In this field, you need to monitor and manage networks, user endpoints, servers, and software. Most ITSM software can handle robust service desk and ticketing operations.

Here is our list of the best ITSM tools and IT Service Management software:

  • SolarWinds Service Desk EDITOR’S CHOICE A superior cloud-based Help Desk platform that includes asset management functions and task automation. Integrates with a growing list of over 200 apps. Try it risk-free on a 30-day free trial.
  • Atera Helpdesk Software (FREE TRIAL) A SaaS system to support managed service providers (MSPs) that includes system monitoring, patch management, and incident response tools. Get a 30-day free trial.
  • SuperOps Service Desk (FREE TRIAL) This package of help desk management and implementation services can also be used to schedule development and maintenance projects. SuperOps is a SaaS platform. Access a 21-day free trial.
  • HaloITSM (FREE TRIAL) Provides a full service management package that follows ITIL standards and includes asset and incident management systems. Available for installation on Windows Server or as a SaaS package. Gain access to the 30-day free trial.
  • NinjaOne Ticketing Software (FREE TRIAL) – formerly NinjaRMM – a cloud-based package of remote monitoring and management tools includes a ticketing system that helps in the organization of client site equipment maintenance and support.
  • ManageEngine ServiceDesk Plus (FREE TRIAL) A service management package that fulfills the ITIL Service Operation requirements. Available for Windows Server, Linux, and as a cloud-based platform.
  • N-able N-sight (FREE TRIAL) An asset management system aimed at managed service providers. This is a cloud-based platform.
  • Freshservice A comprehensive cloud-based service desk management platform, written to ITIL standards.
  • ServiceNow IT Service Management Cloud-based ITSM platform that covers incident management, problem management, change management, release management, and request management.
  • Alloy Navigator Cloud-based or on-premises, this tool supports incident management, problem management, asset management, change management, knowledge management, organization management, and contact management.
  • SysAid ITIL-based ITSM suite that installs on Windows Server and Linux, or can be accessed as a cloud-based service.
  • InvGate ITIL-compliant ITSM package that is available on the Cloud or as on-premises software that installs on Windows and Mac OS.
  • Kaseya BMS Professional services automation package that is delivered from the cloud with a multi-tenant architecture aimed at MSPs.
  • Vivantio This SaaS platform is organized flour plans that make ITSM systems affordable to all sizes of businesses.

Once a business system has been set up, you need to monitor its performance to ensure that the resources that have been installed are sufficient to meet the needs of the business. Detected shortfalls may require resources to be adjusted or supplemented. Once the new system has settled in, you still need to keep track of its performance and provision for natural growth in activity and also be prepared for any new requirements.

ITSM requires tools that can monitor every element in a business system and try to head off performance problems. You need to cover the performance of networks, the internet, servers, software, services, applications and network, and endpoint hardware. That monitoring also needs to be able to track the activities on any Cloud-based services that your company might use. You need to ensure that capacity is coordinated across sites, and also account for the connections to home-based staff and field operatives. In a modern business network, you will also need to control the activities on mobile devices and protect your network from intrusion and infection.

Just about every business keeps records on people, including customers, suppliers, and employees. Legal requirements demand that you protect the data held in your business, block access to it, and record every event that might compromise the integrity and security of that data.

So, ITSM systems have to encompass many functions. You can write your own ITSM system, source software from different suppliers, or look for complete, out-of-the-box ITSM solutions. In this review, we will look at the ITSM suites that you can install to cover all of the system monitoring and management activities of your IT department. ITSM packages are also of interest to managed service providers (MSPs) that provide system management for their clients.

What is ITSM and ITIL?

ITSM is closely linked to the ITIL standards. ITIL stands for “Information Technology Infrastructure Library”. The standard was commissioned by the British government, which is still a part-owner of the system, along with the data services company, Capita. The current version of ITIL is ITIL 2011.

The ITIL system is a documentation standard, which creates checkpoints and workflows for IT management issues. The standard is organized as five areas of competence:

  • ITIL Service Strategy: document the business’s goals and customer needs.
  • ITIL Service Design: interpret the service strategy to create a development plan.
  • ITIL Service Transition: introduces new services into supported environments.
  • ITIL Service Operation: manages services in supported environments.
  • ITIL Continual Service Improvement: refines service delivery in both incremental and significant steps.

