diff --git a/.gitlab/ci/dev-fixtures.gitlab-ci.yml b/.gitlab/ci/dev-fixtures.gitlab-ci.yml
index 4141cc7f071..c19dce7e4a9 100644
--- a/.gitlab/ci/dev-fixtures.gitlab-ci.yml
+++ b/.gitlab/ci/dev-fixtures.gitlab-ci.yml
@@ -8,9 +8,9 @@
   needs: ["setup-test-env"]
   variables:
     FIXTURE_PATH: "db/fixtures/development"
-    SEED_CYCLE_ANALYTICS: "true"
+    SEED_VSA: "true"
     SEED_PRODUCTIVITY_ANALYTICS: "true"
-    CYCLE_ANALYTICS_ISSUE_COUNT: 1
+    VSA_ISSUE_COUNT: 1
     SIZE: 0  # number of external projects to fork, requires network connection
     # SEED_NESTED_GROUPS: "false" # requires network connection
 
diff --git a/app/mailers/emails/service_desk.rb b/app/mailers/emails/service_desk.rb
index fa646487819..4dceff5b7ba 100644
--- a/app/mailers/emails/service_desk.rb
+++ b/app/mailers/emails/service_desk.rb
@@ -47,7 +47,7 @@ module Emails
     def service_desk_options(email_sender, email_type)
       {
         from: email_sender,
-        to: @issue.service_desk_reply_to
+        to: @issue.external_author
       }.tap do |options|
         next unless template_body = template_content(email_type)
 
diff --git a/app/models/issue.rb b/app/models/issue.rb
index 14eed4bd607..d6dba8bb9e5 100644
--- a/app/models/issue.rb
+++ b/app/models/issue.rb
@@ -90,6 +90,8 @@ class Issue < ApplicationRecord
   alias_attribute :parent_ids, :project_id
   alias_method :issuing_parent, :project
 
+  alias_attribute :external_author, :service_desk_reply_to
+
   scope :in_projects, ->(project_ids) { where(project_id: project_ids) }
   scope :not_in_projects, ->(project_ids) { where.not(project_id: project_ids) }
 
diff --git a/app/services/notification_service.rb b/app/services/notification_service.rb
index 85113d3ca22..b45923a5742 100644
--- a/app/services/notification_service.rb
+++ b/app/services/notification_service.rb
@@ -353,7 +353,7 @@ class NotificationService
     issue = note.noteable
     support_bot = User.support_bot
 
-    return unless issue.service_desk_reply_to.present?
+    return unless issue.external_author.present?
     return unless issue.project.service_desk_enabled?
     return if note.author == support_bot
     return unless issue.subscribed?(support_bot, issue.project)
diff --git a/changelogs/unreleased/225281-add-external_author-alias-for-service_desk_reply_to.yml b/changelogs/unreleased/225281-add-external_author-alias-for-service_desk_reply_to.yml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..87bdb16be30
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changelogs/unreleased/225281-add-external_author-alias-for-service_desk_reply_to.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+---
+title: Add `external_author` alias to `service_desk_reply_to`
+merge_request: 48363
+author: Lee Tickett
+type: other
diff --git a/changelogs/unreleased/288823-rename-cycle_analytics_-variable-for-ci-with-vsa_.yml b/changelogs/unreleased/288823-rename-cycle_analytics_-variable-for-ci-with-vsa_.yml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..b4732f6e84c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changelogs/unreleased/288823-rename-cycle_analytics_-variable-for-ci-with-vsa_.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+---
+title: Rename "CYCLE_ANALYTICS_*" variables for CI with "VSA_*"
+merge_request: 48675
+author: Takuya Noguchi
+type: other
diff --git a/db/fixtures/development/17_cycle_analytics.rb b/db/fixtures/development/17_cycle_analytics.rb
index 57993061c58..826e703a443 100644
--- a/db/fixtures/development/17_cycle_analytics.rb
+++ b/db/fixtures/development/17_cycle_analytics.rb
@@ -7,21 +7,21 @@ require './spec/support/helpers/test_env'
 #
 # Simple invocation always creates a new project:
 #
-# FILTER=cycle_analytics SEED_CYCLE_ANALYTICS=1 bundle exec rake db:seed_fu
+# FILTER=cycle_analytics SEED_VSA=1 bundle exec rake db:seed_fu
 #
 # Create more issues/MRs:
 #
-# CYCLE_ANALYTICS_ISSUE_COUNT=100 FILTER=cycle_analytics SEED_CYCLE_ANALYTICS=1 bundle exec rake db:seed_fu
+# VSA_ISSUE_COUNT=100 FILTER=cycle_analytics SEED_VSA=1 bundle exec rake db:seed_fu
 #
 # Run for an existing project
 #
-# CYCLE_ANALYTICS_SEED_PROJECT_ID=10 FILTER=cycle_analytics SEED_CYCLE_ANALYTICS=1 bundle exec rake db:seed_fu
+# VSA_SEED_PROJECT_ID=10 FILTER=cycle_analytics SEED_VSA=1 bundle exec rake db:seed_fu
 
 class Gitlab::Seeder::CycleAnalytics
   attr_reader :project, :issues, :merge_requests, :developers
 
-  FLAG = 'SEED_CYCLE_ANALYTICS'
-  PERF_TEST = 'CYCLE_ANALYTICS_PERF_TEST'
+  FLAG = 'SEED_VSA'
+  PERF_TEST = 'VSA_PERF_TEST'
 
