hosting, backups, security monitoring, and ongoing technical support come out of your own budget. Scaling the platform or adding advanced features often means more plugins, which can require extra time to manage and may introduce compatibility risks. If something breaks, the resolution depends on your team’s availability and skill set.
By contrast, Teqtivity’s cloud ITAM subscription covers hosting, security, updates, backups, and dedicated support. You pay a predictable rate while offloading technical upkeep and risk. This not only reduces the chance of costly downtime but also frees internal staff to focus on strategic IT projects. Over the long term, the savings in time, staffing, and risk mitigation can outweigh the lack of upfront license fees.
Choosing Your Focus
Selecting between GLPI and Teqtivity depends on an organization’s priorities, resources, and long-term goals. The two platforms take fundamentally different approaches to IT asset management, and the right choice depends on whether the priority is full control and customization or efficiency and reduced maintenance.
GLPI is suited for organizations that want full control over their ITAM platform and have the in-house resources to manage it. This includes hosting, updates, security, and integration maintenance. The platform can be highly customized but requires ongoing technical work to keep it operating effectively.
Teqtivity is suited for organizations that want a ready-to-use, scalable ITAM platform with maintenance handled externally. This allows teams to focus on asset performance, cost optimization, and compliance without the distraction of platform administration.
The decision comes down to priorities. GLPI works well for those who value customization and control. Teqtivity works well for those who value efficiency, accuracy, and reduced maintenance workload.
Stop losing hours to system upkeep. Put all focus back on asset performance.
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Key Takeaways
- GLPI ITAM is open-source and flexible but requires internal hosting, frequent updates, and ongoing technical maintenance
- Teqtivity ITAM is cloud-native and fully managed, with updates, security, and maintenance handled externally
- GLPI suits organizations with strong in-house technical expertise and a need for deep customization
- Teqtivity suits organizations that prioritize operational efficiency, scalability, and reduced administrative workload
- With GLPI, daily operations often begin with system administration. With Teqtivity, asset management takes priority immediately
IT Asset Management
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What is IT Asset Management (ITAM)?
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ITAM, or IT Asset Management, is a systematic approach to managing an organization's IT assets throughout their lifecycle. It involves tracking, optimizing, and maintaining control over hardware, software, licenses, and related resources to ensure efficient utilization, compliance with regulations, and effective decision-making in the realm of IT infrastructure.
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What is included in IT Assets?
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IT assets encompass a broad range of components within an organization's information technology infrastructure. This includes hardware such as computers, mobile phones, tablets, servers, and networking devices, as well as software applications, licenses, databases, and digital content. Additionally, IT assets can also include documentation, contracts, and other resources critical to the effective functioning and management of an organization's IT environment.
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Why do we need a specific IT Asset Management tool?
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A dedicated ITAM tool is essential for organizations because it provides a centralized and automated solution for efficiently managing and tracking IT assets. It streamlines processes, enhances accuracy, and offers real-time insights, enabling better decision-making, cost optimization, compliance adherence, and overall improved governance of the diverse and dynamic components within an IT environment.
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What does ITAM typically involve?
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The stages of IT Asset Management generally include Planning, Acquisition, Deployment, Management, and Retirement . During planning, organizations define their ITAM goals and strategies, followed by the acquisition of assets, deployment into the infrastructure, ongoing management involving tracking and optimization, and finally, retirement or disposal of assets at the end of their lifecycle. These stages collectively ensure comprehensive control and efficiency in managing IT assets throughout their entire lifecycle.
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How long should I invest in ITAM and ITAM tools?
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For however long your organization is running. The investment duration in ITAM and ITAM tools is an ongoing process that aligns with the lifecycle of IT assets within an organization. Continuous investment is necessary to adapt to evolving technologies, maintain compliance, optimize asset usage, and ensure effective decision-making. Regular reviews and updates are essential to keep ITAM strategies and tools in sync with the dynamic nature of IT environments and business requirements.
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How is ITAM different from ITSM?
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IT Asset Management or ITAM and IT Service Management - ITSM, serve distinct but complementary purposes within an organization. ITAM focuses on managing the lifecycle of physical and digital assets, such as hardware and software, to optimize utilization and ensure compliance. In contrast, ITSM revolves around the delivery and support of IT services to meet the organization's business needs, emphasizing incident resolution, service requests, and maintaining overall service quality. While ITAM is asset-centric, ITSM is service-centric, and both are integral for efficient IT operations.