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Request Tracking (RT) The new ticketing system

Request Tracking (RT) The new ticketing system. Tomasz Wlodek. Why RT?. The old ticketing system (CTS) has reached its limitations Users must have BNL accounts to post tickets With increasing customer base this is not practical

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Request Tracking (RT) The new ticketing system

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  1. Request Tracking (RT)The new ticketing system Tomasz Wlodek

  2. Why RT? • The old ticketing system (CTS) has reached its limitations • Users must have BNL accounts to post tickets • With increasing customer base this is not practical • CTS does not operate with other ticket systems – we cannot easily pass tickets from one computing center to another.

  3. What does RT offer? • Tickets can be submitted by e-mail or web interface. • More configuration options • RT is becoming standard ticketing system – it is already used by Star, Slac, VDT,… • In the future we may be able to interface various RT installations • RT can be extended by AT (Asset Tracking). More about it later.

  4. RT from user point of view • How do I submit ticket? • How do I reply to followup to a ticket? • How do I reopen ticket? • How do I search tickets?

  5. BatchSystems DataTransfer FileSystems General GridServices HPSS LinuxFarm Network Security Test UserAccounts How to open ticket?First, decide which problem category your ticket belongs to

  6. Then submit ticket by e-mail • Write e-mail to RACF-RT-<Category>@bnl.gov To submit ticket to LinuxFarm write to RACF-RT-LinuxFarm@bnl.gov That’s it.

  7. Queues (Problem categories) • Each queue has a set of experts assigned to it. • When a ticket is submitted it is given status “new” • Then one of experts decides to work on it and takes ownership of this ticket. Status becomes “open” • Experts will send followups to ticket submitter. They will appear as regular e-mail. To reply to them use “reply” button. • Finally ticket is resolved (closed)

  8. That is all (from the perspective of 80% of users) • For vast majority of users this is enough • Ticket submission and correspondence is done by e-mail • Each time someone sends a ticked for first time he/she is given local RT account so that we can track RT users. • Incoming mail is filtered for spam and viruses, positive hits ->/dev/null

  9. Possible problems • The simplicty of this design can be abused • Do not create tickets in automatic scripts • Do not cross posts tickets from mailing lists • Do not post explicitly RT mail addresses on www pages

  10. What is the problem with the following e-mail exchange: From: RT User To: RT Subject: my equipment does not work From: RT To: RT User Subject: [RT #23] Your problem has been assigned number 23… From: RT To: RT User Subject: [RT #23] Please power on the device. Ticket closed.

  11. What is the problem with the exchange: From: RT User To: RT Thank you, it works now.

  12. How do I search tickets? • Use web interface • https://rt-racf.bnl.gov/rt • Logon as guest (this account is not yet activated) • You can search ticket database and see active/closed tickets

  13. Can I have my own RT account and submit/read tickets from www? • Yes • By default user accounts are created with NO right to access the web • We expect that majority of users will not use www interface • If you want to access the www site all you have to do is to ask for access • Just submit ticket to RACF-RT-UserAccounts@bnl.gov asking for www access • The RT password will be mailed to you. Logon to RT and change it.

  14. Experts reply to tickets. It is possible to reply to ticket by e-mail For more complex operations use www site. Experts can: take ownership of ticket, reply to ticket, resolve a ticket, delete a ticket, join tickets RT from expert point of view

  15. How to use RT ?(experts point of view) Let me give you a demonstration, it is very simple if you actually see it!

  16. RT – future • We will operate a relatively open RT system – anyone can submit tickets from anywhere. • Spam filtering is included, but possibility of abuse exists • We assume that users will be responsible • If we see abuse of the system, we will require user registration • User registration can involve checking kerberos password OR grid certificate.

  17. RT extension - AT • AT (Asset Tracking) is a RT extension which allows users to integrate a resource database to the ticketing system • A ticket posted to RT can update also the status of relevant hardware. • “machine rcasXXXX needs OS upgrade ” • The ticket links to database of machines, after resolving the OS system of the machine is updated in the bookkeeping system • This will be our next possible goal, later this year.

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