ServiceNow ITAM Implementation

ServiceNow ITAM developments: SAM Pro, Microsoft licensing & discovery

Michiel Houdijk
Michiel Houdijk

ServiceNow has implemented a series of updates that are directly relevant to ITAM teams: limited AI support within SAM Pro, further enhancements to Microsoft licensing, and a shifting discovery strategy as Intune gains ground over SCCM. The toolset is evolving, but only organizations that consciously adapt their configuration, data quality, and processes will truly benefit from it.

These are not abstract roadmap items. They are concrete changes in how ServiceNow SAM Pro functions, how Microsoft license positions are recorded, and how asset data is collected. For ITAM teams facing audits, contract negotiations, or a SAM overhaul, now is the time to assess whether the current setup still aligns with their needs.

3 ServiceNow developments you need to consider as an ITAM professional

The three developments highlighted in this article each affect a different aspect of ITAM practice:

  • Now Assist in SAM Pro offers initial AI support, but its scope is limited and it is only available for specific license levels. Knowing what you can and cannot expect prevents disappointment and missed opportunities.

  • Microsoft licensing in ServiceNow has been further expanded, with improved support for M365 subscriptions, From SA rights, and SQL Server. This is relevant for any organization managing Microsoft license positions in preparation for an audit or contract renewal.

  • The shift from SCCM to Intune has a direct impact on the quality of asset data. Those who do not actively address this will only notice it when it is too late.

Below is a detailed explanation for each topic.

Now Assist within SAM Pro: initial, limited AI support

In recent releases, ServiceNow has introduced Now Assist within SAM Pro as a first step toward AI support for Software Asset Management. This functionality is, however, not available to all SAM Pro customers, but only to those with specific, higher-tier SAM Pro licenses and add-ons (such as Plus and Enterprise).

ServiceNow positions Now Assist within SAM Pro primarily as a tool to provide insight and context, not as a replacement for existing SAM processes. The current functionality is therefore limited in scope.

Within the SAM Workspace, ServiceNow highlights, among other things:

  • summary overviews per publisher that bundle compliance, usage, and optimization alerts;

  • additional explanations for license calculations to provide better insight into how compliance results are derived;

  • identification of potential reclamation candidates based on available usage data.

The emphasis here is on making existing SAM outcomes explainable. In practice, this is an initial functional addition, the added value of which depends heavily on data quality, configuration, and the license level used. Autonomous optimization or decision-making is not currently part of this.

Deepening Microsoft licensing knowledge: essential in a hybrid subscription model

In parallel with these AI developments, ServiceNow has taken significant steps to further support Microsoft licensing, a key focus for many ITAM organizations.

Recent improvements focus on, among other things:

  • more comprehensive modelling of Microsoft 365 subscriptions and add-ons, including From SA rights;

  • better support for usage-based optimization, such as identifying overlap between E3 and E5, Teams, and security add-ons;

  • further refinement of SQL Server licensing, including per-core models and high-availability scenarios.

For organizations that work with a mix of subscriptions, add-ons, and historical entitlements, these improvements help capture Microsoft license positions more consistently and with greater transparency, particularly for audits and contract negotiations.

The evolving role of SCCM and Intune: impact on discovery in ITAM

In the area of endpoint management, there is no formal phase-out of SCCM (Configuration Manager), but there is a clear strategic shift. Microsoft positions Intune as the platform for new innovations, while Configuration Manager focuses on stability, security, and maintenance.

In practice, we see that:

  • more and more organizations are migrating endpoint workloads from SCCM to Intune, often via co-management;

  • traditional SCCM data streams for ITAM and SAM are losing importance or gradually disappearing;

  • while Intune does provide endpoint data, it is not a complete discovery solution for ITAM purposes.

As a result, more and more organizations are choosing the ServiceNow Agent Client Collector (ACC) as a supplementary or replacement source for asset data. ACC offers:

  • consistent and ServiceNow-controlled data collection;

  • better alignment with SAM Pro and HAM processes;

  • a future-proof solution within modern, cloud-oriented workplace environments.

This development shows that reliable asset data is no longer an automatic byproduct of endpoint management, but a deliberate design choice within ITAM.