To Host or Not to Host - that is the Question.
Losing control - no one likes this.
As such, it may be tempting to default to a self-hosting architecture. This is especially true if you are from a heavily audited and regulated industry.
It is worth doing due diligence before deciding, as it will have substantial implications.
Join me as we touch on the ups and downs of PaaS versus self-hosting ServiceNow.
The benefits of Platform as a Service
First, let's consider what is offered by having an instance hosted by ServiceNow.
- The total cost of ownership drops significantly.
- There is a decreased cost for human resources, as you are not tasked with deploying, maintaining, and managing an infrastructure and application stack. Additionally, you gain leverage through Now Support by utilizing the support services you will be entitled to to its full extent.
- The deployment will be much faster as it is a standardized operation by ServiceNow that is being executed and honed day-to-day.
- As ServiceNow hosts the platform, there is no additional cost for hardware.
- You gain access to the newest features and updates as soon as they are available through new major releases or patches.
- You will experience an increased return on investment as you can dedicate resources to the services that define and make your organization a market competitor while utilizing the support, hosting, application, etc., benefits available through your standard license.
What is a platform as a service (PaaS)? - ServiceNow
Decide if Self-Hosting is for Your Organization
Above are some of the critical questions you should be able to comfortably answer before deciding on going for a self-hosting architecture.
While ServiceNow offers an on-premises or self-hosted installation of the Now Platform, it is first and foremost designed to be a cloud service. Therefore, choosing to go for self-hosting will only allow you to reap some of the main benefits of ServiceNow's services, which is due consideration.
A Note on Artificial Intelligence and Integrated Services
Some of the capabilities and features of ServiceNow that rely on integrations with other platforms will only be limited and available through self-hosting. They will at least require you to build your connections. This does mean that you are playing catch-up with other ServiceNow customers when it comes to achieving the industry-disrupting features related to predictive intelligence and generative artificial intelligence, which ServiceNow heavily invests in.
Resources to Know When Making a Decision
- Advanced High Available Architecture (servicenow.com)
- ServiceNow Trust and Compliance Center - ServiceNow
- Services not available in ServiceNow Isolated Environments (Regulated Markets) - Support and Trouble...
- Self-hosted Incompatibility and Known Issues - Self-Hosted (servicenow.com)
- Planning Guide - Self-Hosted - Self-Hosted (servicenow.com)
- Find more on Home - Now Support (servicenow.com)
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