Cherwell Service Management End-of-Life (EOL): What does it mean for your ITSM strategy?
Category
Service Management
Uncategorized
When Ivanti acquired Cherwell in 2021, many would have predicted that Cherwell Service Management would either be absorbed into Ivanti’s ServiceManagement platform or that it would go the way of the dinosaur. Just two years later, Ivanti announced that Cherwell would be going End of Life (EOL)completely on the 31st of December 2026.
For Cherwell customers, now is the time to evaluate your options. The transition from one IT Service Management (ITSM) or Enterprise Service Management (ESM) platform to another presents both a challenge and an opportunity – one that could lead to a more AI-augmented workforce, better service productivity, and a better experience for end-users.
Why is Cherwell going end-of-life?
In Ivanti’s announcement of Cherwell, they stated; “Ivanti is acquiring Cherwell to expand the reach of its Neurons platform, providing end-to-end service and asset management from IT to lines of business and from every endpoint to the IoT edge. Ivanti will continue to maintain and invest in both Cherwell and Ivanti service management platforms while working to converge the best aspects of each.”
While not much has been said about the reasons behind the CherwellEOL decision, we can deduce that the acquisition and subsequent EOL of Cherwell was to bolster customers and users of Ivanti Neurons and Ivanti ServiceManagement. Additionally, support for both Ivanti Neurons and Cherwell will have seen the Ivanti development team stretched thin, and this end-of-life will free up resources to further develop Ivanti’s core product line.
Cherwell customers posting on the Ivanti community portal have speculated similarly:
When will Cherwell go end-of-life?
The official end-of-life date for Cherwell Service Management is December 31, 2026.
While this date being a decent distance away may give a false sense of security, it is worth noting that the timeline for end-of-life sees the technical support of some versions of Cherwell ending much sooner - details below.
Timeline for Cherwell's end-of-life
Ivanti is phasing out support for older versions of Cherwell leading up to the product end of life, with versions 2023.3 through to 2024.1.1 ending their technical support in 2025, and only the two latest versions retaining technical support into 2026.
Please see below for key dates from the Cherwell ServiceManagement version matrix:
Should you upgrade to a new version of Cherwell or migrate to a new ITSM?
Current Cherwell customers may see this timeline and think that upgrading to a newer version of Cherwell can kick the eventual migration to a new ITSM down the road and buy them time. While this seems like a good idea at first, going down this route is a temporary solution and will force you to invest time and resources that could otherwise be spent migrating to a new ITSM platform.
What the EOL means for Cherwell customers?
If your business is still using Cherwell, here’s what you need to consider the impact of not migrating:
1. Increasing cybersecurity risks
Without ongoing security updates, Cherwell will become more vulnerable to cyber threats, data breaches, and compliance risks.
2. Performance and compatibility issues
As operating systems, browsers, and integrations are updated, Cherwell may become incompatible and prone to performance issues.
3. Limited vendor support
As older versions of Cherwell reach their end-of-support date, the support provided by Ivanti is not guaranteed. On-premise instances that are still running after December 2026 will be increasingly more difficult to find support for, and you may find yourself on your own.
4. This is a great opportunity to modernise
While the EOL is likely to cause some migration-related stress, it’s a great push to find a modern, capable ITSM that can elevate your service management and augment your service agents with AI and automation.
What to consider when selecting a new ITSM to replace Cherwell
So you need to migrate off Cherwell sooner or later (preferably sooner). Choosing a new ITSM solution to replace Cherwell should be a thoughtfully considered decision. Here are some of the factors to consider when looking for a new ITSM:
1. Scalability and Future-Proofing
The big priority is ensuring you don’t end up in this situation again! Your next ITSM should be a modern solution that has a long life ahead of it. It should also be scalable across your business, not just limited to ITSM, but applicable as a comprehensive Enterprise Service Management platform.
2. AI and Automation Capabilities
You should be using this opportunity to pick a new ITSM that is AI-native, leveraging generative and agentic AI across all facets of the platform, alongside workflow automation, to reduce manual tasks and free up your service agents for higher value work. Look for a platform that includes AI virtual agents, and AI copilot to augment your service agents, and AI actions like intelligent ticket routing, classification, retrieval augmented generation and AI-generated knowledge articles.
3. Ease of Migration
If you’ve been a long-time Cherwell customer, chances are that you’ll have a wide breadth of data to migrate. Look for ITSM platforms that have a solid migration plan, and experience in migrating customers from legacy to modern ITSM,
4. Configurability and Flexibility
You shouldn’t have to fit your unique processes and requirements into an inflexible ITSM. And you shouldn’t have to (over)pay for custom development wok that breaks every time you update a version. Look for an ITSM that is highly flexible and configurable – allowing you to tailor it to the way you deliver service, in a cost and time-effective manner. Also, keep an eye out for workflow orchestration and integrations with your other business applications.
