Migration from ServiceNow to BMC Helix

In the era of continuous technological change and the development of newer and better software, the tools we rely on play a pivotal role in our productivity and success. The process of switching from advantages from Jira to Helix will be covered in this blog article, along with the capabilities and features of both platforms.

Jira and BMC Helix IT Service Management provide customer service solutions to help deliver a positive user experience.

Jira-Service Management has long been a preferred tool for many businesses in project management and problem tracking. Atlassian created it and has established itself as a flexible Agile project management and service management/ticketing platform.

• Jira supports teams in managing the software delivery lifecycle regardless of their selected agile framework.
• Jira provides unmatched feature sets from the backlog to the board, making it simple for teams to manage all their software development projects in a single application.
• Jira templates that have already been configured make it simple for teams of all sizes to jump right into their next project.

BMC Helix is a complete cloud product for cognitive service management. It has strong cognitive capabilities, including intelligent chatbots and predictive ability, and can be deployed on any cloud you choose.

• BMC Helix provides SaaS solutions built to enable data intelligence, action, and orchestration for the modern enterprise.
• Faster, more accurate, and more efficient methods of delivering service innovations are made possible by automated, AI-driven service management (AISM) capabilities.
• Detection of anomalies in real-time, isolation of the fundamental cause, and remediation.

Why Businesses Migrate from Jira to BMC Helix?

Both Jira and Helix have a wide variety of pre-built workflows that provide a set of actions, conditions, and transformations that can cover any case, from the simplest to the most complex. However, there comes a point where project complexity outpaces its capacity, necessitating a hunt for a more durable solution. Here comes BMC Helix, a feature-rich cloud service management tool. Each company requires more robust traceability for regulatory compliance and to solve quality issues.

1. Scalability:
   • BMC Helix is stable and scalable, with good capabilities for analytics. Cloud Services can quickly scale resources up or down based on demand. The scalability considerations for BMC Helix include Cloud Scalability, Service Offerings like ITSM, and Integration capabilities to connect with other systems.
   • Jira is also available in both cloud and self-hosted server versions. Scalability considerations for this are Cloud Version, which offers automatic scaling and resource management; Server Version, where if you plan to host the software on your infrastructure, you need to take the scalability responsibility; and Data Centre Version, where a self-hosted option is available.
   • When comparing the scalability of BMC Helix and Jira, one should consider Deployment Choice, Licensing Cost, Customization, and Workload.
2. Convenience: Jira is comparatively a more accessible tool, but users require training to get comfortable with it. The functionality may seem harsh to the new users, but with hands-on experience, it gets better. BMC Helix also delivers a similar user experience. The tool is highly customizable, and using BMC Helix ITSM is comparatively more straightforward.
3. Pricing: Jira has many pricing tiers based on the service type and user count. For instance, if you choose the cloud, there are four pricing tiers available:
   • Free
   • Premium
   • Standard
   • Enterprise

Prices for products are not listed on the BMC Helix ITSM website. Instead, you can submit a pricing request by identifying yourself, your business, and your needs. The sales department of BMC will get in touch. You can also call them directly and speak with sales.

Helix has many features to manage requirements, testing, and issues. End-to-end traceability is easy because of the strong linking and reporting capabilities. Helix ALM’s flexibility makes it simple to configure for your team’s unique process.

On the other hand, Jira has the concept of links, but its linking capabilities could be more robust and lack traceability capabilities.

Steps for a Seamless Migration from Jira to BMC Helix

It isn’t easy to transition from Jira to Helix (formerly Perforce Helix), which entails moving your project management and issue-tracking routines. The migration from Jira to BMC Helix involves these steps:

1. Planning and Analysis: Plan and review your current JIRA system, paying close attention to tasks, settings, feedback groups, default areas, and user privileges. Choose the Helix module depending on your needs and requirements, such as your operating system and applications.
2. Data Transfer: Export user data, attachments, and JIRA information. JIRA has built-in exports. The data must be exported in a manner consistent with Helix’s requirements. This may require custom programming or external migration tools.
3. Helix Setup: Install and configure Helix based on your project requirements, including custom workflows and issue types.
4. Implementation Guidelines: Employees must be trained in Helix to troubleshoot, navigate projects, and effectively implement new workflows.
5. Importing Data: We need to ensure that Helix receives correct and accurate data sent by JIRA. It provides its API or tools for this.
6. Integration of Other Tools: This should ensure that Helix communicates seamlessly with all other tools or systems you use in conjunction with Jira (such as version control or continuous integration).
7. Testing: These changes should not affect the operation of ongoing projects. This can be improved by in-depth testing. Testing includes business processes, authorizations, and data consistency.
8. Resources: Planning the movement of the Helix will help minimize disruption. Start with a small team or project before implementing changes organization-wide.
9. User Training: Since the team uses Helix for their ongoing projects, they must ensure that all have adequate support and training.
10. Data Hygiene: For data to be handled and organized correctly in Helix after a transformation, the data must be clean and organized.
11. Inspection and Correction: Monitor your Helix configuration and adjust it to meet your changing requirements. This allows you to change settings, permissions, and workflows.
12. Documentation: Create a description of your new Helix configuration, including workflows, user instructions, and customized settings.

Integrate BMC Helix with Jira

Integrating Jira with BMC Helix can streamline IT operations and promote collaboration and efficiency. By linking the two systems, organizations can achieve end-to-end visibility, automate workflows, and ensure data consistency, thereby optimizing resources and compliance. This integration also empowers organizations to align development with broader business goals.

According to BMC Documentation, administrators can integrate BMC Helix ITSM with Atlassian Jira Software using Helix Multi-Cloud Broker to consolidate and broker tickets between the two systems. To do this, they can utilize BMC Helix iPaaS, powered by Jitterbit, or BMC Helix Integration Service as the integration platform.