An IT organization ill-equipped to cope with complexity
Until 2025, services were still tracked via e-mail and Excel files, whether for inventory, requests, incidents or server management.
In addition to the increased workload for the team, the rudimentary organization posed real challenges. “In terms of IT security, it was becoming impossible to guarantee sufficient compliance levels with Excel and e-mails. Without a CMDB we were unable to have a reliable view of the installed base, and technical decisions were made more complicated. The constraints set down by Dataport, the public IT service provider, made certain operations impossible, such as network scanning. In addition, day-to-day incidents and requests were handled using a variety of methods that didn’t allow for analysis, prioritization or continuous improvement,” Timo Korb recalls.
Statistikamt Nord needed a structuring tool that was capable of centralizing information, standardizing practices and supporting the skills development of a team that had never used an ITSM solution before.
Key support and a tailored solution
After analyzing the market, the organization opted for iTop, Combodo’s open source ITSM solution, integrated by ITOMIG. “It was an obvious choice for two major reasons: a flexible tool, capable of adapting to a complex public context, and a strong need for consultancy.”
The team lacked visibility on ITSM processes and on how to structure its organization. Even before the installation began, a dedicated training session helped clarify their needs: “ITOMIG guided us in identifying the relevant modules, configuring the CMDB, setting up the first automations and continuously adapting the solution as the project progressed. We knew what we wanted, but after the training, we understood what we really needed.”
The project, launched in February 2025, was completed on schedule at the end of June. “The rollout was carried out step by step: a complete overhaul of the inventory to build a reliable CMDB, the definition of services, the structuring of the catalogue and the preparation of the ticketing system. A missing feature was even included in the next iTop release, a strong sign of the quality of the collaboration.”
Today, iTop serves as the foundation as they gradually structure their ITIL processes. The IT team uses it to centralize information, maintain a consistent inventory and better organize its day-to-day work.
Results, internal takeup and future outlook
The tool was very well received by the IT team. At present, ten of the department’s staff use it day-to-day: “They appreciate the clarity of the CMDB, the ease of access to information and iTop’s functional logic,” the CIO is pleased to report.
The next step is to make iTop available to all the staff. The user portal is due to be rolled out soon, whereby everyone can enter their requests directly into the system: a major change for Statistikamt Nord, which will move from e-mail-based management to a structured, visible process at last.
The organization is planning to use iTop to address other needs in future. The goal is to make iTop the core IT tool, capable of feeding into or supporting other internal processes.
