Empower Human Ingenuity IT Process Automation Buying Guide

Transcription

1 Empower Human Ingenuity IT Process Buying Guide IT Process solutions can be the singlemost impacting software in recent history to free up resources, eliminate human error and ensure compliance. Copyright gen-e, LLC 2013

2 Why automate IT processes? IT Process (ITPA) solutions can be the single-most impacting software in recent history to free up resources, eliminate human error and ensure compliance. ITPA solutions span a broad spectrum of capabilities, from automating basic, lowlevel tasks to highly complex processes and workflows. Companies are further looking to IT process automation to: Combine multiple automation solutions into one process Reduce costs while maintaining agility Meet increasing demands while stretching IT budgets Reduce Mean Time to Resolution (MTTR) rates to 5 minutes or less for the majority of ticket volume Reduce escalations by at least 50% Enable fully-automated self-service Reduce downtime and outages from hours to minutes Improve customer experience and reduce churn rates Deploy automated diagnostics and remediation for critical IT processes Normalize skillsets Free IT staff to dedicate more time to strategic projects Evaluating IT Process Solutions No two ITPA software solutions are alike. Choosing an IT Process solution for your organization can be challenging, as there are many factors and criteria that should be considered to determine the most ideal solution for you. In the section below, you ll find a list of features that we recommend you evaluate when selecting your vendor. Features Low-Level Process High-Level Process Orchestration Content Scripts Agent Technology Requirements Engine Low-Level process automation automates basic, routine tasks and replace script-based IT processes with operational activities such as implementing a patch on a server. High-Level process automation goes beyond orchestrating specific tasks in support of process. High-Level Process Orchestration and : integrates with multiple tools in support of a process. provides integrated workflow capabilities enabling an end-toend and reporting view of the entire process across multiple workflows. Best practice information is available through templates, documentation and forms. Wizard-driven visual process development contains an easy-to-use drag-and-drop interface. Agent-based and agent-less technology are both available. Resolve IT Process IT Process Buying Guide > 2

3 Features Deep Element and Tools Integration Connectors Out-of-thebox Integration Capabilities Process Packs Interactive Workflow Designer (IWD) Multiple Independent Workflows Simple Depiction of Complex Logic Extensive Process Template Libraries Data Bus to allow Effective RBA Communication Automated Decision- Making within the Workflow through Embedded Process Knowledge Requirements Integration Framework An integration and visualization framework providing a dashboard for debugging and monitoring the execution of the workflow(s),as well as reporting capabilities. A breadth of adaptors and gateways enables the tool-to-tool integration required for cross-domain workflows, reporting and orchestration. Integration mapping wizards or other mechanism to simplify configuration of application interfaces. Process and Workflow s A collection of templates which contains s, Action Tasks and Knowledge Packs, speeding up the deployment and adoption of process automation. Sometimes called Workflow or Design Studio., an outthe-box tool providing the ability to build automations, workflows and templates. Support coordination of multiple thread of task executions on multiple instances in the same process. Provide a visual representation that hides complexity and shows how high-level workflows initiate other workflows. Many templates (e.g., 200+) address many different processes. Eliminate the need for code to pass data between systems for both integration and orchestration. The ability of an ITPA tool to select the best path of delivery in support of a process. Resolve IT Process IT Process Buying Guide > 3