The standards are issued literally as a library with five volumes, each of which covers one of the five topics described above.

For the first three topics, you are looking more at system design, development, and implementation. There are a range of design, engineering, and planning tools that cover these topics. The most active of the five topics are the service operation and service improvement categories. Generally, when people talk about ITSM tools, they refer to management systems that address those two topics.

ITIL Service Operation

As the IT manager of a stable system, your main concerns will be those covered by the Service Operation topic of ITIL. There are five important areas of work in this field of operations:

  • Event Management
  • Access Management
  • Request Fulfillment
  • Problem Management
  • Incident Management

These are probably the day-to-day tasks that are written into your employment contract. These management tasks are implemented through the following four departmental functions:

  • Service Desk: the classic Help Desk plus software and contract management.
  • Technical Management: the monitoring of devices and equipment.
  • Application Management: ensuring that all system services and user software is available.
  • IT Operations Management: prevention of failure or overloading.

The four functions of ‘Service Operation’ form the core of all ITSM suites.

ITIL Continual Service Improvement

This task category covers all of the work the IT department does to head off long-term resource exhaustion. Temporary measures, such as reorganizing equipment to add resources to overloaded areas of the network are part of the Service Operation topic.

You should expect demand to increase continually at a trend rate and you also need to be prepared to field requests for more services on the system and to accommodate more personnel connecting to the network.

This topic requires you to analyze existing performance and project future capacity requirements in all elements of your IT system.

See More: ITIL Change Management: Implementation Basics

ITSM tool criteria

As an IT manager, your search for ITSM tools should focus on software that supports ITIL Service Operation and ITIL Continual Service Improvement topics. In this review, you will read about suites of tools that will cover all of these topics and support your operational responsibilities.

The best ITSM tools & IT system management software

In this section, you can read details about each of the eleven recommended tools listed above.

Our methodology for selecting IT service management software

We reviewed the market for ITSM tools and analyzed the options based on the following criteria:

  • Automated asset discovery processes that assemble a device inventory
  • Scanning for the contents of all devices to establish a software inventory
  • Software license management
  • The ability to manage assets on multiple sites
  • Routines to keep operating systems up to date
  • A free trial or money-back guarantee for a no-cost assessment period
  • A good price for the functions that are included

1. SolarWinds Service Desk (FREE TRIAL)

SolarWinds Service Desk was written to ITIL standards. This is a Cloud-based service desk solution that provides a central contact point for your Help Desk and includes asset management features.

Key Features:

  • Cloud-based
  • Asset management
  • Task automation
  • Integrates with 200 apps
  • Risk detection

The help desk functions of the utility include a ticketing system with automation that allows you to input technician and operator availability to get an automated task allocation workflow distributing work for you. The system includes a task tracker to ensure that calls are responded to and solved promptly. Other technical support features include a self-service portal and a knowledge base utility to solve problems for users without the need for Help Desk resources. Service Desk recently made it to the top spot in a recent industry comparison list. You can download the report here.

Configuration management, change management, release management, service level management, and IT asset management are all there in the package. A benchmarking tool helps you track performance and plan for expansion and a reporting module helps you track system utilization.

A great feature of the tool is its Risk Detection module. This continuous assessment tracks the configurations and software installed on all of the devices in your system. It identifies illegal software and checks on the versions of all permitted software to ensure that all is up-to-date. The tool also monitors the versions of your AV software and threat databases to ensure that you have the very latest versions.

SolarWinds Service Desk is charged on a subscription basis and is available in three packages: Team, Business, and Professional. The cheapest of these plans gives you a Help Desk and the SolarWinds Service Desk self-service portal and knowledgebase platform. To get the full ITSM package, you need to get the Professional plan. You can get any of the SolarWinds Service Desk plans on a free trial.

