Sunday, October 28, 2012

25 Features and Benefits of SeviceDesk Plus Help Desk Software

25 Features and Benefits of SeviceDesk Plus Help Desk Software

Here is the list of features and benefits of ServiceDesk Plus Help Desk Software:

1. CMDB (Configuration Management Database)

Managing your assets will become harder as you scale up your business resources. But now, the problem of your business impact will not go unannounced. ServiceDesk Plus CMDB ensures effortless management of your entire IT infrastructure, by demanding in-depth visibility of your assets present in the environment.

2. Self Service Portal

End users can log in to a web based portal to submit service requests & Incidents. He can also access their existing tickets, find solutions in the Knowledge Base, and track the status of all their requests which will reduce the load of the help desk.

3. Service Level Agreement

Create SLA and provide quality services in time, to your end users. With the intuitive SLA management in ServiceDesk Plus, escalate proactively to four levels of hierarchy and make sure your SLAs are met.

4. Knowledge Base

ServiceDesk plus has flexible knowledge base with option to add unlimited KB articles and allows users to easily search the information. It is bundled with fully loaded features like customizable KB for end users & technicians, approval process for article submission & more.

5. Incident Management

Restore normal service of operation quickly with the comprehensive incident management in ServiceDesk Plus. Report incidents easily, configure SLA, setup automation & workflows for each category of Incidents and minimize business impact.

6. Problem Management

With the ServiceDesk Plus problem management, eliminate the root cause effectively and put an end for firefighting of repetitive incidents. It includes managing multiple incidents and workflow automations.

7. Asset Discovery

Discover every asset in your network with the efficient auto discovery options available in ServiceDesk Plus. You can discover all the IT assets right from Windows, Linux, Mac, AIX machines, Solaris, Printers, Routers, Switches etc.

8. Change Management

Through ServiceDesk Plus change management module, provide structured and prompt handling of all changes in your IT infrastructure. It is bundled with categorizing changes, configuring CAB and workflow automation.

9. Agent Scanning

With the new agent based scanning, you can access any system from the remote network, independent of their location. The agent also helps to make a remote connection instantly and take control of the screen in seconds.

10. Service Catalog

Showcase the offered IT services to your end user and give a new face to your IT. You can customize your workflow of delivering the service request specific to each service category. You can also setup approval process and service level agreements for each service request.
 
11. Remote Control

Technicians can now access any computer from anywhere in your network quickly and securely with just a web browser & remote control feature in ServiceDesk plus.

12. Business Rules

Put your helpdesk coordinator for a better use by implementing business rules, which allows to categorize, classify and assign tickets based on any criteria matching your business environment.

13. Software Asset Management

Scan your network and automatically discover all the software available in your organization and also understand how many installations of software are available in your network and manage them accordingly.

14. Help Desk Notifications

Stay informed about your tickets and keep your technicians and end users up to date on the status of the tickets by email and sms. You can also provide login information automatically to for all the users.

15. Purchase Order Management

Manage your purchases right from the birth of the PO till the asset expiry with a structured approval and delivery process. Identify the areas to reduce spending and eliminate redundancies.

16. Automatic Ticket Dispatch

The new auto assign feature distributes tickets based on the existing load on your technicians. It also checks for their availability and SLA tied to the tickets before dispatching them appropriately.

17. Contract Management

Manage Contracts with different vendors seamlessly and keep track of the expiry dates with automatic alert notifications for renewals.

18. Email Commands

You dont have to be logged into the help desk application to create, edit or close tickets, it can be done on the move, with the pre defined email commands in ServiceDesk Plus. Simply send an email with the appropriate commands and the changes are done automatically.

19. Mobile Help Desk

Technicians can now access their tickets from anywhere, anytime using their mobile devices. It is an easy to use browser based application specifically built for mobiles catering the needs of ServiceDesk on-the-go.

20. AD & LDAP Integration

ServiceDesk plus allows you to import users and their informations from Active directory and LDAP with a simple easy to use interface. It also includes authentication and single sign-on for users without making any changes to schema of AD or LDAP.

21. Data Archiving

Archive your old, unused data and improve your helpdesk performance. ServiceDesk plus allows you to access your archived data from different queue and also has the capability to search, report and export the data.
 
22. Multi Site Support

Customize your configurations for every site according to their unique working procedure. You can manage multiple sites with a single helpdesk tool and get control & visibility over the IT needs of your organization.

