E Pluribus Unum: The Value of a Single System of Record for IT

[MichaelDortch]

Something about my travels to England and Amsterdam this week are inspiring historically influenced thoughts…

If the cloud is a Magna Carta for the enterprise, then e pluribus unum is arguably a rallying cry for enterprise IT decision makers and workers.

E pluribus unum is Latin, and is typically translated into English as "out of many, one." It is one of three Latin phrases found on the Seal of the United States adopted by Congress in 1782, and was considered the de facto motto of the United States until "In God We Trust" was officially adopted in 1956.

What's all of this got to do with IT in the enterprise? It's all about the need for and value of a single, consolidated, accurate, and timely version of the truth, best enabled by a single system of record.

In the Japanese movie masterpiece "Rashomon," several characters offer vastly different versions of the same incident. Confusion ensues, and resolution forces viewers to reconsider their own interpretations of each character's take on the incident.

Resolution of IT-related problems often follows a similar arc. Especially in enterprises where multiple, disjoint, and often incompatible tools are used to manage IT infrastructures. This situation often makes the resolution of IT problems and the discovery of their root causes challenging, time-consuming, and resource-draining — and sometimes, impossible.

This is why consolidation and achievement of a single version of the truth are primary elements of the ServiceNow value proposition.

At companies such as Recreational Equipment, Inc. (REI), ServiceNow replaces multiple IT service management (ITSM) tools and tool versions, replacing opacity and inconsistency with transparency and visibility into what's really going on. And at companies such as Agropur, the ServiceNow Configuration Management Database (CMDB) provides a firm foundation for consolidation and modernization of multiple outdated applications. And resolving multiple ITSM inputs into that single version of the truth.

In company after company, ServiceNow is enabling and accelerating IT transformation by enabling IT leaders and their teams to consolidate multiple resources and information sources into a single, clear, complete view of their IT infrastructures. This single benefit often sets the stage for follow-on improvements within and far beyond IT, extending the value of ServiceNow investments while enhancing IT's contributions to business success. And improving IT's perception by those who rely upon it and approve its budget.

Read through some ServiceNow customer success stories, starting with those mentioned above. Then learn more about how consolidation and a single system of record can enable immediate and lasting business benefits at almost any enterprise, including your own. If you do, the odds are good that out of the many purported solutions out there, you'll choose one — ServiceNow.