ProLAN: Red Button

Registration, qualification and diagnostics of incidents in a new way

The red Button is a method of registration of incidents in corporate network. The red Button is an expansion of products of the ProLAN SLA-ON family an opportunity to quickly diagnose the root reasons of failures in work of business applications. The red Button is an expansion of BTM solutions (Business Transaction Management) an opportunity to automatically obtain the comprehensive information about crucial events.

The red Button allows: #Повысить labor productivity of IT Service at the expense of an opportunity to quickly diagnose the root reasons of failures in work of business applications. #Повысить loyalty of users of IT services due to providing more convenient method of interaction to them with service Service Desk. #Сократить costs of IT Service due to automation of process of qualification of the incidents connected with bad work of business applications. Qualification and routing of such incidents can automatically be executed.

Concept of the Red Button

Figure 1. Concept of the solution Red Button

On computers of users two programs are installed: HelpMe and SelfTrace allowing to announce simple combination key stroke to IT Service failures in work of business applications (errors, slow work, etc.). At the same time the following information is automatically transferred to IT Service:

1. Характеристика failure (problem):

• Screenshot of the computer of the user at the time of clicking of the Red Button.
• Category of a problem (is defined by a combination keyed) and, optionally, its description. The user can add the short description of a problem before clicking of the Red Button.

1. Информация about the user "in distress" and an environment:

• Computer name and the account of the user (including the domain).
• The name of division where the user works (it is imported from the Active Directory).
• Variable environments (environment string) which can describe, for example, the geographic location of the user, category of personnel to which it belongs, etc. Variable environments are established by the system administrator.

1. Информация about activity of the user at the time of clicking of the Red Button:

• The name of the business application with which the user at the time of clicking of the Red Button worked.
• The name of business operation which the user executed at the time of clicking of the Red Button. For Windows applications business operation is determined by the text in heading of an active window. For Web applications – on URL. For console applications – in the text on the screen. For identification of business operation on the computer of the user the corresponding directory of business operations should be previously set.
• The history of actions of the user in 15 minutes prior to clicking of the Red Button including information on the used applications and the executed transactions.

All acquired information automatically registers in the database of a system of network management ProLAN. Such system is any product of the SLA-ON family.

The system of network management performs, in particular, the following functions:

1. Отображает the acquired information on the engineering console and the Help Desk console where information on all crucial events, including, about failures in work of IT Infrastructure automatically arrives.
2. Автоматически compares failures in work of IT Infrastructure with information on failures in work of business applications obtained by means of the Red Button. It allows to define the root reasons of such failures quickly. For more details see. "The red Button – diagnostics of incidents in a new way".
3. Передает information on crucial events in Service Desk. It belongs as failures in work of IT Infrastructure, and to failures in work of business applications. The connectors allowing to transfer automatically to these products all obtained information including screenshots, the history of actions of users, etc. are developed for HP Service Manager and BMC Remedy. Within ITSM information on the executed business operation can be interpreted as the IT service which is received by the user.

Integration with BTM Systems (Business Transaction Management)

Slow work and errors of business applications can automatically be fixed. It increases efficiency of IT Service since allows to obtain information on crucial events to the appeal of users to Service Desk. It, in turn, leads to reduction of load of Service Desk (read – reduces costs) and increases loyalty of users.

BTM Systems (Business Transaction Management, Business Transaction Monitoring, Real User Monitoring, Quality of Experience Monitoring, etc.) are applied to automatic fixing of crucial events. Integration of a BTM System into the Red Button significantly increases efficiency of service Service Desk since allows to obtain automatically expanded information on failures (a screenshot, the executed business operation, the history of transactions, etc.). VTM-Sistema's example is the solution the Fifth Level. Integration of the Red Button into the solution the Fifth Level is supported "from a box".

Integration of the Red Button into the solution the Fifth Level

The fifth Level is the effective BTM System based on use of the Client Instrumentation method. The Fifth Level is a crucial element of the solution the EPM Agent set on computers of users and who is automatically measuring a response time of business applications on the party of users (end-to-end response time) [1], fixing the user and system mistakes of business applications as they are "seen" by users, measuring number of the executed transactions and another. Having defined approach of a crucial event, the EPM Agent automatically "clicks Red to the Knot" and reports to the HelpMe application the comprehensive information about this event.

Integration of the Red Button and the Fifth Level is a new paradigm of management of business transactions. The novelty is that the service Service Desk automatically obtains information not only on the fact of approach of a crucial event, but also what this fact "surrounds": what at the time of the event was done by the user that he did before, who this user where it is, etc. It allows to formalize processing of incidents, in particular, to create expert systems (the system of artificial intelligence) which are automatically diagnosing crucial events.

