Streamlining IT Support with CTI: How ServiceDesk Plus Integrates with Avaya and Asterisk

When Legacy Telephony Blocks IT Efficiency

It was a typical Monday morning at a multinational financial services company. The IT helpdesk queue was surging with requests, but users calling the support line waited in frustration. Calls weren't linked to tickets, agents had to ask users to repeat details already logged, and missed calls were going untracked. The root issue? Their ServiceDesk Plus system was siloed from the enterprise Avaya phone system—costing time, losing data, and frustrating everyone involved.

Meanwhile, the IT team was piloting Asterisk in the cloud for after-hours support. It was lightweight, customizable, and integrated quickly with their ticketing system. But leadership wasn’t ready to abandon Avaya. The real question emerged: Could they unify their ServiceDesk Plus platform with both Avaya and Asterisk to gain the best of both worlds?

Enter CTI integration between ServiceDesk Plus and enterprise telephony systems—specifically Avaya and Asterisk—as a high-impact, low-risk strategy for modernizing IT support.

What is CTI, and Why Does It Matter for IT Helpdesks?

Computer Telephony Integration (CTI) is a technology that connects telephone systems with computer-based platforms like helpdesk, CRM, or service management tools. For IT departments using ServiceDesk Plus (by ManageEngine), CTI allows:

• Automatic ticket creation when calls are received

• Caller ID-based screen pop of user profiles

• One-click call from within ServiceDesk Plus

• Call recording and time tracking linked to tickets

• Real-time call monitoring and reporting

In a high-volume IT environment, CTI ensures that every user interaction is fast, efficient, and documented—reducing response times, improving user experience, and boosting agent productivity.

Part 1: Integrating ServiceDesk Plus with Avaya

Understanding Avaya's CTI Architecture

Avaya offers enterprise-grade telephony powered by Communication Manager (CM) and integrates with business tools via Application Enablement Services (AES). Through AES, it exposes APIs such as:

• TSAPI: For call control, routing, and monitoring

• JTAPI: Java-based version of TSAPI

• DMCC: For media control, recordings, and softphones

Using these, a middleware or custom connector can link ServiceDesk Plus to Avaya, enabling:

• Call alerts to trigger pop-ups in ServiceDesk Plus

• Automatic ticket logging with call details

• Mapping agent extensions to technician profiles

Real-World Example: Large Bank IT Desk

A bank with 10,000+ employees integrated ServiceDesk Plus with their Avaya system. When users called the helpdesk, their employee record auto-popped on the technician's screen. Tickets were created instantly and categorized based on the caller's department. Result: first-call resolution improved by 30%, and missed-call SLAs dropped by half.

Key Benefits:

• Better technician response through immediate user context

• Seamless call logging tied to service tickets

• Higher data quality for audits and reporting

Part 2: Integrating ServiceDesk Plus with Asterisk

Why Asterisk?

Asterisk is a powerful open-source PBX platform that supports full CTI integration via modern APIs:

• AMI (Asterisk Manager Interface) for call events and monitoring

• ARI (Asterisk REST Interface) for building call-control applications

• SIP and WebRTC support for flexibility in communication

Unlike Avaya, Asterisk is more developer-friendly and integrates easily with cloud tools and open APIs. It’s ideal for companies building custom workflows or extending ServiceDesk Plus in an agile way.

Integration Approaches:

• Use a connector or custom script that listens to Asterisk events (via AMI)

• On incoming calls, push caller ID and timestamp to ServiceDesk Plus’s API

• Create or update tickets in real-time, linked to the agent/technician

Real-World Example: Regional Healthcare Provider

A healthcare provider used Asterisk for its IT helpdesk and integrated it with ServiceDesk Plus via a Python middleware. Calls triggered real-time ticket creation and screen pop of patient system IDs. Their service desk saw a 25% faster average handling time and 20% fewer duplicate tickets.

Key Benefits:

• Cost-effective integration (no licensing fees)

• Rapid customization for unique workflows

• Agile response to new support needs (remote work, 24/7 service)

Hybrid Integration Strategy

Forward-thinking IT departments are now integrating both Avaya and Asterisk with ServiceDesk Plus:

• Avaya handles voice infrastructure for corporate HQs and compliance-heavy units

• Asterisk supports remote agents, pilot projects, or regional branches

• ServiceDesk Plus receives unified call data from both systems via a common middleware

This hybrid CTI model ensures business continuity, drives innovation, and protects prior investments.

Conclusion: From Reactive to Proactive IT Support

CTI integration between ServiceDesk Plus and Avaya or Asterisk is a strategic accelerator for IT helpdesks. It eliminates manual errors, reduces agent fatigue, and improves response times—all while giving leadership real-time visibility into support performance.

If your IT organization is:

• Struggling with slow ticket logging

• Suffering from disconnected user communication

• Looking to increase efficiency without ripping out existing systems

Then it’s time to consider integrating your phone system—whether Avaya, Asterisk, or both—with ServiceDesk Plus.

Integrate both with ServiceDesk Plus — without replacing your phone system.

Book your live demo with Sana Soft now and see how CTI transforms your service desk—instantly