Advantages of an OOTB implementation of Ivanti Service Manager

Aligning with ITIL 4 principles.

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Enterprise service management (ESM) is a complex and dynamic landscape in which our customers constantly seek ways to enhance their operational efficiency, streamline their business and IT processes, and deliver tangible bottom-line value to their customers and stakeholders. Ideally, when considering implementing a new ESM solution, choosing between going with an out-of-the-box (OOTB) instance or a customised configured instance (developed by an implementation partner) carries significant implications.

These implications include the usual implementation baggage and challenges carried along with an SDLC (or even agile) type project, which can be avoided by aligning with pre-built solutions based on the guiding principles of the ITIL 4 framework. By understanding the benefits of the OOTB options, customers can unlock a multitude of advantages that will help them to drive success and attain operational excellence.

What we have noted at Blue Turtle is that OOTB implementations of Ivanti Service Manager offer a standardised method and approach that aligns seamlessly with the core tenets of the ITIL 4 framework without compromise. By leveraging pre-built artefacts, preconfigured templates and existing ESM processes based on ITIL best practices, customers can ensure consistency, reliability and alignment with broader industry standards. In a nutshell, this standardisation ensures:

• Service value system (SVS): OOTB usage provides organisations with an inherent and comprehensive service value system encompassing all aspects of service management, from demand and value creation through to delivery and support. By adhering to standardised, tried and tested processes, organisations establish a solid foundation for delivering value to customers and stakeholders.
• Continual improvement: OOTB solutions promote a culture of continual improvement by offering predefined workflows, metrics and KPIs that enable organisations to identify areas for enhancement and drive iterative changes. By embracing standardisation, organisations can achieve an acceptable level of ESM maturity (at their own pace) and then optimise their service delivery processes, enhance operational efficiency and foster a culture of continuous improvement.
• Lean operations: OOTB implementations streamline operations by minimising complexity and reducing unnecessary customisations underpinned by wasteful configurations. By adhering to standardised processes, business objects, workflows and data needs, organisations eliminate waste, optimise infrastructure resources and people utilisation, and enhance overall efficiency aligned to lean principles.

One of the most compelling advantages of implementing an OOTB solution is the speed and efficiency with which customers can realise immediate value. By leveraging preconfigured templates, business objects and best practices, Blue Turtle customers have been able to accelerate the implementation process, minimise time to value, and achieve a rapid ROI. This rapid deployment enables customers to:

• Minimise implementation timeframes: OOTB implementations of Ivanti Service Manager significantly reduce the time and effort required on configuration and deployment tasks. With pre-built templates and system and process configurations, customers can expedite the implementation process and focus on delivering value to customers and stakeholders.
• Accelerate ROI: By minimising the implementation timeframe and accelerating time to value, OOTB implementations enable organisations to realise ROI quickly. This is evident with the inclusion of immediate automation capabilities in processes, quick data access and reporting results. With rapid deployment, an organisation can capitalise on opportunities, respond to market and customer demands, and drive business growth with greater agility.

In addition to the immediate benefits highlighted above, an OOTB implementation of Ivanti Service Manager offers long-term sustainability, stability and scalability that positions businesses for future success. By embracing standardisation and avoiding over-customisation, organisations can:

• Future-proof investments: An OOTB implementation future-proofs investments by ensuring comprehensive compatibility, scalability and interoperability with evolving (and current) technologies and ever-changing industry requirements. By adhering to standardised processes and configurations, organisations can adapt and scale their ESM initiatives to meet changing needs and emerging trends while still adding and creating value. For example, production initiatives aren’t impacted while overly complex changes are specified, endlessly talked about and only then built.
• Simplify maintenance and upgrades: As mentioned, OOTB configurations minimise complexity and reduce the maintenance overhead by avoiding over-customisation. With standardised processes and configurations, customers can simplify their system maintenance and ensure stability by applying regular upgrades, updates and patches seamlessly while, in the same breath, ensuring the long-term stability and reliability of their ESM environment.

In short, as a premier partner of Ivanti, and having worked with customers through their deployment journey, we can confidently state that the benefits of implementing an out-of-the-box instance of Ivanti Service Manager are clear, obvious and compelling. By embracing standardisation and envisioning a complete alignment with ITIL 4 principles coupled with rapid deployment, an organisation can unlock efficiency, streamline business and IT operations, and deliver tangible value to their customers and stakeholders with greater speed and agility.

Whether seeking to minimise implementation timeframes, accelerate time to value or future-proof investments, OOTB implementations offer a proven path to success in ESM. By leveraging preconfigured templates, processes and best practices, customers achieve operational excellence, drive business growth and stability, and thrive in today's dynamic IT landscape.