Figure 2. Integration of the Red Button into the solution the Fifth Level and external BTM Systems

If the business application on the computer of the user gave the error message, then the EPM Agent automatically identifies this error, "will press" the Red Button and will report to the HelpMe application the description of this error. Having obtained information on an error, the HelpMe application will be created by the screenshot, will read variable environments, will define the transaction executed at the time of an error, etc. then will write all acquired information in the database of a system of network management. Thus, the IT Service will automatically obtain the comprehensive information about an error and will be able to qualify it and to diagnose to the appeal of the user to Service Desk. Also, if it is necessary, the error can be automatically registered in Service Desk.

Integration of the Red Button with the external BTM systems

At integration of the Red Button with the external BTM systems a source of information on crucial events is a BTM System. Information on events generated by such system is accepted by the Connector. The connector, first, will transform the message of a BTM System to the format clear to the HelpMe application. Secondly, defines the computer where the user "in distress" works. ProLAN HR Directory – the product ProLAN supporting information in current status is for this purpose used - on what computer at present of time each user works. Thirdly, sends the message about a crucial event to the HelpMe application (emulates clicking of the Red Button) run on the computer where there was a problem. Thus, the Red Button enriches information on the critical events generated by BTM Systems.

"Red button" USB device

The ProLAN company released the new version of the product the Red Button which is distinguished by significant expansion of functionality, in particular, support of e-Help and also inclusion in structure of the product "red button" USB devices.

When the office worker needs the help, he presses "the red button". The Agent program installed on its computer automatically determines that at the time of clicking of "the red button" the worker did and automatically performs certain operations. It can be registration of an incident in Service Desk, connection to the page of the web portal, sending e-mail, start of the program, etc.

The main use of the Red Button, - increase in efficiency of technical support service of users (as a part of IT Service). It is reached by automatic transfer to Service Desk of information necessary for fast qualification and diagnostics of incidents. The new version of a product can be used also as the instrument of expert user support (e-Help). Let's assume, information was necessary for the user of the application how to execute a certain function. He presses "the red button", selects the name of the function interesting him from a context menu and on its computer, for example, recording of the corresponding webinar automatically begins to be played. It is important that recording will begin to be played with that place where the function interesting the user is considered.

Structure, Architecture, Application

The structure and solution architecture the Red Button are shown in Figure 3.

Figure 3. Structure and solution architecture Red Button

HelpMe

The Red Button is a crucial element of the solution the Windows application of HelpMe. The application is installed on the computer of the user and performs function of the red button. When clicking by the user of a certain key shortcut, the HelpMe application takes the screenshot, reads details of the user, variable environments, etc., requests the name of the executed business operation then it sends all acquired information to the SLA-ON Probe program from the SelfTrace application. Three licenses to use of the HelpMe application are a part of any product of the SLA-ON family.

SelfTrace

For determination of the business operation executed by the user the Windows application of SelfTrace is used. The application is installed on the computer of the user and, interacting with the operating system, automatically determines with what application the user works and that it does "in" this application i.e. what business operation it at this moment executes. If the user works with a GUI-application, then business operation is determined by the text in heading of an active window. (The user can open at the same time several windows, but only one of them in each timepoint is active, i.e. is in the foreground). If the user works with the web application, then the executed business operation is determined by the current URL (regardless of what browser is used by the user). If the user works with the console application, then the executed business operation is determined by a key word in the console.

SLA-ON Probe

Information sent by the HelpMe application is accepted by Windows service SLA-ON Probe. Service usually is established on the selected computer which is called the Probe. (The same service is used also for monitoring of health of IT Infrastructure). Having accepted the message from the HelpMe application, the SLA-ON Probe service processes it and writes in the consolidated database.

HR-Import (special edition AutoImport)

HR-Import - Windows service, used for history logging of actions of users. Service is established on the Probe and in real time polls the SelfTrace applications. The obtained information registers in the consolidated database. The HR-Import service is not an obligatory component. It is necessary only if the IT Service wants to have information on what the user did not only at the time of clicking of the Red Button, but before (by default - within 15 minutes).

SLA-ON Operations

The SLA-ON Operations application is the engineering console displaying information as about failures in work of IT Infrastructure, and failures in work of business applications. One of features of this application that it automatically establishes causes and effect relationships between the first and second. The current information on work of IT Infrastructure and business applications is provided by SLA-ON Probe service and is displayed on the console (card) Cockpit. A source of historical data is the consolidated database. These data are displayed on the console (card) Help Desk.

The connector to Service Desk

For integration with Service Desk Windows service which continuously monitors emergence of new information in the consolidated database is used special. If such information appears, then it imports it and, transforming to the necessary format, transfers in Service Desk. Now there are connectors to HP Service Manager 7 and BMC Remedy. Connectors to other products Service Desk can be developed at a stage of implementation of the Red Button.

Use of the Red Button

The red Button can be used differently, namely:

1. В the small companies – for incident management. In the large companies - as the ITSM expansion of solutions on the basis of HP Service Manager, BMC Remedy, etc.
2. Как the expansion of any product of the ProLAN SLA-ON family (ProLAN-Administrator, ProLAN-Analitik, ProLAN-Ekspert and others) increasing effective management of health of IT Infrastructure and performance of business applications. Increase in efficiency is provided with an opportunity to define threshold values of the measured metrics, corresponding to comfortable work of users of business applications. For more details see. "Tell me threshold values, and I quickly diagnose any incident".
3. Совместно with the solution the Fifth Level (or other BTM Systems) for effective management business by transactions (Business Transaction Management).

