Integration is a crucial aspect of modern IT service management. By linking their ITSM platform with external applications, businesses can simplify their IT operations, enhance efficiency and flexibility, and provide better customer service. Real-time integration allows businesses to quickly adapt to changing circumstances and ensure that IT services align with business requirements.  

However, ITSM integration can be complex and difficult. Traditional integration methods often involve custom development and integration work, which can be costly and time-consuming. iPaaS offers a solution to these challenges and makes ITSM integration more manageable. 

What is iPaaS? 

iPaaS stands for Integration Platform as a Service. It's a cloud-based service that provides a set of tools and services that make it easy to connect applications and automate workflows. iPaaS can be used to integrate ITSM tools and applications with other business systems, such as CRM, ERP and HR systems. This can help to improve efficiency, reduce costs and improve customer service. 

iPaaS works by providing a central platform that allows businesses to connect applications and automate workflows. This platform provides several features and services that make it easy to integrate applications, including: 

  • Pre-built connectors: IPaaS platforms offer a library of pre-built connectors that simplify the process of connecting to commonly used applications. These connectors are designed for applications like Salesforce, Oracle, SAP and Workday. 
  • Data transformation: iPaaS platforms are essential for converting data between various applications to maintain consistency and accuracy during integration across multiple systems. 
  • Workflow automation: IPaaS platforms can automate workflows between applications, improving efficiency and reducing the need for manual intervention. 

How iPaaS makes ITSM integration easy

IPaaS simplifies ITSM integration by providing a centralized platform with built-in connectors and templates, eliminating the need for complicated point-to-point connections. This saves time and effort when connecting multiple systems, without requiring advanced coding or technical expertise. 

With IPaaS, data can be synchronized in real-time between ITSM tools and other business systems. This ensures that all systems have the most up-to-date information. Real-time integration improves the accuracy and efficiency of ITSM processes, allowing businesses to quickly and effectively address customer requests and problems. 

Moreover, iPaaS offers scalability and flexibility for ITSM integrations. As businesses grow and their IT needs change, they can easily add or remove ITSM tools and applications without disrupting existing integrations. This enables companies to adapt their ITSM integrations as needed, maintaining efficient processes. 

Common use cases for iPaaS within ITSM 

Common integration-centric use cases that are good applications for iPaaS within ITSM include: 

  • eBonding/ticket forwarding: This facilitates two-way integration with other ITSM or ticketing systems – internally and externally. This is common for service providers who need the ability to directly integrate their service management platform with a customer's platform. This typically involves bidirectional incident integration, but it can also include changes and assets/CIs, depending on the agreement between the customer and service provider. Typically, this type of integration would be between Ivanti Neurons for ITSM and ServiceNow or BMC Helix.
  • Procurement: To streamline service requests, service fulfillment, and asset lifecycle workflows, it may be necessary to integrate with a procurement system like SAP or a similar solution. Additionally, integration with external providers like Dell or CDW can facilitate procurement requests with vendors.
  • Onboarding: When bringing a new employee into your organization, it's important to involve not just HR, but also IT, payroll, facilities and any other necessary departments. Streamlining the onboarding process across all these areas can be achieved through automation, regardless of the specific applications being used (such as Workday, SAP, Ivanti Neurons for ITSM, or ADP). This allows for seamless integration and handling of all necessary tasks.
  • DevOps: Streamlining development processes is crucial for the success of the DevOps/DevSecOps process. Automation is essential for achieving a streamlined and efficient process throughout application development (using tools such as Jira and Azure DevOps); deployment (with GitHub and Jenkins); operations (using ITSM); and security (with tools like ASOC and BlackDuck).
  • Communication/collaboration: Many organizations use various collaboration tools such as Microsoft Teams or Slack for instant messaging, and virtual agents like Espressive and Moveworks. When these tools can communicate with one another, that allows employees to use their preferred tool and improves their overall experience. It also ensures that no communication is lost. It is important to enable these tools to automatically integrate and communicate with service management, as it is a crucial capability.
  • Operations management: Many organizations use multiple solutions to monitor their operational environment. These solutions often cover network, server, application and security monitoring. It is crucial to ensure that these tools are communicating with service management to provide accurate and timely information to the appropriate teams. Integration with these solutions should allow for updates to be shared in both directions, ensuring consistency across all environments.
  • Request fulfillment: Expand the scope of request fulfillment beyond ITSM to include external third-party solutions for processes such as approvals and procurement, and external vendor systems such as CDW, Lenovo or Dell. Create a smooth workflow that spans various external systems to improve the efficiency of your request fulfillment process. 

Ivanti Neurons iPaaS makes integration easy  

Ivanti Neurons iPaaS, powered by Workato, is a cost-effective, efficient, agile, scalable and secure integration platform for Ivanti Neurons for ITSM (SaaS), enabling integration across ITSM, ITAM and Line of Business applications. It’s seamlessly integrated into the ITSM admin experience to make development, monitoring and troubleshooting extremely easy in the context of ITSM, ITAM or Enterprise Service Management use cases. By leveraging Ivanti Neurons iPaaS, businesses can streamline their IT operations, improve service delivery and gain a competitive advantage in today's dynamic technology environment.

The Ivanti Neurons for ITSM platform will continue to support industry standard open APIs such as REST API, SOAP and Webhooks. Ivanti Neurons iPaaS extends and enhances your API and integration capabilities. 

Learn more about how Ivanti Neurons iPaaS can transform your ITSM integration approach.