ServiceDesk Plus 8.x Essential

ServiceDesk Plus 8.x Essential

by Ankush Agarwal
Released September 2013
Publisher(s): Packt Publishing
ISBN: 9781849696647

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Book description

A kick-start guide to implementing and administering IT service management processes with ServiceDesk Plus

  • Learn to quickly set up and effectively use day-to-day IT services
  • Understand the vital terminologies in a simplified manner
  • Learn to swiftly deal with issues and resolve recurring problems
  • Keep track of your assets and plan for safer changes
  • Use the tool with easy-to-follow, step-by-step instructions to achieve your milestones

In Detail

IT service management (ITSM) refers to the implementation and management of quality IT services that meet the needs of your business. ServiceDesk Plus is an integrated web-based helpdesk tool that assists you in planning, setting up, and achieving the timely execution of IT services efficiently.

ServiceDesk Plus 8.x Essentials is a practical, hands-on guide that walks you through the features of ServiceDesk Plus 8.x to help you set up and manage day-to-day IT services. The book also helps you to understand and practice the ITIL methodologies while using the tool for daily operations.

ServiceDesk Plus 8.x Essentials conceptualizes the ITIL framework and takes you through the core processes and their implementation in ServiceDesk Plus 8.x in an easy and practical manner.

The book will also help you to learn the process flows and manage incidents, problems, assets, and configurations while understanding the scope and responsibilities of the helpdesk. It also takes you through controlling changes and releases and highlights the features of the tools. If you need a concise handbook for a complete understanding of the metrics, challenges and risks of ITSM, then you have found the right book.

With ServiceDesk Plus 8.x Essentials, you will learn everything you need to know to administer and manage IT services using ServiceDesk Plus, while making ITIL concepts practical and fun.

Table of contents

  1. ServiceDesk Plus 8.x Essentials
    1. Table of Contents
    2. ServiceDesk Plus 8.x Essential
    3. Credits
    4. About the Author
    5. About the Reviewer
    6. www.PacktPub.com
      1. Support files, eBooks, discount offers and more
        1. Why Subscribe?
        2. Free Access for Packt account holders
    7. Preface
      1. What this book covers
      2. What you need for this book
      3. Who this book is for
      4. Conventions
      5. Reader feedback
      6. Customer support
        1. Errata
        2. Piracy
        3. Questions
    8. 1. Conceptualizing IT Service Management
      1. Understanding IT Service Management (ITSM)
      2. Differentiating between process and function
      3. Differentiating between Service Level Agreement (SLA) and Operational Level Agreement (OLA)
      4. Differentiating between Service Portfolio and Service Catalog
        1. Deleting a Service Category
      5. Summary
    9. 2. Managing Incidents and Problems
      1. Understanding the purpose, objective, and scope of Incident and Problem Management
        1. Understanding Incident Management
        2. Understanding Problem Management
      2. Stipulating the requirements for Incident and Problem Management
      3. Understanding the IPM process flow
        1. Implementing the Incident Management process flow
          1. Step 1 – identifying and logging incidents
          2. Step 2 – categorizing incidents
          3. Step 3 – prioritizing incidents
          4. Step 4 – diagnosing incidents
          5. Step 5 – escalating incidents
          6. Step 6 – resolving and recovering from the incident
          7. Step 7 – closing the incident
        2. Implementing the Problem Management process flow
          1. Step 1 – detecting the problem
          2. Step 2 – logging the problem
          3. Step 3 – categorizing the problem
          4. Step 4 – prioritizing the problem
          5. Step 5 – investigating and diagnosing the problem
          6. Step 6 – resolving and closing the problem
      4. Establishing the roles and responsibilities of ServiceDesk Plus
      5. Assessing risks and identifying metrics
      6. Summary
    10. 3. Managing Assets and Configuration
      1. Understanding the purpose, objective, and scope of IT Service Asset and Configuration Management (SACM)
      2. Managing assets via Configuration Management Database (CMDB)
        1. Step 1 – deciding and configuring CI Types
        2. Step 2 – populating CIs
          1. Method 1 – using a CSV file
          2. Method 2 – adding new CIs manually
          3. Method 3 – Windows Domain Scan
          4. Method 4 – Network Scan
          5. Method 5 – importing from the Active Directory
        3. Step 3 – creating the Information Model
      3. Managing Software Assets
        1. Tracking software and licenses
      4. Managing purchase orders
      5. Managing contracts
      6. Summary
    11. 4. Controlling Changes and Releases
      1. Understanding the purpose, objective, and scope of Change and Release Management
      2. Understanding the process flow
        1. Implementing the Change Management process flow
          1. Step 1 – creating and recording the RFC
          2. Step 2 – reviewing the RFC
          3. Step 3 – assessing and evaluating the change
          4. Step 4 – authorizing changes
          5. Step 5 – coordinating implementation
          6. Step 6 – performing a post-implementation review
          7. Step 7 – closing the Change Record
        2. Implementing the Release Management process flow
          1. Step 1 – planning the release
          2. Step 2 – preparing for build, test, and deployment
          3. Step 3 – building and testing
          4. Step 4 – testing service and pilots
          5. Step 5 – preparing for deployment
          6. Step 6 – performing deployment
          7. Step 7 – verifying
          8. Step 8 – offering early-life support
          9. Step 9 – reviewing and closing the record
      3. Establishing the roles and responsibilities of the service desk
      4. Assessing risks and identifying metrics
      5. Summary
    12. 5. Service Desk – Where the Value Is Realized
      1. Service desk – the visible face of the business
      2. Establishing the critical roles and responsibilities
        1. Managing events
          1. Raising event notifications
          2. Comparing event correlations
        2. Managing incidents
        3. Managing problems
        4. Fulfilling service requests
        5. Managing access
        6. Other processes
      3. Understanding the value-adding responsibilities
        1. Understanding Knowledge Management
        2. Generating reports
          1. Using predefined ServiceDesk Plus reports
          2. Using custom reports
          3. Using query reports
          4. Using flash reports
          5. Using scheduled reports
        3. Managing the administrative and housekeeping tasks
      4. Understanding the challenges, critical success factors, and risks
        1. Understanding the challenges
        2. Understanding the critical success factors
        3. Assessing risks
      5. Summary
    13. 6. Making Life Easier – Handy Features
      1. Revisiting the knowledge base
      2. Using the remote control
      3. Controlling with e-mail commands
      4. Archiving data for housekeeping
      5. Conducting user surveys
      6. Summary
    14. Index

Product information

  • Title: ServiceDesk Plus 8.x Essential
  • Author(s): Ankush Agarwal
  • Release date: September 2013
  • Publisher(s): Packt Publishing
  • ISBN: 9781849696647