ServiceNow eBonding: How to Connect Your Instances Without Stress

This article was written by Ugochukwu Ezenduka

Here is a common scenario in most inter-company collaborations: One company uses ServiceNow to handle external incidents, and the other uses ServiceNow for IT service management (ITSM).?

How do admins on both sides get both systems to bond and share data automatically?

The answer: ServiceNow eBonding.

But how does eBonding differ from standard integration?

Join me as I explore the meaning of eBonding in the ServiceNow context.?

Let’s go!

What is ServiceNow eBonding?

ServiceNow eBonding is the process of connecting the ServiceNow instances of two teams, companies, partners, or MSPs in order to get them to share data.

eBonding connects modules like Change, Problem, and Incident Task between instances with the help of automated scripts, web services, and REST APIs.?

When working with two ServiceNow instances, the IntegrationHub eBonding Spoke is the native solution. However, third-party solutions such as Exalate can assist with eBonding. I’ll discuss that in more detail later.

eBonding vs. Integration

People use eBonding and integration interchangeably. That’s understandable, considering they both involve connecting two separate instances or systems.

But eBonding and integration have several key differences.

While integration only focuses on getting two instances to interact, eBonding takes things further by ensuring a process and culture fit between the sides undergoing the sync.

Also, scalability is always a primary consideration when eBonding is used, especially when bonding two companies from disparate data cultures. Conversely, integration only focuses on correctly mapping the data going back and forth between the systems.?

eBonding is also more complex because both sides have to consider cultural differences, data management policies, security, data transformation, and timing. However, some integration scenarios only deal with the interaction between APIs.

Due to the intimacy and intricacy of eBonding, it is commonly used for collaborations between service providers and clients to ensure hand-in-glove compatibility. Standard integration doesn’t run that deep despite having broader applicability.

That said, eBonding and integration have several similarities.?

• They both involve connecting two systems to exchange data.
• They break down information silos on both sides.
• They improve collaboration between teams and organizations.
• They both improve the efficiency of workflows and processes.
• They reduce human error, data duplication, and other issues involved with manual exchange.

In essence, eBonding is a personalized and deeply customized version of standard system integration.

Use Cases for ServiceNow eBonding

Here are common scenarios for eBonding implementation:

Intra-company connection

When teams, departments, or subdivisions within the same organization want to connect ServiceNow instances, eBonding is the way to go.

For instance, the IT department wants to share information with the support staff in real time. They need an eBonding spoke or custom solution to automate the sync in real time.

Cross-company (inter-company) connection

Suppose Company A wants to outsource QA services to Company B. The only way to achieve this B2B integration without manual data transfer is to implement eBonding and promptly receive incident reports.

MSPs use ServiceNow eBonding solutions to reduce the headache of cross-company collaborations. Automotive company Wireless Car uses eBonding to connect with other brands.

Platform integration

Although the focus is on ServiceNow, eBonding makes it possible to connect with other platforms such as Zendesk, Jira Service Management, Salesforce, etc.

For instance, Nviso a cybersecurity MSSP uses deep-ticket eBonding to establish better communication channels with customers.?

The result was smoother issue handling, increased team productivity, and better customer experience.

One-sided integration

So far, I’ve discussed two-way eBonding scenarios. However, some companies prefer one-sided (one-way) connections.?

In this case, one side only sends or receives information, while the other side has no say in the exchange. This works well for providing updates about bug fixes and incident resolution statuses.?

Why is ServiceNow eBonding Important?

Here are reasons to explore eBonding ServiceNow instances for your team or organization:

• It increases the accuracy of data transfer by handling transformations and mapping the correct fields, modules, and entities across instances. This also eliminates human error.
• eBonding saves time by automating repetitive data exchanges and retrievals, freeing up time for staff to focus on other issues. This also increases process speed, efficiency, and productivity.
• eBonding makes it possible for businesses to scale their operations to meet new workload demands. Multiple partners and service providers can also come on board.
• eBonding done right tightens the security of your ServiceNow data and system infrastructure thanks to data encryption, audit trails, and regulatory compliance.
• It improves the quality and speed of decision-making processes by consolidating data from multiple sources.
• With eBonding, ServiceNow users can collaborate better within an environment of trust, transparency, and accountability.?

Key Considerations When Implementing eBonding

You need to tick off a few things on your checklist before committing to any eBonding solution. To make things easier, I’ve framed these considerations as questions:?

1. What should be synced and what should stay private?
2. Which integration pattern or solution should be used?
3. Does the eBonding platform support scripting or visual mapping?
4. What troubleshooting features are present?
5. Can I debug connections on my own?
6. Does the product support meet my expectations?
7. Is the system compliant with regulatory requirements?
8. What if something goes wrong?
9. Can the solution scale with the organization’s needs?
10. Will I be able to control who has access to the system?
11. How much will the eBonding solution implementation cost?
12. How will I monitor performance and track metrics?
13. Will my team members be able to configure and use the eBonding tool?

These are some questions you need to answer. Consider adding more questions to the checklist to get all stakeholders in lock-step.

How Exalate Handles eBonding

Exalate is a ServiceNow eBonding solution that supports the one-way and two-way connection between two instances.?

Companies can use Exalate’s different modes: Basic or Script.?

The Basic Mode supports simple eBonding scenarios for syncing standard fields and modules between two instances.

The Script Mode comes with a Groovy scripting engine, which allows users to write custom expressions and functions to control the sync.

Here are the best practices for using Exalate’s eBonding solution:

• Install Exalate on both instances.
• Decide the entities you want to map.
• Choose the configuration mode. Basic mode supports default mappings. Script mode involves some coding in Groovy language.
• For advanced connections, consult the AI assistant Aida or reach out to a support engineer.
• Add automated event triggers using the ServiceNow search syntax.
• Test the connected entities to see if the eBonding sync is working as expected.
• Finalize the changes.
• Let the eBonding begin!

Need help setting up eBonding between ServiceNow instances and other platforms? Book a demo with us.