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Support Desk Software for ITIL-Based IT Department
Wasteofspace asks: "At my current workplace (local government, 250 user site) we are currently working towards achieving a more structured IT department using guidelines set by ITIL. Currently we are using a very poor call logging system running on a Lotus Domino Server, that has no tracking, incident management, problem management etc, and does not integrate into our current directory services (Novell NDS, soon to be migrating to Microsoft AD). Does anyone have any suggestions on a provider of an ITIL compliant support desk application, that is reasonably easy to use, has integration into an LDAP compliant directory service, and has self service functionality for users?"
HP's Service Center. While I hated using it, that was more the way it was implemented in the enterprise I was in at the time. Built from the ground up for ITIL compliance.
Here are some programs:
Frontrange HEAT
Remedy
Footprints
Suggestion: HP OpenView Service Desk Has great MS ActiveDirectory integration which can be used to pre-populate tickets with user information, email conduits for setting up a "help@domain.tld" style interface and also support self-service webpages. The client is very easy to use. It also supports CI databases, problem tracking, incident tracking, etc.
- Sometimes you're the pidgeon, sometimes you're the statue.
Our company uses ServiceCenter. It's a UNIX-based app, runs off of Solaris where I work. We have 25000 employees across 3 countries, and multiple support departments (not just IT), and although ServiceCenter has its strengths and weaknesses like most s/w applications, IMHO it does its job like a charm. I keep my eyes on freshmeat.net and I haven't seen anything come out even remotely close.
pi=sigma{n:0-infinity}[(1/16)^n][(4/(8n+1))-(2/(8n +4))-(1/ (8n+5))-(1/(8n+6))]
Efecte (http://www.efecte.com/en/) is another ITIL compliant solution with different products including a help desk management software. I evaluated their asset management software a couple of years ago and found it very robust and professional. At least at that time their prices were very competitive.
Make sure that Gartner approves any and everything you do, for maximum tongue-in-ass effectiveness. Rolling out AD to replace NDS, looking for FOO-compliant software, all of these things are great, but will they actually work for you? Or will upper management sit around the boardroom table, masturbating furiously, at how irrationally happy the non-technical audit people are?
btw, there's a difference between -1, Vulgar, and -1, Troll. But most of you mods won't understand that.
I want to delete my account but Slashdot doesn't allow it.
I work for a local government, about the same size, and we decided on GWI Software's c.Support. It works very well and is relatively easy to get up an runnig. It meets the requirements you mentioned.
Ronald said nothing. He flung himself from the room, flung himself upon his horse, and rode madly off in all directions.
Infra is prety cool, ets you gong quickly, ITIL verified, etc...
I like it, should work for an organization like yours.
http://www.infra.be/
http://www.infraenterprise.nl/
http://www.infra.co.uk/
http://www.infra-corp.com/
I'm only now looking into what ITIL is, but I'm pretty sure it supports that. Beyond that, it supports the LDAP requirement, it's easy to use, and it has a client login system. We've been very happy with it.
My firm uses http://www.volchok.com/max/ for most of its' IT tracking. Very nice, easy to use interface, ADS integration, excellent logging and reporting features. It does lack user self service functionality though.
From Wiki:
It is not possible to certify an organization or a management system as "ITIL-compliant,"
Individuals can be "ITIL" certified, but a software package cannot be ITIL compliant/certified/blessed.
Also, seeking a help desk package does little to implement ITIL goals as you must manage all aspects of IT Service to gain the benefits of the ITIL method. You can just take one part and hope it gives you all the benefits. You have to have all the major bases covered: (Configuration management, service level management, etc, etc, etc.)
You might be better off jumping in head first to get all the benefits. At least that is the preaching of the ITIL literature.
I work for a company (TechExcel) that makes HelpDesk software. We have implemented several ITIL configurations.
Here's a link - TechExcel HelpDesk
Where I work (local government, 250 user site, Parramatta, NSW in Australia) we had the same request for an ITIL-compliant helpdesk system. We chose RT because it was a) free b) fit into our system c) we could buy the O'Reilly book and d) there was a support community for it.
ITIL-compliant involves more than being being able to open tickets and use them to track issues. It should have asset-tracking, user management (ie when Joe calls to open a ticket, entering his name should immediately populate the ticket with all of his information), change management (tracking what changes were made to hardware/software when), in addition to incident and problem management (Joe can't get his email). To build a truly enterprise-ready solution on top of a wiki would take a ton of work, I'm sure.
So here we go again. People always complain loudly when someone posts a stupid question, but here I see about 95% stupid answers:
- First: there's no such thing as a ITIL compliant software package. ITIL is not a standard it's a collection of best practices.
- Second: The FQ (f**cking question) says 250 users and local government. That scream we're broke from the beginning.
And all I see here are proposal for some crappy $50k packages (Openview, remedy), requiring at least the same in consulting to get up and running.
It's completely possible to tailor your usage of nearly any worth its salt task tracking / helpdesk software package to your interpretation of the ITIL guidelines...
There are plenty of software packages filling your requirements: request tracker (OSS) and JIRA (proprietary) are the two first examples coming to my mind. But please not Openview,remedy or other "fill the resellers pockets" crapware....
Sorry for the rant, ha!
Q.