5. Cost and Total Cost of Ownership (TCO)
Beyond the initial licensing fees, consider the long-term costs associated with maintenance, upgrades, and operational efficiencies. A cost-effective ITSM should deliver a lower TCO while maximising ROI. Consider what kind of productivity savings can be gained form AI and workflow automation capabilities.
6. Security and Compliance
With increasing cybersecurity threats and regulatory requirements, look for an ITSM that prioritises security. Ensure the platform complies with industry standards such as ISO 27001, GDPR, and SOC 2.
7. User Experience and Adoption
An intuitive and user-friendly interface can significantly impact adoption rates and productivity. Look for an ITSM solution with a modern UI and low-code/no-code capabilities.
Why Servicely should be your Cherwell Service Management Replacement
Cherwell customers looking to migrate off the platform before it goes EOL should look at Servicely. Servicely is an infinitely flexible, AI-driven enterprise service management platform that can deliver the power and configurability that customers looking for a Cherwell replacement need. Here are just a few reasons why Servicely is the right pick:
1. Migration made easy, with rapid deployment
Migrating from Cherwell to a new ITSM can feel overwhelming, but Servicely simplifies the process. Our team have experience migrating customer’s from a range of ITSM platforms, including Cherwell, and can ensure a smooth transition. Additionally, Servicely is rapid to deploy, and we can get you up and running in weeks, not months.
2. AI at the core of the platform
Born in the era of AI, Servicely has structured the platform around it’s AI capabilities, instead of just bolting on AI. Generative and Agentic AI capabilities in present across of aspects of the platform as we look to augment the very human experience of your service agents with the power of AI and automation.
3. Completely configurable to the way your team works
Servicely is built to be infinitely flexible and capable of being configured to match the way you deliver service and get work done. From meeting any unique ITSM requirements, connecting external applications, building specific workflow automations and even creating your own purpose-built applications on the platform. Configurability across the entire platform and low-code/no-code capabilities mean you don’t need to hire expensive developer resources to customise the platform to your needs.
4. Simple pricing and lower Total Cost of Ownership (TCO)
Servicely delivers a much lower TCO when stacked up against other ITSM tools. Delivering enterprise service management functionality for an ITSM price point, and enabling you to realise productivity gains across your business that continue to deliver ROI.
5. An easy-to-use, modern, intuitive UI
It shouldn’t be a chore to navigate and use your ITSM. Servicely has prioritised ease of use, with an intuitive design that makes delivering service a breeze.
6. A Seamless migration process'
Servicely provides Cherwell customers a seamless migration process that minimises downtime and ensures that you're not taking a step backwards when it comes to capabilities. The Servicely team has a wealth of migration experience with Cherwell users, as well as a range of service management platforms. For customers who have built their own custom applications in Cherwell, these can easily be migrated into newly configured applications with Servicely's no-code/low-code platform artchitecture.
How to plan your migration off Cherwell
Migrating to a new ITSM platform requires careful planning to ensure success. Here’s how to make the transition as smooth as possible:
Step 1: Assess your current ITSM configuration
Start by evaluating your existing Cherwell setup, including workflows, integrations, and dependencies. Identify which features and processes you need to retain and which areas require improvement.
Step 2: Define your ITSM goals
Set clear objectives for your new ITSM solution. Are you looking to improve service desk productivity, leverage AI, enhance automation, or reduce operational costs? Defining these goals will help you select the right features and configurations.
Step 3: Plan your migration
Work with your chosen provider to create a structured transition plan. This includes data migration, user training, and phased implementation to minimise downtime.
Step 4: Train your team to ensure a smooth transition
Ensure that your IT staff and end-users are familiar with your new ITSM platform’s functionality and any changes from your Cherwell implementation. Providing proper training will help drive adoption and productivity from day one.
Step 5: Continuous improvement
Once you’re up and running on a new ITSM, ensure your constantly look for opportunities to improve your service delivery. Can you automate any labour-intensive tasks? How can you use AI to augment your service agents’ expertise? What processes can you update to cut out bottlenecks? Regularly review performance metrics and make improvements to drive efficiency and user satisfaction.
Don't wait until its too late, start your migration off Cherwell today
With Cherwell’s end of life fast approaching, now is the time to act. Delaying your migration could leave your IT team struggling with unsupported software, security risks, and rising costs. Instead of merely replacing Cherwell with another legacy tool, take this opportunity to upgrade to a future-ready ITSM platform with Servicely.
Servicely empower enterprise service teams with an infinitely-flexible, AI-powered platform that elevates service delivery and augments human expertise.