Pros:

  • Designed for MSPs using ITIL standards
  • Automated workflows help NOC teams prioritize tickets based on SLAs or custom rules
  • Continuous scans of endpoints help reduce stress on the NOC
  • Flexible pricing and cloud hosting make this one of the most flexible ITSM options
  • Works well for both small and large networks

Cons:

  • Search functionality

2. Atera Helpdesk Software (FREE TRIAL)

EDITOR’S CHOICE

SolarWinds Service Desk is a powerful tool for consolidating, managing and prioritizing incoming tickets which is great for streamlining processes. It integrates with a growing list of applications like MS Azure, OneLogin, AD Google Apps, Slack and Zendesk just to name a few.

Start Free Trial: solarwinds.com/service-desk

OS: Cloud-based

Atera Helpdesk Software is part of the Atera suite of services that enables managed service providers to monitor, support, and assess the IT systems of their customers. The remote monitoring and management (RMM) functions of Atera provide constant system monitoring with alerts for performance problems. Alerts feed through to the ticketing system of the professional services automation (PSA) module in Atera.

  • RMM and PSA modules
  • Multi-tenanted architecture
  • Low startup costs
  • Autodiscovery

While the ticketing system manages team capacity utilization, it also tracks problem resolution and records the frequency of incidences. This record of problem resolution provides a useful source of information to help clients see which parts of their system need to be replaced or upgraded.

Atera also includes software license management and patch management functions that enable the MSP to keep each endpoint in the client’s system up to date.

Useful ITSM facilities in the service are the access that customers get to the help desk ticketing system. This enables technicians to be assigned to problems. Using the built-in remote access system of Atera, technicians can get to the problematic endpoint, troubleshoot, and fix problems without bothering the user. A remote desktop system in Atera lets technicians resolve problems while the user watches. A communication channel built into the remote desktop software also enables the technician to explain the solution to the user.

Other ITSM features built into the Atera include preventative maintenance routines and disaster recovery procedures that are implemented by backup and restore functions.

Atera is a cloud service so it includes processors and storage space as well as the RMM and PSA software. Charges are levied by subscription per technician per month with no setup fees or minimum service periods. Atera is available for a 30-day free trial.

  • Has one of the best user interfaces among other ITSM tools

  • PSA is built-in, and works well with the integrated ticketing system

  • Inventory management can automatically generate reports and alerts for faulty hardware, and create tickets for proactive upgrades

  • Remote access is part of the agent install, meaning you won’t need to find another vendor for remote access

  • Can store policies and procedures based on SLA or client

  • Computer name changes sometimes lag

  • More ticketing automation features would be a welcome addition

Atera Helpdesk Software Start 30-day FREE Trial

3. SuperOps Service Desk (FREE TRIAL)

SuperOps Service Desk is a SaaS platform that has been created for use by IT support teams working for MSPs. Although the primary design of this tool makes it ideal for Help Desk teams, it can also be used to run development and maintenance systems.

  • Ticketing system
  • Team and task management
  • Cloud-based

The core of this service is its ticketing system. Tickets are requests that can be routed automatically to Service Desk team members. The system also provides a dashboard for each technician that enables task management. The team manager also gets a specialized dashboard to monitor progress and intervene to re-allocate tickets when necessary.

This system can also translate project plans into tasks, which can then be routed through ticketing to technician team members. Automated timesheets integrated into this Service Desk system make project goal tracking simple.

Whether you use this system for Help Desk or project management purposes, all activities get logged, which helps with SLA goal achievement tracking. The automated activity documentation creates a library of proof should billing disputes arise.

SuperOps offers four plans and all of them include the Service Desk package. The first of these plans is called Solo and it is aimed at independent technicians – that plan is free to use for the first year. The three corporate plans start with Starter, which only has PSA functions. The two top plans, called Growth and Premium provide both RMM and PSA services and include the Service Desk module. All of these editions are subscription SaaS systems.

  • Can be used to manage technician teams

  • Tickets can originate with user inquiries or project requirements

  • Tracking of progress on each task

  • Sophisticated routing algorithms

  • Possibility to translate a project plan into tickets and tasks

  • Not a full project management suite

You can get a 21-day free trial of any of SuperOps plan.