4 Features Dynamic Process Validation Estimated Completion Times Role-based Workflow Execution Management, Visualization, Reporting IT Operations Consoles Workload balancing Horizontal and Vertical Scaling Multi-tenancy High Availability ITPA Dashboard/ Reporting/Analytics Requirements Process and Workflow s At workflow execution time, the target IT infrastructure elements are checked and verified to detect and consume changes that happen between build and execute time. This ensures process are validated and run in the appropriate context. Tool provides an estimate of how long processes will take before completion. Provides various comparison analytics based on history and actual times. Process Management Workflow diagrams provide status of where the automation is at any given time. Views and reports are tied to role-based access and controls. Consoles provide workflow status and workflow policy administration and workflow control (e.g. start, stop, pause.) Architecture Provide a view of process workload efficiency and resilience. Horizontal scalability is the ability to connect multiple hardware or software entities, such as servers, so that they work as a single logical unit. Vertical scalability is the ability to increase capacity by adding resources to an existing entity. Multi-tenancy is the ability to "parse" the solution (in a one-to-many business structure) for multiple customers. Enhanced architectural designs ensure high-availability with no single point of failure. Analytics Calculate and visualize the impact of automation on the business and view savings created through automation (e.g. workflows initiated to address a situation before it impacted the business). Resolve IT Process IT Process Buying Guide > 4

5 Collaborative Operations The Resolve Difference Combining Knowledge Management, Automated Decision Support, Enterprise Social and Collaboration at the automation platform layer breaks through traditional organizational bottlenecks and communication barriers that hinder productivity and innovation. Self-Service Decision Trees Gamification High Performance Architecture Vendor Agnostic Skills Normalization The end users of the process can choose from a service catalog and initiate the process execution themselves without the need to involve someone from IT operations. Patent-pending Decision Trees are used for automated guided workflows and automated decision support, giving users the ability to drill down to relevant support and troubleshooting tips, along with the ability to execute complex processes and diagnostics with push button automations to resolve their own issues. A core strategy for gamification in the context of process automation is to motivate and provide recognition of process team members who contribute knowledge, ideas, automations and process improvements. Resolve leverages Cassandra, which provides a quantum jump in value with respect to performance, scaling, and server efficiency. Resolve further touts multi-tenancy, workload balancing and unrivaled horizontal and vertical scalability. As a pure-play ITPA solution provider, gen-e remains vendor agnostic and easily plugs into existing platforms and tools through its extensive connector library. With Resolve, no rip-andreplace is required. Resolve is the only ITPA software that removes the requirement for advanced knowledge and coding skills to build automations and workflows. Resolve has an intuitive drag-and-drop interface and features a workflow designer that allows any user to design forms and apps on the fly. Resolve also dramatically reduces the time to research information and locate relevant knowledge for issues so that less-skilled staff, such as level 1 technicians, can do more before escalating tickets. Resolve Addresses 100% of Companies Top Limitations and Concerns with ITPA InformationWeek conducted an IT Process Survey to look at the state of automation and see what lessons can be learned from business technology professionals using these tools. Resolve IT Process addresses 100% of these limitations and concerns: Our organizational structure limits our ability to automate Our processes are not mature enough Tools do not provide the functionality we need Tools are too expensive to purchase Tools are too complicated and costly to implement We have partially automated some IT process areas (but they still require human intervention) Integration with the existing environment is technically too difficult IT Process Buying Guide > 5

