Page 8 - FCW, June/July 2021

CONTRACT LEADERSHIP
laptops, the servers, the infrastructure items: They’re all in a single repository that we can trust,” Manna said.
This, in turn, supports key functionality such as event management and network monitoring. “ServiceNow can aggregate information coming from network monitoring tools and make sense of it via event management,” Manna said. “With that, IT can figure out the underlying root cause of a problem. They’ll also know what services are being threatened by a potential event on the network.”
ServiceNow also delivers a change management capability, which is key to ensuring smooth operations. “If we’re going to bring servers up or down on the weekend, if we’re going to upgrade or move a data center, the IT service management tools handle that workflow,” Manna said.
point. With critical definitions and configurations established within the ServiceNow platform, “all the pre- work is already done,” McCurnin said.
“Buying the equipment is part of that workflow: Here’s everything that is needed, it’s already predetermined and it automatically gets over to the contracting officer’s hands so that they can basically push a button and just buy it,” she said.
Expanding ServiceNow
For federal agencies looking to expand their existing ServiceNow implementations, CDW·G has a GSA schedule in place to support those efforts. “We can help buyers to acquire the services and the products that they need to actually implement the ServiceNow capabilities and solutions,” McCurnin said.
“Through the use of our GSA
Next steps
While many agencies have partial ServiceNow implementations in place, few have taken full advantage of the automation and workflow- improvement tools available through the platform.
“For most organizations ServiceNow is a 10-year journey,” Manna said. “They are constantly building more, turning on new tools every six months, adding more automation and more functionality. As an enterprise workload platform, ServiceNow just grows within the organization.”
Agencies looking to get more out of ServiceNow can take steps today to pivot toward an expanded implementation.
“They should have a roadmap that includes people, processes and technology, and we can help them with all three,” Manna said. “We can help create a plan for how they’re going to expand utilization of ServiceNow every 12, 18, or
24 months. We also offer process alignment workshops and IT best practices.”
When an organization wants to do more with ServiceNow, CDW·G can help to realize that vision. In doing so, agencies can mature their use
of the ServiceNow platform while also maturing their IT processes overall. This, in turn, leads to greater flexibility and enhanced efficiencies across complex and ever-changing government workflows.
“This is all about getting the right device to the person ready to use in compliance with the agency security posture, and doing that in the shortest amount of time.”
Taken together, “all these capabilities actually make things work faster, better, cheaper,” said Sheryl McCurnin, senior manager of federal programs at CDW·G.
Speeding acquisitions
One of the most common stumbling blocks to federal responsiveness is the acquisitions process. When agencies needed to deploy thousands of devices during the pandemic, for example, many found their efforts stymied by the complex processes required to configure and purchase those devices.
Automated workflows help to resolve this common sticking
—Jack Nichols, CTO for Federal-Civilian at CDW·G
schedule, we have not only the ability to provide the assets, but also the services to make this integration and these efficiencies happen,” Nichols said. “This is all about getting the right device to the person ready to use in compliance with the agency security posture, and doing that in the shortest amount of time.”
CDW·G enables agencies to secure needed software and services from a single trusted source. “We have the contract vehicle to not only purchase these assets, but to do it in the most efficient manner,” Nichols said. “For the agencies, you’re saving them time, money, and effort.”
Visit www.cdwg.com/federal to learn more about CDW·G, our capabilities and contracts. Contact us at 800.808.4239 to orchestrate a
secure solution customized to your agency’s needs.