Click here to book a demo of Servicely.
Service Management
Uncategorized
When Ivanti acquired Cherwell in 2021, many would have predicted that Cherwell Service Management would either be absorbed into Ivanti’s ServiceManagement platform or that it would go the way of the dinosaur. Just two years later, Ivanti announced that Cherwell would be going End of Life (EOL)completely on the 31st of December 2026.
For Cherwell customers, now is the time to evaluate your options. The transition from one IT Service Management (ITSM) or Enterprise Service Management (ESM) platform to another presents both a challenge and an opportunity – one that could lead to a more AI-augmented workforce, better service productivity, and a better experience for end-users.
Why is Cherwell going end-of-life?
In Ivanti’s announcement of Cherwell, they stated; “Ivanti is acquiring Cherwell to expand the reach of its Neurons platform, providing end-to-end service and asset management from IT to lines of business and from every endpoint to the IoT edge. Ivanti will continue to maintain and invest in both Cherwell and Ivanti service management platforms while working to converge the best aspects of each.”
While not much has been said about the reasons behind the CherwellEOL decision, we can deduce that the acquisition and subsequent EOL of Cherwell was to bolster customers and users of Ivanti Neurons and Ivanti ServiceManagement. Additionally, support for both Ivanti Neurons and Cherwell will have seen the Ivanti development team stretched thin, and this end-of-life will free up resources to further develop Ivanti’s core product line.
Cherwell customers posting on the Ivanti community portal have speculated similarly:
When will Cherwell go end-of-life?
The official end-of-life date for Cherwell Service Management is December 31, 2026.
While this date being a decent distance away may give a false sense of security, it is worth noting that the timeline for end-of-life sees the technical support of some versions of Cherwell ending much sooner - details below.
Timeline for Cherwell's end-of-life
Ivanti is phasing out support for older versions of Cherwell leading up to the product end of life, with versions 2023.3 through to 2024.1.1 ending their technical support in 2025, and only the two latest versions retaining technical support into 2026.
Please see below for key dates from the Cherwell ServiceManagement version matrix:
Should you upgrade to a new version of Cherwell or migrate to a new ITSM?
Current Cherwell customers may see this timeline and think that upgrading to a newer version of Cherwell can kick the eventual migration to a new ITSM down the road and buy them time. While this seems like a good idea at first, going down this route is a temporary solution and will force you to invest time and resources that could otherwise be spent migrating to a new ITSM platform.
What the EOL means for Cherwell customers?
If your business is still using Cherwell, here’s what you need to consider the impact of not migrating:
1. Increasing cybersecurity risks
Without ongoing security updates, Cherwell will become more vulnerable to cyber threats, data breaches, and compliance risks.
2. Performance and compatibility issues
As operating systems, browsers, and integrations are updated, Cherwell may become incompatible and prone to performance issues.
3. Limited vendor support
As older versions of Cherwell reach their end-of-support date, the support provided by Ivanti is not guaranteed. On-premise instances that are still running after December 2026 will be increasingly more difficult to find support for, and you may find yourself on your own.
4. This is a great opportunity to modernise
While the EOL is likely to cause some migration-related stress, it’s a great push to find a modern, capable ITSM that can elevate your service management and augment your service agents with AI and automation.
What to consider when selecting a new ITSM to replace Cherwell
So you need to migrate off Cherwell sooner or later (preferably sooner). Choosing a new ITSM solution to replace Cherwell should be a thoughtfully considered decision. Here are some of the factors to consider when looking for a new ITSM:
1. Scalability and Future-Proofing
The big priority is ensuring you don’t end up in this situation again! Your next ITSM should be a modern solution that has a long life ahead of it. It should also be scalable across your business, not just limited to ITSM, but applicable as a comprehensive Enterprise Service Management platform.
2. AI and Automation Capabilities
You should be using this opportunity to pick a new ITSM that is AI-native, leveraging generative and agentic AI across all facets of the platform, alongside workflow automation, to reduce manual tasks and free up your service agents for higher value work. Look for a platform that includes AI virtual agents, and AI copilot to augment your service agents, and AI actions like intelligent ticket routing, classification, retrieval augmented generation and AI-generated knowledge articles.
3. Ease of Migration
If you’ve been a long-time Cherwell customer, chances are that you’ll have a wide breadth of data to migrate. Look for ITSM platforms that have a solid migration plan, and experience in migrating customers from legacy to modern ITSM,
4. Configurability and Flexibility
You shouldn’t have to fit your unique processes and requirements into an inflexible ITSM. And you shouldn’t have to (over)pay for custom development wok that breaks every time you update a version. Look for an ITSM that is highly flexible and configurable – allowing you to tailor it to the way you deliver service, in a cost and time-effective manner. Also, keep an eye out for workflow orchestration and integrations with your other business applications.