6 Resolve Cross-Industry Solutions Cloud Services Resolve integrates Cloud deployments (Private, Hybrid, and Public) with existing ITSM tools, enabling end-to-end management and automation without human intervention. Provisioning Resolve orchestrates and automates the end-to-end management of provisioning processes between service desk applications, provisioning applications, release management and other infrastructure functions. IT Self-Service Taking self-service capabilities to another level, Resolve enables users to drill down to relevant support and troubleshooting tips and empowers them to execute automations to resolve their own issues. Application Resolve fully automates the application Release deployment cycle to bridge the gaps between Development, Operations and other teams. Ensuring consistent deployments across release environments, Resolve automates configuration and deployment activities, while providing real-time visibility into the state of the application release and configurations and reporting for change tracking and audits. Data Center Resolve automates complex, end-toend IT service management processes including automated diagnostics and remediation, change management, event management, virtualization management and self-service. Application Automating end-to-end processes Performance for application management, Resolve Management empowers application engineering teams to perform diagnostic and triage work preemptively, when an issue is is predicted by analytic tools or after they've been assigned a ticket. Resolve Cross-Industry Solutions Disaster Recovery Enabling operations teams to fully model Disaster Recovery scenarios, Resolve automates these processes and eliminates human errors. Teams can run simulations and maintain process integrity with written procedures that are easily maintained with the Resolve s dynamic knowledge repository, so that scheduled procedural or automation updates can be proactively managed through a designated workflow. Storage Management Resolve allows storage engineering and operations teams to automate diagnostics and triage as soon as they are notified of an alarm or assigned a ticket. The results can be quickly and easily viewed and the issue can either be fixed or handed back to the Incident Management team. Service Desk Plugging into all Service Desk and IT Service Management platforms, Resolve provides unified orchestration across tools and departments. Resolve automates basic to highly complex troubleshooting and maintenance processes, displaying real-time user information, ticket history, performance data, recommended corrective actions, event data and change information that affects the end user. Event Management Resolve provides ability to run pushbutton automations for diagnostics, triage and remediation. Easily integrating with all leading Event, Performance and Incident Management tools, Resolve automates hundreds of routine operational and preventative maintenance tasks, resulting in a 50% reduction of event noise, reducing the number of events that need to be touched. IT Process Buying Guide > 6

7 Resolve OSS/BSS Solutions Automated Resolve automates server management Provisioning tasks, offering pre-packaged process workflows and adaptors, and providing highly customizable automation capabilities, which is often required when integrating your provisioning solution with third-party tools. Service Completing the end-to-end service delivery Activation process, Resolve relies on powerful workflow and orchestration functionality to automate service activations, from basic to complex. Event Resolve provides engineering teams the Management ability to run push-button automations for diagnostics, triage and remediation, automating hundreds of routine operational and preventative maintenance tasks. Customer Supporting existing CSS processes and Care tools, Resolve delivers powerful automation capabilities directly to contact center personnel, empowering them to resolve their customers problems quickly and efficiently. Service Resolve enables network engineering and Testing operations teams to leverage a single interface from which they can orchestrate the entire test/ test and turn-up process when they are notified of an alarm or assigned a ticket. Results can be quickly reviewed and remedied in 20% of the time previously required. Self-Service Resolve's Decision capabilities give customers the ability to drill down to relevant support and troubleshooting tips, and the ability to execute automations to resolve their own issues. Resolve OSS/BSS Solutions Cloud Service Automating Cloud service activations spanning Activation the most basic to the most complex, Resolve completes the end-to-end service delivery process, providing a unified approach and a single pane of glass across your service spectrum. LEC ebonding Resolve enables Local Exchange Carriers (LECs) to integrate and automate their IT processes with other LECs. Providing a platform for ticketing and testing Off-Net Services, users are enabled to send trouble tickets, orders, service requests and change requests to other service providers without human intervention. Device Enabling automation and validation of not Onboarding only the onboarding of new network elements, but also the offboarding of devices exiting the system, Resolve also provides a third option to audit only, enabling users to check the status of a device at any given time. Providing Network Operating Center (NOC) Engineers one single point of entry for all devices, the unique onboarding runbook is designed with various action tasks that talk to the EMS and devices necessary to query and/or make a change to that remote system. Service Desk Resolve allows participants across silos to transform the knowledge contained in and used by processes into actionable wisdom. Integrating with leading Incident Management and IT Operations tools, Resolve provides a common layer for all of the service and help desk tools to communicate, enabling unified orchestration across all tools, silos, and departments. North America Headquarters/ Northern US Regional Office: 1431 Opus Place Suite 525 Downers Grove, IL T: +1 (630) Southern US Regional Office: Dallas Pkwy. Suite 144 Dallas, TX T: +1 (469) Western US Regional Office: 901 Calle Amanecer Suite 360 San Clemente, CA T: +1 (949) EMEA Headquarters: Atrium Business Centre, Blackpool Business Park Cork, Ireland T: For more information, contact: +1 (949) or info@gen-e.com IT Process Buying Guide > 7