inventory and helpdesk ticket system suggestions

[tlarkin]

OK

Our current inventory is kind of a mess and to be honest I don't have
time to really keep up with inventory like I should. However, Casper
has a nice built in inventory system which I would like to take
advantage of. However, I am not quite sure how to take advantage of it.

So, suggestions or experiences of people who are using the Casper
Inventory system in conjunction with like a web based help desk ticket
system? Like, where both the casper inventory and our inventory and the
help desk's inventory could all be synchronized? Or, is that just too
much to hope for? I like how you can export Casper Inventory to XML,
but can you import XML from another MySQL database?

I'd like to be able to track anything down through a web based inventory
system that pulls down machine name, asset tag, and user who last logged
and all user accounts that are synchronized with that machine, its last
known IP address and all that jazz. Then be able to share that
information with a centralized database or help desk system so other
people and departments can access it and we can track things way more
easily.

Is this a pipe dream?

Thanks,

Thomas Larkin
TIS Department
KCKPS USD500
tlarki at kckps.org
cell: 913-449-7589
office: 913-627-0351

[John_Wetter]

I haven't used this, but have looked at it:
http://www.volchok.com/

I'd love to hear more replies on this also. I guess as the inventory is all just in the Db, any Service Desk Software could access it and use it, but it's the coding to make that happen...

-John

[#3]

I spoke with the guy at Macworld for about 15 minutes. Seems like a small company so they could possible lead some integration effort if you wanted. I know they only provide a hosted solution right now.

Its ITIL based and it seemed to integrate with Casper pretty well.

[#4]

We use GLPI for software/hardware inventory, but have yet to look at
exporting/importing assests from JSS. Its freeware software and runs on My
SQL. There is ticketing software that is in tandem (also freeware) and
seems pretty robust.

[#5]

Inventory is easy to clean up even if you haven't been organized about it.

Smart groups are a fantastic tools and if your network is logically
segmented and you will have little problem organizing along building lines.

For finer control you would then need to segment those smart groups.

[tlarkin]

Still looking, and this Volchok company hosts everything online and
charges you a monthly fee for it? I am not quite sure how their
licensing works. However, it seems to be subscription based and I am
not sure if I like the idea of that. I almost would rather just take
care of it in-house instead.

To be honest, I just wish the JSS had a work order tick system built
into it, to make things easier....coughhint - hint*cough*

So, as of now we are managing inventory between buildings, transfers,
and things out for repair by a spread sheet, which is not efficient in
my mind at all.

I just want a web based ticket system to track everything, so for
example if machine 01234 is broken and goes out for repair, I just
create a work order ticket for 01234 and assign it to the repair center
for repair and issues spare 98877 to the user, and everything is all in
one trackable work order.

Anyone got any feedback on a solution that isn't subscription based? I
just could slap it on any old server and make a web front end, or better
yet just use a prebuilt web front int for it, and go?

Thanks for all the suggestions as well,

Thomas Larkin
TIS Department
KCKPS USD500
tlarki at kckps.org
cell: 913-449-7589
office: 913-627-0351

[#7]

http://glpi-project.org/?lang=en

This is the software I was referring to.

[tlarkin]

John

Downloading it now and was browsing through their webpage, but did not
see what platforms it will run on. I do have access to some older dual
core Xeon servers with a few gigs of RAM and no OS on them.

I assume since its published under the GNU/GPL license that it runs on
Linux, but have you ran it on any other platform?

Thanks,

Thomas Larkin
TIS Department
KCKPS USD500
tlarki at kckps.org
cell: 913-449-7589
office: 913-627-0351

[#9]

We have it running on our Casper server.
Dual g4 X serve.
It should run on anything with MySql

[#10]

We're using Cerberus Helpdesk from WebGroup Media. We're a revision, or so, behind, but it works great for us. It's all PHP/SQL (LAMP architecture). They have a demo site setup that you can play with.

-aa

Adam C. Acord
Director, Department of Information Systems
Watts Law Firm, L.L.P.

[dderusha]

5 years after this post was started........does anyone have any new developments? We use webspoc and its not pleasant. We are looking for a product that uses AD and can integrate with Casper. When A user fills out a support ticket, we want it to link information from the JSS about that workstation. This way the HD tech can click the link and access all the information about that workstation in the ticket. Suggestions? Thanks
Dan

[dgreening]

WebHelpDesk plays nice natively with Casper.

[thomasC]

Web Help Desk works well with Casper via asset discovery connection. Really nice integration features. Feature for Casper link provides one click to asset in JSS. ARD link feature is very handy. We map some of our EAs from our JSS. There is also a virtual appliance for Web Help Desk. Full featured demo is available from Solar Winds. JAMF provides a KB article for integration which was very helpful. https://jamfnation.jamfsoftware.com/article.html?id=142

[lhscasper]

I've looked at Spiceworks a number of times but haven't quite jumped in yet. It's free and their inventory system looks half reasonable, although I have no idea how it's going to handle iOS devices. The main reason I haven't jumped in yet is that the UI is extremely cluttered and there's lots of other stuff on the page (which is why they can make it free I suppose).

Cheers,
Chris.

[cdenesha]

I used Spiceworks (it is free) heavily at my old job 2 years ago and liked it overall. It needs to run on a windows PC and stores it's data locally in a SQLite DB, with an embedded apache web server.

For inventory it uses WMI to query PCs and SSH to query Macs/unix, with SNMP querying capability as well. It would not tie into the JSS but I don't see why a custom field couldn't be added to the device record with the link to the JSS. I have it running basic inventory at my current job but haven't had much time to implement further.

I really liked the help desk ticketing system. It sends emails to users and admins and has a web interface as well. There is basic control over workflow via email commands so for example you could assign a ticket to someone, CC another tech, assign a priority, etc. right from email on your phone. My experience on this is 2 years old.

They have recently integrated MAAS360 in for MDM but I have no idea how that would work for iPads.

chris

[bentoms]

+1 WebHelpDesk. Awesome product.

[dderusha]

Thanks for the suggestions!

[ndudley]

I use ZenDesk! It's really great and really customizable. They also have an API that you can mess around with to create your own plugins. I am currently working with a 3rd party company to develop a new hire system that integrates both with our JSS database and our Zendesk system - their first reaction was that it should be fairly simple.

[CasperSally]

I thought I heard at JNUC WebHelpdesk integration with casper 9 is broken.. and up to WebHelpdesk to decide if/when they're going to fix.

[John_Wetter]

Let's hope SolarWinds gets on their game here... We use WHD also, but have seen the pace of features and real innovation with the product grind to a halt since the SolarWinds acquisition. We've had issues getting the import to pull both iPads and computers, going back and forth with SW support quite a bit.

[Andy_McCaskill]

To revive a dead article.

I am using Web Help Desk for a few years and still havent gotten it to import IOS devices which is not good for trying to track tickets to users. Anyone have a work around or a better solution for support ticket tracking?

[vicmelen]

Since someone has already revived the post... We were using Remedy (stay way), then switched to Zendesk, then finally switched to Jitbit they have a nice iOS app and the asset management module is... well, OK. Not a super-powerful one, but - just OK.