Jet Infosystems integrated Red Button ProLAN with the solutions BMC and HP

On December 12, 2011 the Jet Infosystems company announced completion of integration of Red Button of ProLAN with BMC Remedy Service Desk and HP Service Manager. The complete solution provides an increase in labor productivity of staff of service Service Desk and allows to reduce considerably losses of working time of users of IT.

"In projects we often face customers needs to increase efficiency of IT service in the conditions of growth of loading and preserving of number of staff, – Alexey Nikolaev, the Head of Department of management systems of Jet Infosystems company comments. – Meeting requirements of the market, we conceived to develop the complete solution which would allow to facilitate significantly life both to specialists of IT service, and users – the staff of all other divisions. Having analyzed the market, we stopped the choice on Red Button ProLAN which is the most full corresponding to an assigned task".

Development was performed in a demo laboratory of Jet Infosystems company in cooperation with specialists of ProLAN. The solution considerably reduces a closing time of incidents. For example, according to the results of a pilot project in one of the Moscow banks the closing time of incidents decreased by 30%, and the percent of the incidents closed on the first support line increased by 75%.

Besides, the solution allows to reduce the labor costs of an office personnel connected with the appeal to customer support department and also increases loyalty of users of IT services as they receive idle time and psychologically more comfortable method of the request for the help.

"Integration opened the market of large business where HP Service Manager and BMC Remedy are corporate standards before the solution 'Red Button'. In the large companies use of means of remote access to computers of users, as a rule, is forbidden that significantly complicates diagnostics of incidents. Therefore use of Red Button in such companies will be most effective", – Yuditsky Sergey, the CEO of ProLAN company noted.

Red Button + Smartnut

The Russian companies ProLAN also Smartnut announced at the beginning of 2013 release of the complete solution for providing and support of IT services – [The Red Button + Smartnut]. Combining functionality of a monitoring system, diagnostic tools and the automation system of processes of service, the complete solution will allow system integrators and IT Services to increase quality of the provided IT services.

"It is impossible to provide high-quality rendering IT services without fast elimination and warning of the incidents connected with IT infrastructure. Time of elimination of an incident depends on how quickly it will be detected, diagnosed and solved by IT specialists. How to reach best values of these parameters in short terms? For this purpose our service was integrated with the products ProLAN", – the company executive of Smartnut Rubenstein Kirill comments.

The solution is from three components: systems of pro-active monitoring of health of IT infrastructure and quality of IT services of ProLAN SLA-ON, system of fast diagnostics of incidents Red Button and automation systems of processes of customer service Smartnut.

Distinctive feature of a monitoring system of ProLAN SLA-ON is existence of the built-in expert system in real time measuring and estimating health of each component of IT Infrastructure (network equipment, servers, communication channels) and business applications.

The red Button allows to register incidents in a workplace of the user clicking of the special USB device (ProLAN-Knopki) and solves two problems. Expands functionality of a monitoring system, allowing to see "cut" of health of IT Infrastructure at the time of the incident. On the other hand, expands functionality of ServiceDesk, automatically transferring to specialists of support information necessary and sufficient for registration, qualifications, diagnostics of incidents. According to the research in one of the Moscow banks, an incident closing time using the Red Button decreased by 30%, and the percent of the incidents closed on the first support line increased by 75%.

The third component of the complete solution – the automation system of processes of service Smartnut. Smartnut is suitable both for IT service companies, and for IT services. Within the solution integration of Smartnut and the Red ProLAN Button for the purpose of automatic registration of incidents with attachment by all information, necessary for their solution, is implemented. In addition, Smartnut has all functionality inherent in the systems of the class ServiceDesk.

Already known and proved NaumenServiceDesk 4.0 platform is the technology cornerstone of Smartnut. And thanks to the preconfigured model of processes and distribution according to the SaaS model it was succeeded to make the Smartnut system available and for the small companies.

"Integration of the products ProLAN from Smartnut is important for our company, at least, for two reasons. On the one hand, Smartnut is first of all solution SaaS that allows to create the economic solutions focused on the companies of small and medium business. On the other hand, as Smartnut is founded on the same technology platform that corporate solutions of Naumen, integration with this product can strengthen ProLAN positions in the market of solutions for medium and large business where NaumenServiceDesk 4.0 occupies one of the leading positions", – the CEO of ProLAN Yuditsky Sergey noted.

The complete solution for quality management of providing and support of IT services [the Red Button + Smartnut] it is possible to purchase at a discount 15% (in relation to the price upon purchase of separate products). For acquisition and obtaining the additional information it is possible to address both to Smartnut company, and to ProLAN company.