23. Help Desk Reports

Generate detailed reports about your Help desk performance & metrics. With the variety of reporting functionalities, analyze your help desk and take control over your assets & tickets.

24. Automated Password Reset

One of the most requested tickets in an IT help desk is "reset or forgot password", which takes most of your time in everyday job. We have come with a solution to automate this procedure by automatically resetting the password, by integrating the ticketing system with the Active Directory.

25. User Survey

Know the satisfaction level of your end users with the ServiceDesk Plus survey option, where it allows you to configure questions, satisfaction levels and trigger them in specific to the survey criteria.

HESK vs SysAid Help Desk Software Comparison

HESK vs SysAid Help Desk Software Comparison

This article compares different features of HESK and SysAid Help Desk Softwares.

While HESK help desk software provides an efficient and orderly ticketing system for customers to communicate with you, sometimes a more advanced and all-encompassing IT help desk solution is really what you need.

SysAid offers the IT admin the essential tools to streamline IT processes, automate help desk management, and simplify day-to-day IT tasks.

Easily customizable for both admins and end users, SysAid provides an out-of-the-box IT help desk management solution that's both simple and intuitive. You don't have to compromise advanced IT help desk functionality for ease-of-use!

Designed for organizations of all sizes, SysAid's innovative technology provides the extensive functionality and usability that is needed to handle service requests more efficiently; the ability to manage and monitor assets and systems; as well as self-serve capabilities for end users, raising both admins' and end users satisfaction, while keeping them productive.

FeaturesHelp Desk
Software
SysAid IT Help Desk Solution
Submit new ticketsYesYes
Custom fieldsYesYes
Suggest related knowledge base articles before final ticket submissionYesYes
Email notificationsYesYes
Browse and search knowledge baseYesYes
Assign tickets to staffYesYes
Manage knowledge base categories and articlesYesYes
Customize help desk settingsYesYes
Run reportsYesYes
Easy translation into any languageYesYes
Asset Management-Yes
Remote Control-Yes
End-User Portal-Yes
Mobile Application-Yes
IT Benchmark Asset Management-Yes
Live Chat-Yes
Calendar & Scheduling-Yes
SMS/Text Message Integration-Yes
Advanced Modules:
  • Password Services
  • Manager Dashboard
  • Advanced Monitoring
  • Projects & Tasks
  • ITIL
  • SLA/SLM
-Yes

HESK Online Web Based Help Desk Software Features and Benefits

HESK Online Web Based Help Desk Software Features and Benefits

Here is the list of features and benefits of HESK online web based help desk software. Features are categorised as Customer Interface, Knowledgebase and Administrator/Staff interface.

Customer Interface:

1. Submit new tickets (web form or email piping/POP3 fetching)
2. Attach files
3. Obtain detailed information from customers with custom fields
4. SPAM prevention
5. Suggest related knowledgebase articles before final ticket submission
6. View and rate staff replies
7. E-mail notifications of staff replies
8. Browse and search knowledgebase

Knowledgebase:

1. Unlimited knowledgebase articles
2. Unlimited categories and subcategories
3. Quick and Easy search capabilities
4. Post attachments to articles
5. Count article views
6. List newest and most popular articles
7. Rate articles

Administrator/Staff interface:

1. Unlimited administrators and staff accounts
2. Restricted access to some functionalities for certain staff
3. Powerful ticket search ability
4. Assign tickets to staff
5. Manage knowledgebase categories and articles
6. Manage staff accounts
7. Canned responses (pre-written replies)
8. Customize help desk settings
9. Track time worked on a ticket
10. Modify your profiles and signatures
11. Autoclose tickets after X days
12. Run reports
13. E-mail notifications of new tickets and replies
14. Customers can easily rate staff replies
15. Easy translation into any language

Features of Online Web Based Help Desk Softwares

Features of Online Web Based Help Desk Softwares

Online Web Based Help Desk Softwares enable end-users to submit trouble tickets via a browser or through email. It automates several key workflow tasks such as case routing, acknowledging requester/technician notifications and handling of SLA rules. As a result, your support organization can now realize higher levels of productivity, keep everyone informed, provide superior service, improve problem resolution times, share knowledge effectively and keep end-users happy.