SuperOps Service Desk Start 21-day FREE Trial

4. HaloITSM (FREE TRIAL)

HaloITSM is an ITIL-based ITSM package that provides IT asset management and customer service management. Its full list of services includes Incident Management, Change Management, Problem Management, Configuration Management, Knowledge Management, and an ITIL service catalog.

  • Asset discovery
  • Help Desk functions
  • User self-service portal

The core features of the HaloITSM package provide asset management through the maintenance of an asset inventory. The service also provides team management functions so that you can track staffing requirements for projects and monitor the ongoing activities of Service Desk staff.

Incident Management is probably the most intensive function of the Service Desk in terms of human resource usage. The HaloITSM package includes functions to field user problems before they resort to Help Desk contact. These features are a Knowledge Base package and a Self-Service Portal, that lets users sort out their own problems.

The HaloITSM system is a SaaS package but you can opt to download the software and run it on your own hosts, running Windows Server. The core package is priced on a rate per agent per month with the fee reducing for larger teams. Some of the functions of the system are only available for an extra fee. These are Asset Discovery, Remote Control for accessing user devices, and Live Chat for communicating with users during support sessions. You can book a demo to get to know the HaloITSM system or access a 30-day free trial.

  • SLA tracking integrated into department function management

  • Workflow automation for task tracking

  • Features for project management

  • Asset discovery, remote control, and live chat facilities cost extra

HaloITSM Access the 30-day FREE Trial

5. NinjaOne Ticketing Software (FREE TRIAL)

NinjaOne – formerly NinjaRMM – is a cloud-based platform that offers all of the tools that the support technicians of a managed service provider need to run the systems of client sites. It can also be used by the IT operations departments of multi-site organizations. As this system is delivered from the cloud, it can be accessed from anywhere through any standard Web browser. There is no need to maintain a set of tools on your site and the technicians can even be working from home.

  • Team management service
  • System monitoring and management
  • Autodiscovery and inventory creation

The ticketing system of NinjaOne provides team managers with the classic technician task scheduler. This is not just available for users to raise issues; it can be used to channel system maintenance tasks and expand project workflows through to individual workers.

Each individual technician gets a prioritized To-Do list and a space to note open issues. The team manager gets to see which tasks have been allocated and which are in the queue waiting to be assigned. The manager view also shows the expected completion time and date for each task and whether it is running over. Tasks can be allocated automatically by an algorithm, and it is possible to split or share tasks. Manual allocation is also facilitated.

NinjaROne is able to integrate with other project management tools and MSP management systems, such as PSAs and task documentation services. There is no need to install any software on-site for this platform.

  • A work scheduling system for technician teams

  • Individual task lists for each technician

  • Automated task allocation

  • Customizable queuing and allocation algorithms

  • Isn’t a full ITIL-compliant system

NinjaOne is charged for by subscription. The company doesn’t publish a price list; instead, you need to request a quote. The NinjaROne platform is available for a 14-day free trial.

NinjaOne Ticketing Software Start 14-day FREE Trial

6. ManageEngine ServiceDesk Plus (FREE TRIAL)

The “Service Desk” concept is more than just your regular Help Desk. Service Desk is one of the functions specified in the ITIL Service Operation topic. This function includes the handling of change requests, maintenance contracts, service-level management, software licenses, configuration management, and availability management features as well as the Help Desk central point of contact.

  • On-premises or cloud-based
  • SLA management
  • Ticketing system

ManageEngine ServiceDesk Plus covers all of the ITIL Service Desk tasks. However, not all of those functions are available in all of the packages that the company offers for this module. The utility is offered at three levels: Standard, Professional, and Enterprise. The Standard package gives you a Help Desk system that includes SLA management. The Professional package adds on IT asset discovery software asset management, and contract management. The full ITIL Service Desk function is provided by the Enterprise package, which adds on IT project management, configuration management, and change management features to all of the utilities offered in the Standard and Professional packages.

ManageEngine produces a range of IT asset management tools and ServiceDesk Plus can interact with these other modules. This will enable you to get a full suite of infrastructure monitoring and management tools. The ServiceDesk Plus utility can be installed on Linux or Windows Server and it is also available on the Cloud.

