ITSM 7.0: Early Thoughts

As I read the pre-release documentation for ITSM 7.0, I've been doing a lot of thinking. Most of my projects have involved an upgrade or an installation of ITSM. Both ITSM 5.6 and 6.0 were ITIL-compatible, but didn't make a huge leap away from the previous versions. ITSM 7.0 is a ocean's voyage in a new direction. In particular, the mostly widely used of the ITSM applications, Helpdesk 6.0, is undergoing a facelift. Actually, it's more face-transplant surgery than facelift.

Helpdesk has been evolved into an all-encompassing Service Management application, ServiceDesk, containing Incident Management, Problem Management, and Knowledge Management. Not only does the form look different - it behaves differently. One can write scripts to prompt a user for successively more specific information, a feature that many clients have customized in the past. The new applications are process-heavy, and this attention to process is highlighted by a process bar across the top of the application. The new version is more ITIL-compatible than ever.

But in their quest for ITIL-compatibility, is BMC/Remedy going to lose some customers? I have been wondering how many clients will choose to stay with safe, familiar ITSM 6.0. BMC/Remedy usually only supports the last two versions, prompting people to upgrade on a regular basis. But now customers are faced with a choice. An upgrade to ITSM 7.0 isn't just a technological change. It's not just a quick upgrade project. It requires a paradigm shift in the organization, a mental switch. In ITSM 7.0, customers will no longer be able to ignore ITIL recommendations. The new version is all about the new way of running your IT department, proactive instead of reactive, focusing on real solutions and improvements vs. fire-fighting. Sounds good in theory, but unfortunately many of my clients have stayed in fire-fighting mode, not having the time or motivation to evolve as an organization. For them, the new version will be a hassle and inconvenience, and they will probably choose to stay with version 6.0.

Another issue will be compatibility. A quick peek at the compatibility matrix shows that the new version of ARS will not be compatible with Windows Server 2000. Some companies are not agile enough to switch operating systems as quickly as Microsoft can release them. Some may choose to hold onto the 6.x versions of BMC/Remedy products because they aren't ready to upgrade their servers to Windows 2003. Of course, that doesn't mean it won't work on Windows 2000, but if Remedy Support won't answer your calls, it doesn't matter.

At the same time, the new version offers many benefits. Quite a few common customizations are now "out of the box". For example, I have added an "Internal/External" feature to Pre-Defined Summaries and Solutions for many clients, allowing them to mark some summaries and solutions to be used only by the Support staff, and others to be available to the public. This feature is now out of the box in the new Knowledge Database, formerly known as Solutions.

Work Log, everyone's favorite field, has undergone a huge transformation. No longer is it a Diary field that, once updated, could never be changed. Now, each work log entry is stored in a separate form. You have the option of editing work log entries, and marking them internal/external. For myself, I've often created a "requester-visible" work log so that clients could keep their internal work log separate from requester updates. So this will be a great addition. Plus, being able to edit work log entries means an end to embarassing eternal spelling mitakes. However, this move from Diary field to a separate form does present a problem for upgrades - how to migrate those Work Log entries? There were similar dilemmas moving from Audit Trail as a diary field to Audit Trail as separate form, when moving from 5.6 to 6.0.

Stayed tuned to this blog for more of my thoughts on the newest version of the product formerly known as HelpDesk!