There are various features of Online Web Based Help Desk Softwares:

1. Several Easy Ways to Create Trouble Tickets

Email to Request conversion: Automatically convert the emails sent to Help Desk into trouble tickets.
Web Enabled: Online Web Based Help Desk Softwares enable your end users to submit support requests (trouble tickets) from anywhere, anytime using just a browser.
Network Generated Tickets: Automatically generate trouble tickets when network devices fail.

2. Active Directory & .CSV Import

Active Directory Integration: Import Requester (User) related information from Active Directory (AD).  Authenticate user login through AD.
Import from .CSV Files: Import Requester & Asset details from .csv files.
User Survey: Conduct Customer Satisfaction & User Surveys. Also get User Survey related consolidated reports.

3. SLA Violation Report

Complete History of Request: Complete change history of a request is maintained to facilitate audit processes. You can also lookup a history of requests from a particular workstation to identify workstations with chronic failures.
Help Desk Reports: Get complete reports on Help Desk load, technician performance and SLA violation.
Holidays / Operational Hours: You can configure yearly holidays and operational hours for your help desk. You can also create special Service Level Agreements that override these operational hours in case of emergencies.
Technician Notes: Technicians can add notes to the request to add related information like action taken.
Notify Technicians: Automatically notify technicians when a new request is assigned to them.
Automatic Escalations: Escalate requests to different support reps within your staff and notify managers when cases are not resolved within specific time limits.

4. SLA Management

Create User, Department, Priority or Category based SLA rules and ensure compliance.

5. Knowledge Base 
 

Knowledge Base: Using the Searchable Knowledge base, both the technicians and the end users can search for solutions to common problems.
Self-Service Portal: End users can use the self service portal to submit new requests or check the status of their open requests.
My Tasks: Create follow-up tasks and never miss an appointment or forget an important call.

6. Administrator Console

Keep End Users Informed: Automatic email response to Requesters on request creation and closure.
Flexible Help Desk: Add custom fields to the request form to capture information specific to your business needs
Automatic Case Routing: Automatically assign requests to support reps based on the type of request.
Workstation Info: Get complete hardware and software information about the affected device directly from the request.

Online Web Based Asset Scanning and Discovery Softwares and Features

Online Web Based Asset Scanning and Discovery Softwares and Features

Here is the list of features of online web based asset scanning and discovery softwares.

1. Discovery is the key to asset management.

You can manage ALL the assets, only when ALL your assets are accounted for. To do that, Asset Scanning and Discovery Softwares give you various options for scanning, discovery, tracking and adding to your asset database.

2. Windows domain scan

Asset Scanning and Discovery Softwares let you scan your network and track all assets, based on the domain / Active Directory or Windows workgroup. Scan any number of domains, as long as you have the credentials!

3. Not a Windows fan? Try network scan

Do not be disheartened if you are not a windows person. Asset Scanning and Discovery Softwares have a networking scanning option that allows you to scan any workstation (linux, MAC, Solaris etc.) or IP devices (ex. printer, router etc.).

4. Scan a particular device

When you add a new workstation or a device in your network, either you can scan the whole network again (takes more time) or scan for that particular device and add to your assets.

5. Remote offices? Assets not in your network?

When it comes to Asset Scanning and Discovery Softwares, out of sight does not mean out of mind. You could have branches in remote locations and still have all the assets scanned & tracked into your help desk database. This is where the agent scanning plays a critical role in asset discovery.

6. Schedule scanning or re-scanning

No need to manually scan all the assets to check if there is an addition or modification of an IT asset. You can schedule the network scans using Asset Scanning and Discovery Softwares for keeping your assets database uptodate.

Online Web Based Asset Tracking Softwares and Features

Online Web Based Asset Tracking Softwares and Features

Here is the list of features of top online web based asset tracking softwares. Please keep in mind these features before purchasing any asset tracking software.

1. Scan IT assets

Asset Tracking Softwares scan and audits all workstations across your enterprise connected over LAN, WAN and VPN. Asset Tracking Softwares help you scan all Windows workstations from Active Directory. Discover Linux workstations and other IT assets such as printers, routers, and switches using network scan. The detailed scan provides in-depth details about hardware and software installed in all workstations. Asset Managers can audit workstations and get hardware and software reports for fine-grained control.