  • Robust all in one tool for managing client contracts, maintenance requests, and other ancillary services MSPs normally offer

  • Automatic asset discovery helps keep NOC teams informed of scope and new devices that are added to the network

  • Cross-platform support work with Windows or Linux server distros

  • Available as a cloud product for streamlined onboarding

  • Ticket template field could be easier to customize

  • Reporting tool can feel limited depending on the use case

You can get a 30-day free trial to try it out for yourself.

ManageEngine ServiceDesk Plus Start 30-day FREE Trial

7. N-able N-sight (FREE TRIAL)

Managed services providers can’t afford to slip up. They need full visibility of clients’ information systems and they need to log and audit every action. Thus, systems written to support MSPs make excellent ITSM tools. N-able is a leader in the IT infrastructure monitor market and it has produced a Cloud-based suite of tools that will work just as well for in-house IT departments.

  • Cloud-based
  • For use by MSPs
  • Asset discovery and inventory
  • Asset management

The N-able N-sight suite includes ten main elements:

  • Remote Monitoring and Management (RMM)
  • Backup and Recovery
  • MSP Manager
  • Mail Assure
  • Service Desk
  • Risk Intelligence
  • Passportal
  • Take Control
  • Endpoint Detection & Response
  • Threat Monitor

You don’t have to take on all of these elements. If you are running an MSP, then the whole suite would be useful to you. If you operate the IT department of a single-site company, then the RMM module probably wouldn’t interest you. However, you should also consider the RMM even if you only have one site because this module includes patch management, network monitoring, and mobile device management features.

The PSA and Ticketing module will give you the Help Desk functions needed for ITIL. You can also guarantee the security of your data through Automated Threat Monitoring, Backup and Recovery, and Mail Protection and Archiving.

This system is Cloud-based, so you don’t need to worry about software compatibility with your server operating system. The tool can monitor events on Windows, Linux, and Mac OS. The monitor will track activity on network, servers, endpoints, and network devices. It tracks software, services, applications, and virtualizations.

  • Suite is designed to be an all-in-one bundle for everything an MSP would be, helping cut down on bulky multi-vendor solutions

  • Robust PSA and SLA alerting and reports

  • Hosts RMM features that are optional, but a great added bonus

  • Multi-platform support for Windows, Linux, and Mac OS allow for support for any type of client

  • Reporting feature could use an overhaul

The complete package will give you data security, event logging, and auditing, team monitoring, and task management features. You can try out the N-able N-sight on a 30-day free trial.

N-able N-sight Start 30-day free trial.

8. Freshservice

Freshservice is a cloud-based system management tool that is suitable both for in-house IT departments and for managed service providers. The tool is delivered in modules and is available in four editions. Each progressively more expensive edition includes more modules. All of the editions include all of the front-end channels that a Help Desk needs in order to facilitate contact by users.

  • Cloud-based
  • Task automation
  • Self-service portal

The service desk features of Freshservice start with a user self-service portal. This includes a knowledgebase facility and a ticketing system. Users can create tickets either through the portal in a form or via email. Internal Help Desk staff can create tickets as well if they are dealing with customers either by phone or in person.

The ticketing system then tracks progress on problem resolution and includes work allocation, prioritization, and task tracking features to implement team and task management. All of these features are needed for ITIL Service Operations Incident Management activities. The tasks management functions can be refined with a service level agreement screen. This allows the team manager to set priorities for ticket prioritization according to the requirements of the support team’s SLA. This aid automation task allocation and implements escalation as deadlines approach.

Certain tasks can be automated, such and approvals to close tickets, communication receipt confirmations, and problem categorization. Many team management tasks are also automated by the reporting tool of the platform. This produces timesheets per technician, performance monitoring, and goal achievement records. The tool also includes a project management feature that enables the support team to communicate through an internal chat system.

  • One of the better user interfaces for ITSM tools

  • Flexible subscription and annual pricing options

  • Includes a self-service portal to help reduce inbound tickets

  • Simple ticket creation is user friendly for new staff

  • Trial period

  • Automation workflow between ticket could be better

  • Integrations into other ITSM tools are complicated

Freshservice is charged for by subscription per technician. The fees can be paid either monthly or yearly, with the yearly payment period working out cheaper. You can try out the Freshservice system with a 21-day free trial.

