Migration from Jira to SimpleOne ITSM: The AERODISK Experience

AERODISK, a developer and manufacturer of data storage systems and virtualization solutions, has successfully migrated from Jira to a solution from the vendor SimpleOne. This move was made to ensure continued, uninterrupted operations even after the previous international vendor departed from the market.

The SimpleOne solution has completely replaced their legacy ITSM system, becoming the single point of contact for all of AERODISK's external customer support. The seamless migration project was expertly handled by the integrator team from Media-tel LLC (Devoteam Group) and completed in just four months.

About AERODISK

AERODISK is a forward-thinking developer of solutions in the data storage and virtualization space. Their product lineup includes the AERODISK ENGINE and AERODISK Vostok storage systems, as well as the AERODISK vAIR hyper-converged system. 

Project Background

AERODISK provides its clients with sophisticated solutions for information security, critical infrastructure, and data storage. To manage their external customer support (Customer Service Management - CSM) effectively, the company had been using the Jira system.

However, several factors prompted them to start looking for an alternative and plan a migration away from Jira:

• The departure of Jira from the local market, which meant no more updates and no more technical support from the vendor;
• The old system was lacking key automation features, for example, in contract management.
• No straightforward options for integration with Bitrix24 and a Telegram bot.

Choosing the Right Alternative to Jira

When searching for a new solution to automate their service processes, the AERODISK team had a clear checklist:

• The ability to migrate seamlessly from their old system;
• Functionality that was on par with Jira, including management of problems, incidents, changes, events, configurations, service levels, service catalogs, knowledge, and service requests;
• The availability of low-code and no-code tools to customize their service processes as their business needs evolved;
• A solution with a strong market presence to minimize the risk of another vendor departure;
• A modern, user-friendly interface with a customer portal that could be customized to match their company's branding;
• The capability to integrate with Bitrix24 and a Telegram bot;
• Scalability, meaning it could easily handle new users as the company continued to grow and sign new contracts.

The SimpleOne ITSM system ticked all of AERODISK's boxes. After a demonstration of its capabilities, the client made their choice in favor of the vendor's solution.

The Transition Process to SimpleOne ITSM

To get the migration from Jira to SimpleOne ITSM done quickly, the project work started even before the contract was formally signed. The original plan was to set up the infrastructure, install the solution, and then begin the design phase.

But to speed things up, the vendor offered a clever alternative: they gave the AERODISK team temporary access to a SimpleOne setup in their own cloud. This smart move allowed the design work to happen at the same time as the solution was being installed on the company's infrastructure, saving valuable time.

The implementation was rolled out in several clear stages:

• Stage 1 — May 2023: The contract was signed, requirements were detailed, a prototype of the solution was developed, and the platform was deployed in the client's infrastructure.
• Stage 2 — June 2023: The team refined the configured processes and forms, debugged the solution, and set up the integrations with Bitrix24, followed by testing.
• Stage 3 — August 2023: Successful go-live of the system and customer support portal.

Throughout each stage, AERODISK's staff received training on the new ITSM system. Thanks to this smooth onboarding, the company's own specialists are now fully equipped to operate and continue customizing the system on their own.

The project was initially planned for four months, but it was completed ahead of schedule. By reducing the time needed for approvals, using rapid prototyping, and adjusting requirements on the fly, the team got things done faster. After just three months, at the beginning of August 2023, the new ITSM system was successfully up and running.

The Results of the Project

By migrating seamlessly to the SimpleOne ITSM system, AERODISK was able to solve all the challenges they had set out to address.

• A fully customized user portal. The portal's design now perfectly matches AERODISK's brand book. Elements for authorization, registration forms, request processing, and marketing department surveys were configured, along with links to the client's resources and a responsive layout for mobile devices.
• Different levels of customer service. The system now supports three distinct service levels: Gold, Silver, and Bronze. Each level has its own specific communication channels, well-defined contract management processes, and more.
• An out-of-the-box solution that's easy to customize. Thanks to the solution's flexible architecture, the system can be continuously updated and adapted to meet new business challenges as they arise.
• Better control over warranty timelines. The system now automatically sends out advance notifications to clients and partners when their contracts are about to expire — a feature that was impossible before.

• Integration with existing systems. The solution now connects with AERODISK's other existing systems, like Active Directory, Bitrix24, and their email service. Setting up a Telegram chatbot has also allowed the company to respond to incoming client requests more promptly.

Future Plans for the System

After the successful launch of SimpleOne, the AERODISK team plans to continue scaling the solution and build an even deeper integration with Bitrix24. The integrator, Media-tel LLC (Devoteam Group), is on standby to provide support whenever it's needed.