   ISSUE_STAGE_MAX_DURATION_IN_HOURS = 72
   PLAN_STAGE_MAX_DURATION_IN_HOURS = 48
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ class Gitlab::Seeder::CycleAnalytics
 
   def initialize(project: nil, perf: false)
     @project = project || create_new_vsm_project
-    @issue_count = perf ? 1000 : ENV.fetch('CYCLE_ANALYTICS_ISSUE_COUNT', 5).to_i
+    @issue_count = perf ? 1000 : ENV.fetch('VSA_ISSUE_COUNT', 5).to_i
     @issues = []
     @merge_requests = []
     @developers = []
@@ -195,7 +195,7 @@ class Gitlab::Seeder::CycleAnalytics
 end
 
 Gitlab::Seeder.quiet do
-  project_id = ENV['CYCLE_ANALYTICS_SEED_PROJECT_ID']
+  project_id = ENV['VSA_SEED_PROJECT_ID']
   project = Project.find(project_id) if project_id
 
   seeder = Gitlab::Seeder::CycleAnalytics.seeder_based_on_env(project)
diff --git a/lib/gitlab/email/handler/service_desk_handler.rb b/lib/gitlab/email/handler/service_desk_handler.rb
index bcd8b98a06f..6c229291f39 100644
--- a/lib/gitlab/email/handler/service_desk_handler.rb
+++ b/lib/gitlab/email/handler/service_desk_handler.rb
@@ -78,7 +78,7 @@ module Gitlab
             title: issue_title,
             description: message_including_template,
             confidential: true,
-            service_desk_reply_to: from_address
+            external_author: from_address
           ).execute
 
           raise InvalidIssueError unless @issue.persisted?
diff --git a/lib/gitlab/import_export/project/import_export.yml b/lib/gitlab/import_export/project/import_export.yml
index 8c094603d53..80044d239de 100644
--- a/lib/gitlab/import_export/project/import_export.yml
+++ b/lib/gitlab/import_export/project/import_export.yml
@@ -220,6 +220,7 @@ excluded_attributes:
     - :duplicated_to_id
     - :promoted_to_epic_id
     - :blocking_issues_count
+    - :service_desk_reply_to
   merge_request:
     - :milestone_id
     - :sprint_id
diff --git a/spec/fixtures/lib/gitlab/import_export/designs/project.json b/spec/fixtures/lib/gitlab/import_export/designs/project.json
index e11b10a1d4c..1d51a726c4c 100644
--- a/spec/fixtures/lib/gitlab/import_export/designs/project.json
+++ b/spec/fixtures/lib/gitlab/import_export/designs/project.json
@@ -61,7 +61,7 @@
          "lock_version":0,
          "time_estimate":0,
          "relative_position":1073742323,
-         "service_desk_reply_to":null,
+         "external_author":null,
          "last_edited_at":null,
          "last_edited_by_id":null,
          "discussion_locked":null,
@@ -244,7 +244,7 @@
          "lock_version":0,
          "time_estimate":0,
          "relative_position":1073742823,
-         "service_desk_reply_to":null,
+         "external_author":null,
          "last_edited_at":null,
          "last_edited_by_id":null,
          "discussion_locked":null,
diff --git a/spec/lib/gitlab/email/handler/service_desk_handler_spec.rb b/spec/lib/gitlab/email/handler/service_desk_handler_spec.rb
index 2ebfb054a96..32b451f8329 100644
--- a/spec/lib/gitlab/email/handler/service_desk_handler_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/lib/gitlab/email/handler/service_desk_handler_spec.rb
@@ -254,7 +254,7 @@ RSpec.describe Gitlab::Email::Handler::ServiceDeskHandler do
 
         new_issue = Issue.last
 
-        expect(new_issue.service_desk_reply_to).to eq('finn@adventuretime.ooo')
+        expect(new_issue.external_author).to eq('finn@adventuretime.ooo')
       end
     end
 
diff --git a/spec/lib/gitlab/import_export/safe_model_attributes.yml b/spec/lib/gitlab/import_export/safe_model_attributes.yml
index 194e261c601..443a1ddd214 100644
--- a/spec/lib/gitlab/import_export/safe_model_attributes.yml
+++ b/spec/lib/gitlab/import_export/safe_model_attributes.yml
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ Issue:
 - weight
 - time_estimate
 - relative_position
-- service_desk_reply_to
+- external_author
 - last_edited_at
 - last_edited_by_id
 - discussion_locked
diff --git a/spec/mailers/notify_spec.rb b/spec/mailers/notify_spec.rb
index 3cc5f202b1f..382f29e1bed 100644
--- a/spec/mailers/notify_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/mailers/notify_spec.rb
@@ -1284,7 +1284,7 @@ RSpec.describe Notify do
 
     context 'for service desk issues' do
       before do
-        issue.update!(service_desk_reply_to: 'service.desk@example.com')
+        issue.update!(external_author: 'service.desk@example.com')
       end
 
       def expect_sender(username)
diff --git a/spec/services/notification_service_spec.rb b/spec/services/notification_service_spec.rb
index f9a89c6281e..34a95c0505d 100644
--- a/spec/services/notification_service_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/services/notification_service_spec.rb
@@ -353,7 +353,7 @@ RSpec.describe NotificationService, :mailer do
 
         context 'a service-desk issue' do
           before do
-            issue.update!(service_desk_reply_to: 'service.desk@example.com')
+            issue.update!(external_author: 'service.desk@example.com')
             project.update!(service_desk_enabled: true)
           end