9. ServiceNow IT Service Management

ServiceNow IT Service Management tool is a Cloud-based ITSM that is very strong on cost tracking.

  • Cloud-based
  • Capacity planning support
  • Higher service package is fully ITIL compliant

The application is divided into the following units:

  • Incident Management
  • Problem Management
  • Change Management
  • Release Management
  • Request Management

The Incident Management module gives you a Help Desk system. Access to technicians is a front end self-service portal and then a Virtual Agent. The Virtual Agent works off a knowledge base that builds up over its service life. Therefore, after a few months of operation, frequent problems can be fielded automatically without resorting to actual human intervention. This combination of problem solving with machine learning via the Virtual Agent means you can focus your company resources on more critical tasks.

Problem Management gives you ITIL-linked automated workflows that check for system performance limits being breached to head off potential failure. This module focuses on short-term solutions to capacity issues. Longer-term capacity planning is supported by Performance Analytics available in the dashboard.

You can access an online demo of ServiceNow IT Service Management tool. However, the company doesn’t offer a free trial period. The service is offered in two plans, which are ITSM and ITSM Professional. The cheaper plan includes Standard Help Desk tools, configuration management, and other ITIL Service Operation functions. To get the Virtual Agent and ITIL Continual Service Improvement functions, you need to opt for the ITSM Professional package.

  • Heavily focused on helping MSPs track costs alongside tickets and technical issues

  • Offers a knowledge base that can be used internally, as well a forward-facing as a self-help resource for clients

  • Automated workflow help streamline ticket completion

  • No on-premise version

  • No free trial, only product demo

  • Interface is clean but limited

10. Alloy Navigator

Alloy Navigator is offered at two levels. The top package is called Alloy Navigator Enterprise, and this gives you the full ITSM suite of tools. If you don’t feel you want to go the full ITSM suite route, there is a cheaper package available, called Alloy Navigator Express.

  • On-premises software or cloud-based
  • Asset management
  • Change management

Alloy Navigator was written along with ITIL guidelines, and it gives you:

  • Incident Management
  • Problem Management
  • Asset Management
  • Change Management
  • Knowledge Management
  • Organization Management
  • Contact Management

The Incident Management module includes the Help Desk system. Problem Management and Asset Management is based on a network discovery function that maps all of your assets to create an inventory. That inventory becomes a list of assets to keep checking for performance problems. The data gathered by the health checks feeds into plans for change management and service improvement capacity planning tools.

This ITSM suite can be installed in-house or used as a Cloud service. The software installs on Windows Server.

  • Includes seven different management sections that are written in accordance with ITIL guidelines

  • Available as an on-premise or cloud solution

  • Interface can feel dated and cluttered at times

  • Could have better internal communication tools

11. SysAid

SysAid is an ITSM software system that is offered in plans that range from a Help Desk system up to a full ITSM package. This system is available as a SaaS platform or as a software package for on-site hosting.

  • Cloud service
  • ITIL-based
  • Ticketing system

The middle plan of SysAid is called ITSM, so if you are looking for an ITSM tool, this edition will certainly draw your attention. It includes all of the Help Desk systems that you will need for your Service Desk, including a self-service portal for users where they can access password reset services, a knowledgebase, and a ticket raising service. At the backend, the ticketing system provides automated team management and task tracking functions.

The Help Desk ticketing system isn’t just useful for user support because you can use it to allocate tasks to staff for any project. If you only need software to run a Help Desk you can get just those functions in a lower plan of SysAid – which is called Help Desk.

The ITSM plan also includes an ITIL package. This group of tools gives you templates to ease request, change, and problem management. Much of the interaction that your Service Desk has with other departments in the business get formalized, so you can better plan your budget and staff allocations without unexpected side negotiations and arm-twisting from panic-driven departmental heads. A Workflow Designer lets you create your own workflows and integrate them into your project planning and task management systems.

There is one more plan level available from SysAid, which is above the ITSM edition. This is called ITSM+ and it adds in BI analytics. Those tools let you analyze resource usage and improve your ability to squeeze value out of your budget.

