IT departments are under pressure because the demands placed on enterprise IT are rising sharply as a result of digitization. New strategies for optimizing in-house resources are the only way to cope with the increased demands. Standardizing processes for the provision and operation of IT infrastructure and automating them as much as possible is a high priority for many IT teams in industry, the service sector and public authorities. IT service management (ITSM) platforms such as ServiceNow provide important support for this task. With just a few clicks, users can order an IT service such as a standard PC workstation, which is available within a very short time.
Infrastructure processes place additional demands
When it comes to expanding to infrastructure processes, ITSM platforms quickly reach their limits. To ensure that an automated provisioning process also works in these scenarios, a process-based approach that reaches the far corners of the infrastructure is required. For example, the complete WLAN network in a new branch, the connection of an ATM, a POS system, or a new production facility at a remote location all need to be included. Unfortunately, they often are not.
The necessary data is already there
How can this expansion of ITSM be realized? The detailed information required is already available in most companies. It is stored in the management systems of the respective components – such as network and cable management tools. In order to be able to manage this infrastructure data centrally and make it available for ITSM, a specialized IT documentation solution with management functionalities such as the FNT Command Platform is recommended. Similar to ITSM platforms, such a solution can be used to optimize many other processes and workflows – with a focus on the IT and network infrastructure to enable more efficient operations.
Integration creates added value
The full potential, though, is only unlocked by combining the two platforms – an ITSM tool and a central solution for the IT and network infrastructure. For example, by integrating the FNT Command Platform and ServiceNow at the ServiceNow front end, users can trigger processes that result in technical workflows in FNT Command to implement technical solutions that business departments don’t have to worry about. At the IT infrastructure level, this requires a large amount of information to be collected, reconciled, processed, and made available for service management. The easier and faster it is to access this infrastructure data in the background, the more stable, performant and flexible the (service) processes will be.
A variety of integration scenarios are possible, each generating clear added value. Some examples include:
- Optimization of helpdesk processes
- Support of IT asset management
- Consolidation of data from back-end systems
- Detailed infrastructure analyses
- Faster changes through workflow integration
- Simplified creation of product and service catalogs
Conclusion: Technology and processes must be brought together
In view of the many different application scenarios, the combination of ServiceNow and FNT Command supports a wide range of options for shaping business and IT processes in companies.
To master the “balancing act” between processes that are simple for users and efficient technology management on the back end, it is important to be comfortable in both worlds: In the world of processes, as they are designed with ServiceNow, as well as in the world of technology, which ensures that the processes not only look good but also function smoothly. Then both sides benefit – with an integrated solution consisting of FNT Command and ServiceNow.
Read more about the above integration scenarios in our white paper. You will gain insight into two real customer solutions and learn what to look for during an integration.
Von: Patrick Büch, VP Products
