By Martin Kurzinski, ITIL Master
There’s an interesting and growing amount of synergies between IT Service Management (ITSM), Application Readiness and Software License Optimization (which is a software-specific, high-value initiative under the broader IT Asset Management umbrella).
ITSM traces its origins back to Information Technology Infrastructure Library (ITIL), a customizable framework of best practices designed to promote quality computing services in the information technology (IT) sector. As an IT Service Management (ITSM) framework, ITIL provides a systematic approach to the provisioning and management of IT services, from inception through design, implementation, operation and continual improvement.
Application Readiness is a process to ensure the timely and reliable delivery of software to users within an enterprise. The last step of the process is to deploy the software--either silently using a desktop management system or, increasingly, by enabling user self-service requests for applications via an enterprise app store.
Software License Optimization is focused on the goals of managing cost, risk, inventory, contracts, and vendors throughout the software life-cycle, including strategic planning, standards, acquisition and disposal. It also provides analytical information to help organization make informed business decisions and manage Total Cost of Ownership (TCO). The benefits include: reducing unexpected expenditures, reducing risk/non-compliance, optimizing vendor and contract performance, improved inventory accuracy and optimizing spend on software. Increasingly, enterprise app stores play an integral role in achieving these goals, serving to tie together Application Readiness and Software License Optimization business processes.
ITIL, and ITSM systems designed to automate and manage ITIL processes, is focused on managing a logical model of the IT environment which then enables ITIL processes, including: incident management, problem management, change management, release management, configuration management, etc. Such systems are closely tied to the service desk. The benefits include: assists in operational planning, improves manageability, increases availability, improves reliability and increases stability.
The user facing area of an ITSM solution is called the service catalog. Service catalogs focus on performing services such as new user onboarding, moving desks, password resets, ordering a new iPhone, etc. People often do, but should not, confuse a service catalog with an enterprise app store. They are not the same. An app store is focused on requesting and delivering software to devices, enabling users to self-service application access such as getting Visio on a laptop, Photoshop on a desktop or Google Maps on an iPhone.
When the service catalog tries to be the app store it tends to present a generic, first step to “request new software” then “pick software from the list.” Critical steps such as software license concerns, device compatibility, device targeting are handled as a back-end process disconnected from the core process flows. The service catalog also lacks the interface and relationship with deployable objects in the deployment technology that will ultimately deliver the application to the users’ device.
Similarly, when the app store tries to be the service catalog you can encounter problems. The app store lacks the complex forms needed to service arbitrary IT requests, its workflow engines are more basic (and specific to software requests) and its layout and interface are specialized to the task of self-service requests for applications.
What we’ve found is that customers want:
- A single place for a user to go to get “stuff” from IT in a self-service manner
- To control their software licenses and software spend
- To automate the installation of software
- Approval for costly or specialized software
- To minimize human involvement
- Process integration and efficiency
This is best achieved by combining the best-of-breed capabilities of an ITSM solution and a purpose-built enterprise app store. Managing the complexities of software requests and deployments require unique capabilities. An app store brings these capabilities to the ITSM solution:
- Consumer oriented self-service application store
- Deep integration with deployment solutions (e.g., SCCM)
- Software license reclamation to help reduce software spending
Through integration, an enterprise app store can integrate with your ITSM solution to:
- Open and close tickets
- Route and escalate tickets
- Create change records
- Automate approvals
- Invoke additional processes
Carefully planned and documented IT service management processes are becoming an increasingly important component in the delivery of higher customer satisfaction. An app store integrated with your ITSM solution provides a solid foundation to obtain quick time-to-value and return on investment, with the dynamic data needed to manage software requests coupled with integration with the deployment systems.
Leading ITSM solutions are available from companies such as BMC and ServiceNow.
Figures 1: Flexera Software’s App Portal enterprise app store integrated with ServiceNow’s ITSM solution