The clock is ticking for Cherwell users. With Ivanti sunsetting support in 2026, IT leaders face a high-stakes choice: double down on Ivanti’s ecosystem with Neurons, or pivot to a modern, future-ready platform like Jira Service Management (JSM).
This article breaks down the trade-offs in cost, implementation, features, and scalability – so CIOs, IT directors, and DevOps leaders can make the smartest long-term call for their organizations.
Ivanti/Cherwell vs. Jira Service Management
Cherwell, acquired by Ivanti, has been officially placed on an end-of-life timeline. After 2026, customers will lose official support, updates, and security patches. Migrating to Ivanti Neurons, Ivanti’s modern ITSM solution, will require a reimplementation project—often costly and time-intensive. By contrast, Atlassian’s Jira Service Management (JSM) is continuously evolving, with a modern cloud-first roadmap, AI-powered automation, and seamless integration into Jira Software and Confluence. For organizations already using Atlassian tools, moving to JSM is not just a replacement but a strategic upgrade.
Pricing and Licensing
Ivanti Neurons (Cherwell successor): Pricing is opaque and typically requires custom quotes. Costs can escalate quickly with add-on modules for automation, AI, or non-IT workflows. Migration from Cherwell requires reimplementation, which adds both time and consulting costs.
Jira Service Management: Transparent pricing based on user tiers. Cloud Standard, Premium, and Enterprise plans provide flexibility depending on scale and requirements. For existing Atlassian customers, expanding JSM licenses is straightforward and cost-effective.
Example: Pricing for 300 Users
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Ivanti Neurons: Custom pricing, with implementation fees often exceeding six figures.
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JSM Premium: Published pricing makes budgeting predictable (approx. $13 per user/month, $46,800 annually).
When factoring in Total Cost of Ownership (TCO), JSM usually wins because of lower setup costs, reduced reliance on consultants, and faster time-to-value.
Differences in Platforms
1. Implementation & Ease of Use
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Ivanti/Cherwell: Historically complex. Customization often requires consultants and lengthy timelines. Migrating from Cherwell to Neurons is essentially starting over, with significant retraining for staff.
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JSM: Out-of-the-box ITSM templates allow rapid setup. Most organizations can roll out request portals, automation, and workflows within days or weeks instead of months. Native integrations with Jira Software and Confluence reduce complexity and eliminate the need for costly middleware.
Example: An IT team can spin up a self-service request portal in JSM in less than a week, whereas Ivanti customers typically require a consulting engagement to achieve the same outcome.
2. Cross-Functional Collaboration
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Ivanti/Cherwell: Primarily IT-focused. Extending to HR, Facilities, or Finance requires additional licensing and heavy customization.
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JSM: Built for Enterprise Service Management (ESM). Non-IT teams can adopt JSM without extra coding or external modules. This ability to scale service management beyond IT is a key differentiator for JSM.
Use cases:
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HR: Employee onboarding workflows and benefits requests.
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Facilities: Building access requests or maintenance tickets.
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Legal: Contract approval processes with built-in approvals and audit trails.
3. Scalability & Future-Proofing
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Ivanti/Cherwell: Cherwell will sunset in 2026. Migrating to Neurons is required but comes with high cost, downtime, and learning curves. Ivanti’s innovation pace is slower compared to cloud-native leaders.
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JSM: Future-proof with continuous updates, Atlassian Intelligence (AI-powered automation), and Rovo Agents (AI teammates). JSM scales easily across disciplines and geographies, supporting up to 35,000 users in Enterprise plans.
4. Managing Users and Permissions
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Ivanti/Cherwell: Supports role-based access, but permissions are rigid. Scaling across multiple sites and regions requires complex configuration.
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JSM: Enterprise-ready with centralized administration, sandbox testing environments, and audit logs for compliance. Features like release tracks and project archiving make it easy to manage large-scale environments without disruption.
5. Security and Compliance
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Ivanti/Cherwell: Meets baseline ITSM security requirements, but advanced compliance often requires customization.
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JSM: Enterprise-grade security out of the box, including:
- IP allowlisting (limit access to trusted IPs)
- BYOK encryption (control your encryption keys in AWS KMS)
- Data residency controls (choose where your data is hosted)
- Multiple identity providers (for large global enterprises)
For organizations in regulated industries (finance, healthcare, government), JSM’s robust security is a significant advantage.
Which Platform is Best for Your Organization?
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If you’re on Cherwell today: Remaining with Ivanti requires a mandatory migration to Neurons with high costs and uncertainty.
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If you’re evaluating alternatives: JSM provides a modern, scalable, and AI-powered platform with easier implementation and better ROI.
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For growing enterprises: JSM extends service management beyond IT, giving you one platform for IT, HR, Finance, Legal, and more.
When Should You Move Off Cherwell?
The 2026 end-of-support deadline is closer than it seems. Organizations should begin migration planning in 2025 to avoid last-minute risks. Recommended timeline:
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2025: Assess current Cherwell usage, evaluate JSM migration paths.
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2026: Complete migration before support ends.
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2027–2028: Optimize and scale JSM across the enterprise.
Waiting too long risks unsupported software, higher costs, and compliance exposure.
Speak with an Atlassian Partner to See If JSM Is Right for You
Partnering with an Atlassian expert streamlines migration from Cherwell/Ivanti, reduces risk, and ensures you get the most out of JSM’s capabilities. Whether you’re scaling IT operations, extending service management across the enterprise, or seeking cost-effective licensing, an Atlassian partner can guide your transition with best practices. Learn more about Atlassian Licensing Management and migration services to future-proof your ITSM strategy.