5. Cost and Total Cost of Ownership (TCO)
Beyond the initial licensing fees, consider the long-term costs associated with maintenance, upgrades, and operational efficiencies. A cost-effective ITSM should deliver a lower TCO while maximising ROI. Consider what kind of productivity savings can be gained form AI and workflow automation capabilities.
6. Security and Compliance
With increasing cybersecurity threats and regulatory requirements, look for an ITSM that prioritises security. Ensure the platform complies with industry standards such as ISO 27001, GDPR, and SOC 2.
7. User Experience and Adoption
An intuitive and user-friendly interface can significantly impact adoption rates and productivity. Look for an ITSM solution with a modern UI and low-code/no-code capabilities.
Why Servicely should be your Cherwell Service Management Replacement
Cherwell customers looking to migrate off the platform before it goes EOL should look at Servicely. Servicely is an infinitely flexible, AI-driven enterprise service management platform that can deliver the power and configurability that customers looking for a Cherwell replacement need. Here are just a few reasons why Servicely is the right pick:
1. Migration made easy, with rapid deployment
Migrating from Cherwell to a new ITSM can feel overwhelming, but Servicely simplifies the process. Our team have experience migrating customer’s from a range of ITSM platforms, including Cherwell, and can ensure a smooth transition. Additionally, Servicely is rapid to deploy, and we can get you up and running in weeks, not months.
2. AI at the core of the platform
Born in the era of AI, Servicely has structured the platform around it’s AI capabilities, instead of just bolting on AI. Generative and Agentic AI capabilities in present across of aspects of the platform as we look to augment the very human experience of your service agents with the power of AI and automation.
3. Completely configurable to the way your team works
Servicely is built to be infinitely flexible and capable of being configured to match the way you deliver service and get work done. From meeting any unique ITSM requirements, connecting external applications, building specific workflow automations and even creating your own purpose-built applications on the platform. Configurability across the entire platform and low-code/no-code capabilities mean you don’t need to hire expensive developer resources to customise the platform to your needs.
4. Simple pricing and lower Total Cost of Ownership (TCO)
Servicely delivers a much lower TCO when stacked up against other ITSM tools. Delivering enterprise service management functionality for an ITSM price point, and enabling you to realise productivity gains across your business that continue to deliver ROI.
5. An easy-to-use, modern, intuitive UI
It shouldn’t be a chore to navigate and use your ITSM. Servicely has prioritised ease of use, with an intuitive design that makes delivering service a breeze.
6. A Seamless migration process'
Servicely provides Cherwell customers a seamless migration process that minimises downtime and ensures that you're not taking a step backwards when it comes to capabilities. The Servicely team has a wealth of migration experience with Cherwell users, as well as a range of service management platforms. For customers who have built their own custom applications in Cherwell, these can easily be migrated into newly configured applications with Servicely's no-code/low-code platform artchitecture.
How to plan your migration off Cherwell
Migrating to a new ITSM platform requires careful planning to ensure success. Here’s how to make the transition as smooth as possible:
Step 1: Assess your current ITSM configuration
Start by evaluating your existing Cherwell setup, including workflows, integrations, and dependencies. Identify which features and processes you need to retain and which areas require improvement.
Step 2: Define your ITSM goals
Set clear objectives for your new ITSM solution. Are you looking to improve service desk productivity, leverage AI, enhance automation, or reduce operational costs? Defining these goals will help you select the right features and configurations.
Step 3: Plan your migration
Work with your chosen provider to create a structured transition plan. This includes data migration, user training, and phased implementation to minimise downtime.
Step 4: Train your team to ensure a smooth transition
Ensure that your IT staff and end-users are familiar with your new ITSM platform’s functionality and any changes from your Cherwell implementation. Providing proper training will help drive adoption and productivity from day one.
Step 5: Continuous improvement
Once you’re up and running on a new ITSM, ensure your constantly look for opportunities to improve your service delivery. Can you automate any labour-intensive tasks? How can you use AI to augment your service agents’ expertise? What processes can you update to cut out bottlenecks? Regularly review performance metrics and make improvements to drive efficiency and user satisfaction.
Don't wait until its too late, start your migration off Cherwell today
With Cherwell’s end of life fast approaching, now is the time to act. Delaying your migration could leave your IT team struggling with unsupported software, security risks, and rising costs. Instead of merely replacing Cherwell with another legacy tool, take this opportunity to upgrade to a future-ready ITSM platform with Servicely.
Servicely empower enterprise service teams with an infinitely-flexible, AI-powered platform that elevates service delivery and augments human expertise.
Click here to book a demo of Servicely.
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