IT software and services company Compuware today announced a new version of its Changepoint IT portfolio management solution which has been preconfigured to accelerate application portfolio management (APM) initiatives.

Changepoint APM Accelerator has been designed to help organisations overcome the challenges to starting an APM initiative, which can include identifying inventory and collecting the right metrics.

The tool allows IT managers to kick-start APM initiatives using pre-defined metrics and industry best practice to understand inventory, collect accurate data and accurately assess their portfolio, according to Compuware.

"Ultimately, IT must deliver business value and drive competitive differentiation for the business. However, the costs of 'keeping the lights on' are increasing at the expense of investment in strategic technology initiatives, " said Lori Ellsworth, vice president of Changepoint Solutions.

"Changepoint's APM capabilities and Accelerator give IT a sustainable view into application portfolio health, enabling informed decisions that reduce the number of applications, drive costs down, better align resource investment and better serve the business."