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ContentsEditorial If you need help Announcements Physics Computing Desktop Computing
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When the Computing Helpdesk Acknowledges your Problem...Nicole Crémel , IT/User Support AbstractThis is a description of the different kinds of notification messages sent back from the Computing Helpdesk, as set-up in the Problem Report Management System (PRMS) that they use. This article provides also an explanation why the messages are not all the same for the time being. When you send a request to the Computing Helpdesk
( Currently the format of the
notification message is not always the same, and
depends on the "domain" where the problem had been assigned by the
Helpdesk. Some of the messages are "reply-able" (it is possible to do
a simple The Helpdesk is using a "Problem Report Management System" (PRMS) in order to treat requests in a "professional" way: all requests are recorded in a database, no request must be lost, an answer or a ticket must be sent back to the user within a delay of 2 hours, and all requests need a solution to be closed. The PRMS also provides many statistical information (e.g. time delay, or time spent on all interventions) which were absolutely needed since the Helpdesk and many lines of support have been outsourced. A commercial tool is used provided by the company Remedy Corp. For the time being here are, basically, the different kind of messages you may receive from the Helpdesk:
From helpdesk@cern.ch Tue Apr 11 14:47:47 2000 Date: Tue, 11 Apr 2000 14:47:05 +0200 (MET DST) From: Computing Helpdesk <helpdesk@cern.ch> To: Michel.Dupond@cern.ch Subject: US9846 Received - Problem with mail Message : Your query was received and assigned to User Support staff. You may follow the status of your current problem (in fifteen minutes from the time you receive this mail), at the Web location: http://cern.ch/consult/problem/9846 Please do not forget to use your ticket number "US9846" in further communications. In addition you might find useful to search in the User Support "Questions&Answers" Database (http://cern.ch/consult/qas) for possible answers to your query. Best Regards +------------------------------------------------------------------+ CERN Computing Help Desk tel : +41.22.76.78888 IT Division (http://wwwinfo.cern.ch) fax : +41.22.76.78630 European Organization for Nuclear Research 1211 Geneve 23 - Switzerland email : helpdesk@cern.ch +------------------------------------------------------------------+ User Subject..: Problem with mail User Statement: ...
Date: Thu, 17 Aug 2000 16:10:49 +0200 (MET DST) From: ar admin <ARSystem@sunar01.cern.ch> To: Michel.Dupond@cern.ch Subject: ... Your report has been entered into the IT Problem Report Management System with the ID: CT0000000033990. For details see the url: http://consult.cern.ch/problem/ct/CT0000000033990 Arrival Time : 08/17/00 16:10:47 Short Description : ...
Date: Thu, 18 May 2000 15:52:00 +0200 (MET DST) From: EDMS.Support@cern.ch Subject: Request REGISTERED for Help with problem in EDMS (No. 25187) Apparently-To: <Michel.Dupond@cern.ch> Your request has been REGISTERED. Request No : 25187 Request type : Help with problem Application : EDMS Request status : New Summary : ... Details : ... You will be informed about the work performed for your request by e-mail or alternatively on the web at http://aisremedy.cern.ch/ars/cgi-bin/RequestEDMS?25187 The answer to many of your questions may be found on the new AIS web site at: http://ais.cern.ch ! Please take the time for a quick tour of the site and return your comments to us at: ais.webmaster@cern.ch. We value your feedback! This mail was automatically generated by the AIS Request Management System. However, to facilitate the "follow-up" of any request (whatever domain they belong to), the User Support group has provided a "common" Web interface which can be used to check the status and eventually look at the solution when it has been provided. This interface is available at URL: http://consult.cern.ch/problem/ US, CT,
or AIS ) and click on "View Problem".
With the ticket number it is also possible to access directly
the problem description and status, depending on the
domain:
N.B. In the future (with a better design of the tool currently used at the Helpdesk) all the notification messages will become "reply-able" (i.e. giving the possibility to the user to do a simple reply, to the appropriate person, with his mail agent). Also, some standardisation across the different domains will be made. It is already foreseen that at least cases 1 and 2 will be merged, probably during the autumn, in a unique and completely re-designed system (CPRMS, CERN Problem Report Management System), and that the notification messages will be standardized. About the author(s): Nicole Crémel is working in the User Support group and, with Roger Woolnough, is responsible for the supervision of operations of the Computing Helpdesk. |