What Is ServiceNow?

ServiceNow is a cloud-based software platform designed based on ITIL guidelines and operates on IT Service Management (ITSM) that helps in automating IT Business Management (ITBM).

The primary focus of ServiceNow is to provide service-orientation processes, activities, and tasks. ServiceNow uses machine learning (ML) to maximize workflows and data to help organizations to become more efficient and scalable.

To achieve the goals of the problem management and incident ServiceNow offers power, dependability, and flexibility that users select the comfortable interface (support). It provides data to the tester to locate and debug issues while removing the dependencies in emails and on spreadsheets.

Who uses ServiceNow?

ServiceNow is used by the following consumers to achieve their goals (business):

• IT support Team- To manage incidents/service requests.
• Developers – To create functionality with scripts and extend standard configurations.
• Administrators –  Helps to manage privilege, roles, and user access 
• Employees – To request their business services.
• Implementers – To fulfill platform features, organization business needs, and deploy process applications.

ServiceNow Architecture

The ServiceNow (PaaS) is 100% developed internally by development staff, under the guidance of Vice President of Development: Mr. David Osman and Chief Programming Officer: Fred Luddy. ServiceNow Architecture is a Java-based software platform that uses Tomcat as a Web server and runs on Linux. Generally, most of the customers run MySQL database, and very few runs on Oracle, DB2, and Sybase.

Components of Architecture:

• Load balancer
• Apache: Webserver
• Tomcat: J2EE app server
• Database: DB2, MySQL, or Oracle
• Firewall clusters ( HTTPS & SSL)
• Internet IPSEC (instruction, destruction)
• Client site

Benefits of ServiceNow Architecture:

• Dedicated Application Set and Database 
• Improved customer security
• No coagulation of Customer data with other customers.
• The faster and efficient app response rate
• High scalability
• Customized application preserved through the upgrade.

ITSM Frameworks: 

There are numerous ITSM structures accessible for organizations, yet ITIL is the most generally utilized system for ITSM. Picking a system relying upon the business needs and industry determinations is imperative to create gainful results. 

Coming up next are a portion of the significant systems: 

• IT Infrastructure Library is a system committed to conveying IT administrations of best practices. 
• Business Process Framework (eTOM) is intended for broadcast communications specialist co-ops. 
• COBIT is an IT administration system. 
• Six Sigma is utilized for information investigation to limit item and administration blemishes. 
• TOGAF gives organizations a structure of executing innovation, with an emphasis on programming. 
• FitSM is a system that is smoothed out at administration the board which is commonly lined up with ISO/IEC 20000. 
• MOF (Microsoft Operations Framework) guides organizations through the whole life pattern of an IT administration, including improvement, execution, and practical administration with an emphasis on Microsoft innovations.

Installation and configuration

Step 1) Use this URL to download the setup

“https://developer.servicenow.com/”

Step 2) Enter the Registration Details to Submit

Step 3) Check your inbox, you’ll receive a mail to activate your account. 

Step 4) Now your account is active, sign in using the credential created above.

Step 5) Accept the Service Agreement

Step 6) Read and Accept the Developer Agreement

Step 7) Answer the Survey and click on the Submit button.

Step 8) After submitting the form, ServiceNow Dashboard appears, Click on “Request Instance.”

Step 9) Enter the reason to use the instance.

Step 10) Now choose the London Release (Version)

Step 11) It may take time to process the Instances. Once the process is done you’ll find login credentials and login link In the dashboard as shown below:

Step 12) Click on the login link, to change your password

Step 13) Finally, Dashboard is displayed as below:

Create a Report in ServiceNow

Step 1) Follow the below steps:

• Filter Report in the Navigator.
• You will find lots of preconfigured reports.
• Click on Create Report to proceed further

Step 2) Follow the below steps:

• Enter the Report name
• Choose the preferred Data Source (Table)
• If the report already exists then “The report is already configured”. A message appears, Ignore it.
• Click on the Next button

Step 3) Select the Report type and then Click on Next button

Step 4) 

• Select the measurement. (In this case, Escalation is selected)
• Click on Run button
• The report is generated
• Click save button to save the report

Capabilities of ]ServiceNow 

The following are the capabilities of Service Now :

• Authentication
• LDAP
• Orchestration
• Web Services
• Enterprise Portal
• Mobile Ready

Authentication

Single Sign-on (SSO) feature is the essence of any tool and ServiceNow is no different. This tool has multiple provider SSO features. An organization can use several SSO IDPs (Identity Providers) to manage authentication. SSO enables a user to login to the application without providing any User ID or password. It uses the Windows ID and Password.

LDAP

Companies can use Active Directory for various purposes. Be it providing access to applications or maintaining the Outlook Distribution list; there are many. The LDAP integration is a piece of cake for the ServiceNow tool, and the best part is that you do not have to code anything. Everything is a simple configuration!

Orchestration

ServiceNow provides a feature of automating or orchestrating simple or complex tasks on remote servers. Once Orchestration was done, the entire task requires very little skill and labor to implement. ServiceNow orchestration feature can automate various systems like Microsoft Exchange mail servers and VMware.

Web Services

The Web-service platform provides the capability of consuming APIs and publishing at a time. The protocols supported by Web-service platforms are REST API, SOAP, and WSDL. You can either create a Scripted API or codeless APIs.

Enterprise Portal

Every organization must have a web portal to request service, access, or support. ServicePortal is giving support to different organizations. To showcase their ServiceNow capabilities several organizations are developing their own ServicePortal. The old version of the deprecated CMS site portal is being replaced by new ServicePortal as it is not that capable as ServicePortal. 

Mobile Ready

Most of the organizations desire to have their applications and services in the form of mobile applications. ServiceNow makes it possible as its applications and forms are mobile-friendly. Hence we can directly publish them without specific mobile development. ServiceNow provides native mobile apps for both iOS and Android. 

Summary 

• ServiceNow is a software platform that automates IT Business Management (ITBM) and IT Service Management (ITSM).
• The ITSM cost is reduced to 60% with the help of ServiceNow.
• ServiceNow is a Service Oriented  Architecture (SaaS), that enables updates, deployment, configuration, and maintenance.
• ServiceNow supports Data confidentiality and integrity, Real-time reporting and analysis, accurate operational tracking.
• ServiceNow launches its new apps, features  and UI will change for every release every 10-12 month release cycle.
• ServiceNow is used by 1) Developers 2) Administrators 3) Implementers 4) Employees 5) IT Support Team
• Service Now Product suite includes HR management, Business Management, Custom Service Management, IT Service Automation.