2. Manage Asset Groups

Asset Tracking Softwares help you create focused asset groups for better management and control. You can create Static or dynamic groups based on asset properties and for ease of management. With static groups you can choose assets with different properties. Dynamic groups help you to group asset based on specific criteria.

A) Static groups helps you group different assets such as Windows XP machine, one Linux box and a printer to form a static group say QA team

B) Dynamic groups helps you classify asset based on their properties such as, All windows XP workstations, all workstations with less than 1 GB RAM, workstation with Intel
Mobile Centrino processors and so on


3. Track Asset Ownership

Track Asset Ownership details to get a clear picture of who owns what. Asset Tracking Softwares help you assign assets to users and track them through the asset life cycle. The detailed asset ownership history helps track all previous owners and records all the changes in the asset. Asset Tracking Softwares Auto-Assign helps you to quickly assign workstations and the most probable owners based on their login status. The auto-assign helps you eliminate manual workstation and owner association by over 80%.

4. Hardware & Software Inventory

Get detailed hardware inventory reports about workstations in the network such as OS details, CPU details, network information, hard disk details, RAM slots. Software Inventory report details software installed in workstations across the network. It helps you group licensed software enabling you to track total number of actual installations versus purchased software licenses.

5. Audit History

Track everything that ever happens on your network. Asset Tracking Softwares Audit Trail help you keep a tab on important changes such as software managed and prohibited software installations, hardware changes that happen every seven days.Detail Audit reports helps you to collate information from discrete changes across your network and get deep insights. Detailed Workstation Audit History reports by changes and timeline helps you to navigate across disparate data and pinpoint a particular event or track Asset changes.

Tuesday, October 23, 2012

What is Asbestos Mesothelioma Cancer?

What is Asbestos Mesothelioma Cancer?

Mesothelioma cancer is considered as being one of the rarest and deadliest forms of cancer in the current century. Also called asbestos lung cancer, Mesothelioma cancer is caused by asbestos fibers which normally enter the pleural cavity thorough the air holes. The name mesothelioma is derived from the fact that this particular form of cancer usually affects the mesothelial cells which form the internal membrane and at the same time help the internal organs fight different germs and forms of bacteria.

According to research, three different types of mesothelioma cancer exist. Differentiating the three is usually not that easy simply because all of them usually display the same features. However, through detailed analysis, you can easily different all of them easily. The three include pericardial mesothelioma, peritoneal mesothelioma and pleural mesothelioma.Pleural mesothelioma normally affects the lungs and the pleural membrane. Among the three types of mesothelioma cancer, pleural mesothelioma is considered to be the most dangerous.

However, just like all the other two, this pleural mesothelioma is usually curable.Peritoneal mesothelioma usually normally affects the abdominal cavity. The symptoms of this particular type of mesothelioma cancer are not usually easy to detect. In addition, patients suffering from this type of cancer usually end up contacting other dangerous abdominal infections simply because the cancerous cells that they carry usually destroy their immune systems and in the process expose their internal organs.

Pericardial mesothelioma usually affects the regions surrounding the heart. Unlike the other two, the symptoms for this particular type of mesothelioma cancer are usually easy to detect. However, just like the other two, periocardial mesothelioma is usually aggressive and very dangerous.
Warning signs of mesothelioma cancer:

According to research, more than 60% of people suffering from mesothelioma cancer usually experience lower back pain or chest pain. In addition, many of them usually find it difficult to breathe from time to time. With time, many of the patients usually start experiencing high fever, fatigue, muscle weakness and at times persistent coughs. Additional symptoms include muscle weakness, coughing up blood, loss of all the sensory capability, uncontrollable facial and arm swellings and hoarseness.

Mesothelioma treatment options:

Despite the fact that there are many treatment methods available, treating mesothelioma cancer is not usually easy. Some of the treatment methods are usually costly while on the other hand, some are usually time consuming and very risky. Nevertheless, you as a patient can try any of these treatment options; radiation therapy, gene therapy chemo therapy or surgery.

Apart from treating this particular cancerous infection, many patients are usually advised to try controlling it through different palliative procedures. Many of these procedures usually help one overcome the pain caused by the infection and in the process manage to continue living a normal life. Some of the most common palliative procedures include gene therapy, angiogenesis and photodynamic therapy.

Just like other cancerous infections, Mesothelioma usually causes death when not treated at the right time. This being the case, patients are usually advised to seek medical attention before the situation gets out of hand.