Plug-in Help the Helpdesk depreciated on Orlando release

[Patrick Oudshoo]

Hi all,

Right now, we are in the process of rolling out the Help the Helpdesk (HTHD) functionality. However, I found a notification in the community (as attached), stating the HTHD will no longer be supported from Orlando release onwards.

Key reason for us to start using the HTHD functionality is the fact that SCCM right now:
- ONLY gets updated when the device is on our own network and is able to connect to SCCM database, but we have many users working outside our company network but DO have a company laptop with SCCM installed
- SCCM only runs a hardware scan when the device is not busy running other processes. This sometimes leads to devices only refreshed once a month, since people turn off their device right after they are done with their work.
- During SCCM installation on a new device, as far as we know we are not able to force a hardware scan to push the info we require to be in ServiceNow regarding the device to SCCM.

My questions

- is this statement correct, will support on HTHD end with Orlando, does anybody know?
- is there a specific reason why it is no longer supported, a reason that is also valid enough for me to stop the current roll-out of HTHD functionality within my company?
- is SCCM able to fully replace HTHD and, if you look at the key reasons why we would use HTHD, like 'not being on the company network, being able to force a hardware scan'

Does anybody know?

Kind regards,

Patrick

[Jeff Currier · Accepted solution]

- is this statement correct, will support on HTHD end with Orlando, does anybody know?

Not exactly, HTHD is still supported in Orlando and Paris, you just cannot do new activations of the plugin.  So if you are using it prior to upgrading to Orlando then you can continue to use it after you upgrade and it will be supported on Orlando and Paris.  It will desupport with Quebec.

- is there a specific reason why it is no longer supported, a reason that is also valid enough for me to stop the current roll-out of HTHD functionality within my company?

I am not sure of the reason for this.  I believe there are other options, even with computers outside of your company, for the SCCM agent to report this information back to the SCCM management server.  Thus this is less necessary.  But that may not be the only reason.  I am not sure I would stop my roll out depending on how far along you are as you can still use it for another year.  And I suspect partners may create similar solution you could leverage in the future.

- is SCCM able to fully replace HTHD and, if you look at the key reasons why we would use HTHD, like 'not being on the company network, being able to force a hardware scan'

I believe SCCM can do much of what you need as long as the SCCM agent can connect ever now and then to the SCCM management server to report data back.  Then you only need the SCCM integration to get that information into the ServiceNow CMDB.  Some partners may create replacements for HTHD, but I think the SCCM integration will be the way most ServiceNow customer populate the CMDB in these cases previously leveraging HTHD.

[Patrick Oudshoo]

Thanks for your reply, very helpful!

[robertgeen]

Patrick,

The reason for them slowly sun setting it is that there are new things coming down the pipeline that will more then likely replace it. I haven't seen specifically from a road map perspective that calls out a replacement for it but some of the items they have called out for Orlando and Beyond will definitely give a potential solution for it. I don't foresee there being a problem rolling it out now and then whenever they replace it with something else you can see if it's a viable solution for your organization.

[doug_schulze]

Yes, as Mr Green said perfectly.. there's some great stuff coming soon that will make  HTHD script look like childs play...but man will I miss it.. Was our first "discovery" tool...