The top plan gives you a Business Value Dashboard. This adds onto the insights offered by BI analysis and includes AI processes that recommend actions that you can take to improve performance.

Get SysAid as a SaaS package or download the software to run on Windows Server or Linux. You can get either of the SysAid planss on a 30-day free trial.

  • Provides team management functions as well as asset management

  • Offers integration with JIRA, Microsoft Teams, and Google Apps

  • Full ITIL implementation

  • The structure offered by this system can be bypassed

12. InvGate Service Desk

InvGate Service Desk is an ITIL-compliant ITSM suite that is available on the Cloud or as on-premises software. The software can be installed on Windows and Mac OS. The ITIL guidance that went into the development of InvGate Service Desk covers Service Strategy, Service Design, Service Transition, and Service Operation. These guidelines produced the system’s incident management, problem management, change management, and request fulfillment software.

  • On-premises software or cloud service
  • ITIL-compliant
  • SLA tracking

This tool introduces a great deal of automation into your IT service delivery tasks. The most visible part of the system is its Help Desk ticketing system. Access to the Help Desk is channeled through a knowledge base that fields straightforward problems. InvGate also includes SLA goal monitoring and analytical tools to aid in Continuous Service Improvement.

You can get a 30-day free trial of InvGate Service Desk.

  • On-premise and cloud-based deployment available

  • Focuses heavily on automation to improve TTR, and aid MSPs in scaling

  • SLA goal monitoring works well out of the box

  • Interface is simple, yet effective

  • No mobile app

  • Integrations into other platforms are limited

  • Reporting features are limited

13. Kaseya BMS

Kaseya offers a range of tools that are very useful for MSPs, including Kaseya VSA, which provides remote monitoring and management. Kaseya BMS supports all IT support functions for business and includes professional services automation, which is also very interesting for MSPs.

  • Designed for MSPs
  • Cloud-based
  • Knowledge base creator

This isn’t just an MSP tool, though, the BMS utility contains many functions that IT support departments will need. These include the Service Desk module, which is the core of Kaseya BMS. The Service Desk provides Help Desk functions and also includes a knowledge base platform. Other features of the tool are asset management and request fulfillment automation.

There is a 14-day free trial offer available for Kaseya BMS.

  • Has BMS and ITSM features built-in

  • Focuses heavily on automation to help MSPs scale

  • Builtin help desk works well out of the box without many changes needed

  • Trial could be longer

  • Interface could use improvement

  • More integration supported would be a welcomed addition

14. Vivantio ITSM

Vivantio is a SaaS package that implements ITSM functions with four plan levels. The package has a multi-tenanted architecture, so it is suitable for all types of businesses of all sizes. The difference between the four plans is difficult to discern because they all offer much the same functions, only in increasing amounts of detail and at greater volumes in higher plans.

  • SaaS platform
  • ITSM features in every plan
  • SLA tracking

The four plans are called Value, Vital, Velocity, and Visionary. They all offer CRM, ticket management, and SLA tracking. With the higher plans, you get more project management and performance analysis functions. All plans include a brandable self-service portal that service providers can offer to their customers.

A Vivantio account is easy to set up and does not require a deposit. You can access a free trial to assess the Vivantio platform.

  • SLA management

  • Ticketing in all plans

  • Brandable self-service portal for customers

  • Difficult to work out the right plan level for you

Selecting an ITSM software suite

ITSM should take care of all of your IT operations. However, you may not want to tie all of your overall IT resource management to ITIL processes. The choice is up to you and your own IT service delivery strategy. If you are introducing ITIL processes into your entire IT organization, then choosing an ITSM software suite to support that goal is the only sensible option.

Do you use an ITSM tool? Would you recommend the system that you operate to others? Are you following ITIL? Leave a message in the Comments section below and share your technical experience with the community.

  • Service Strategy contains five processes that include service portfolio management and demand and capacity management.
  • Service Design contains 11 processes including risk management, service level management, and compliance.
  • Service Transition contains five processes including project management and service asset and configuration management.
  • Service Operation contains three processes, including problem management.
  • Continual Service Improvement contains two processes: IT service report and process evaluation.