Jira, DevOps and ServiceNow Integration for Leading Mortgage Service Provider

Quote

“We were looking to Optimize our ServiceNow Ticket Management (IT QA Testing tickets) and AzureDevOps for Projects Testing lifecycle and Getint provided both plugins through Atlassian Marketplace and is a cloud tool that fits well for our needs. Support team was quick to respond and aligned well to address any issues with tool.” - Ramesh Rondla

‍

Client Overview

A major mortgage servicing company based in New Jersey, overseeing a portfolio valued at approximately $700 billion. The company provides essential loan servicing solutions for financial institutions, ensuring seamless loan management and regulatory compliance. Their IT and business teams rely on multiple platforms, including Jira Cloud, Azure DevOps, and ServiceNow, to handle their workflow efficiently.

Key Stakeholders

• Ramesh Rondla – Test Architect 

Integration Objective

The company faced challenges with internal task tracking and needed a solution that could streamline the process. Traditionally, IT and business teams reached out via email, making it difficult to manage workflow efficiently. The goal of the integration was to:

• Automate issue creation in Jira based on tickets raised in ServiceNow.
• Synchronize Azure DevOps projects with Jira to enhance agile project tracking.
• Improve cross-team collaboration through a centralized task management system.
• Ensure real-time updates and notifications to stakeholders across platforms.

By implementing Getint’s integration, the company aimed to enhance operational efficiency, improve ticket resolution, and create a scalable solution that could be adopted by multiple teams over time.

Why Getint Stood Out

Prior to engaging with Getint, the company had been using Exalate for Jira and DevOps integration. However, Exalate’s reliance on a multi-node setup and custom scripts resulted in inconsistent data flow and maintenance issues. The key factors that made Getint the preferred choice included:

• Single-installation approach: Unlike Exalate, which required multiple nodes for different platforms, Getint offered a consolidated integration in a single setup.
• No-code UI-based integration: Eliminating the need for complex scripting, making it easier to configure and maintain.
• Scalability: A solution designed to grow with the company as more teams adopted Jira.
• Dedicated support: Personalized assistance, ensuring quick resolution of any technical issues.

Data Integration Specifics

To facilitate the integration, specific issue types, field mappings, and workflow customizations were implemented.

Issue Types

• Jira and Azure DevOps integrated with clearly defined mappings:
  
  • Epic in Jira aligned with Epic in Azure DevOps.
  • Story in Jira mapped to User Story in Azure DevOps.
  • Task, Bug, and Defect maintained consistent mappings across platforms.

• ServiceNow integration allowed:
  
  • Request for QA in Jira to map with Catalog Task and Requested Item in ServiceNow.

Field Mapping

Getint’s Auto-mapping ensured precise synchronization across all platforms:

• Title (Summary): Mapped directly between Jira and Azure DevOps, maintaining uniformity.
• Components, Description, and Sprint: Updated bi-directionally to reflect accurate project status.
• ServiceNow mappings included specific details such as Request Number, Reporter, and Descriptions, ensuring stakeholders had access to comprehensive ticket information.

Scripting and Custom Development Support

• Getint minimized the need for scripting, offering a UI-based solution for most integration tasks.
• For advanced customization, scripting options were available but rarely needed.
• This approach simplified long-term maintenance and made the system more resilient to personnel changes.

Success Metrics

The success of the integration was measured by:

• Scalability: The system’s ability to handle increasing adoption across teams.
• Efficiency Gains: Reduction in manual effort for ticket creation and workflow management.
• Data Accuracy: Real-time synchronization between platforms, eliminating discrepancies.
• Ease of Maintenance: A UI-based approach reducing reliance on scripting.
• User Adoption: Improved usability, making it easier for non-technical teams to leverage the integration.

Vendor Selection Process

The company initially explored multiple solutions, including Exalate. However, they experienced major issues with Exalate’s setup, particularly:

• The need for separate installations for Jira, DevOps, and ServiceNow.
• Inconsistent data flow and high maintenance costs due to reliance on scripts.
• Fragmented support requiring multiple points of contact.

Getint’s ability to offer a single vendor, single installation, and intuitive UI ultimately led to its selection.

Conclusion

The adoption of Getint’s integration allowed the company to automate ticketing, enhance visibility across departments, and improve workflow efficiency. With real-time data synchronization and scalable architecture, Getint provided a future-proof solution that streamlined IT and business operations. The integration also reduced reliance on custom scripts, making the system more sustainable in the long run.

FAQ

What is the purpose of integrating Jira, Azure DevOps, and ServiceNow?

The integration streamlines task management, project tracking, and IT service workflows by enabling seamless communication between development, IT, and business teams. It ensures real-time data synchronization, reduces manual effort, and improves visibility across platforms.

How does the integration handle real-time updates across platforms?

Real-time synchronization ensures that changes made in one platform (e.g., updating a task’s status in Jira) are automatically reflected in the corresponding task in Azure DevOps or ServiceNow. This reduces delays and enhances collaboration.

How does field mapping work in such integrations?

Field mapping ensures data consistency by aligning equivalent fields across platforms. For example:

• Title (Summary) in Jira maps to Title in Azure DevOps.
• Request Number in ServiceNow maps to a unique identifier in Jira. 

Field mappings can be customized based on organizational needs.

Is it possible to customize workflows across the platforms?

Yes, workflows can be customized to meet specific business needs. For instance:

• In ServiceNow, a ticket raised by a customer can trigger a Jira issue and Azure DevOps task.
• Custom rules and filters can define which tickets or tasks are synchronized.

Why did the client choose Getint over Exalate?

Getint stood out due to:

• A single-installation setup for all platforms, compared to Exalate’s multi-node dependency.
• A no-code interface that reduced scripting requirements.
• Reliable data flow and reduced maintenance complexity.
• Consolidated support from a single vendor.

What impact did the integration have on the client's operations?

The integration automated task creation, improved cross-platform visibility, enhanced workflow efficiency, and reduced manual workload. It also streamlined communication, enabling real-time updates for stakeholders.