IT Crash Course Day 5 (Bonus): Service Desk, Task Automation, and Monitoring

IT Operations Banner

Ticketing Systems
Task Scheduler
Server Monitoring Basics
Conclusion

Ticketing Systems

Fundamentals of Ticketing Systems

A ticketing system (also known as a help desk or service desk system) is a software application that manages and maintains lists of issues reported by users of an organization. It's an essential tool for IT support teams to track, prioritize, and resolve user requests efficiently.

Core Functions of Ticketing Systems:

Issue Tracking: Capture and document user problems in a structured format
Workflow Management: Route tickets to appropriate staff and track progress
Communication: Facilitate communication between users and support staff
Knowledge Management: Build a repository of solutions to common problems
Reporting: Generate metrics on team performance and common issues

Benefits of Using Ticketing Systems:

Organization: Prevents issues from being forgotten or overlooked
Accountability: Clearly shows who is responsible for each ticket
Efficiency: Reduces duplicate work and enables proper resource allocation
Documentation: Creates a searchable history of issues and resolutions
Metrics: Provides data for continuous improvement
Consistency: Ensures standardized support processes

Key Components of a Ticketing System:

Ticketing System Components

Ticket Lifecycle

Understanding the typical lifecycle of a support ticket is essential for effective help desk operations:

1. Creation

User submits ticket via email, web form, phone call, chat, or self-service portal
System automatically assigns a unique ticket ID
Initial metadata is captured (submitter, timestamp, category)

2. Assignment

Ticket is assigned to an individual or team based on:
- Category/type of issue
- Technical skills required
- Availability of staff
- Load balancing
Assignment can be manual or automated based on rules

3. Acknowledgment

Confirmation sent to user that ticket has been received
Initial response often automated but may be personalized
Sets expectations for next steps and timeframe

4. Working/In Progress

Support staff investigates the issue
Updates are added to the ticket
Status changes reflect current activity
Reassignments may occur if escalation is needed

5. Resolution

Solution is implemented
Resolution details are documented
User may be asked to verify the solution

6. Closure

Ticket is marked as resolved/closed
Feedback may be requested from the user
Knowledge base may be updated with solution

Common Ticket Statuses:

Status	Description
New/Open	Ticket has been created but not yet assigned or acknowledged
Assigned	Ticket has been allocated to a support staff member
In Progress	Work on resolving the issue has begun
Pending	Awaiting information from user or third party
Resolved	Issue has been fixed but awaiting confirmation
Closed	Issue is confirmed fixed and ticket is complete
Reopened	Previously closed ticket that needs further attention

Ticket Lifecycle

SLAs and Prioritization

Service Level Agreements (SLAs) are commitments between a service provider and the client about the expected level of service. In IT support, SLAs typically define response and resolution times.

Key SLA Components:

Response Time: How quickly support acknowledges the ticket
Resolution Time: How quickly the issue must be resolved
Service Hours: When support is available (e.g., 24/7 or 9-5)
Escalation Process: Steps taken if SLAs are not met

Ticket Priority Levels:

Most ticketing systems use 3-5 priority levels that determine how quickly a ticket needs attention:

Priority	Description	Typical Response Time	Example
Critical/P1	Service outage affecting multiple users or critical business function	15-30 minutes	Email system down for entire company
High/P2	Significant impact to business operations	1-2 hours	Department file share inaccessible
Medium/P3	Limited impact, workaround available	4-8 hours	Printer not working, alternative available
Low/P4	Minor issue, minimal impact	1-2 days	Feature request or non-urgent question

Factors in Priority Determination:

Number of users affected
Business impact
Availability of workarounds
Time sensitivity
VIP status of affected users
Contractual obligations

SLA Calculations:

Response Time: Time between ticket creation and first staff response
Resolution Time: Time between ticket creation and resolution
SLA Compliance Rate: Percentage of tickets resolved within SLA targets
Breach Time: When a ticket exceeds its SLA target

Example SLA Targets:

Priority 1 (Critical):
- Response: 15 minutes
- Resolution: 4 hours
- Available: 24x7

Priority 2 (High):
- Response: 1 hour
- Resolution: 8 hours
- Available: Business hours

Priority 3 (Medium):
- Response: 4 hours
- Resolution: 24 hours
- Available: Business hours

Priority 4 (Low):
- Response: 8 hours
- Resolution: 72 hours
- Available: Business hours

Communication Within Tickets

Effective communication within tickets is crucial for efficient resolution and user satisfaction.

Types of Ticket Comments:

Public Comments/Notes
- Visible to both support staff and end users
- Used for:
  - Requesting additional information
  - Providing status updates
  - Communicating solutions
  - Asking verification questions
- Should be professional and jargon-free
Private/Internal Comments
- Visible only to support staff
- Used for:
  - Technical notes and troubleshooting steps
  - Internal discussion about the issue
  - Documenting attempted solutions
  - Notes about user interaction
  - Recording sensitive information

Best Practices for Ticket Communication:

Be Clear and Concise: Use simple language and avoid technical jargon
Document Everything: Record all troubleshooting steps and outcomes
Use Templates: Create standard responses for common situations
Include Next Steps: Clearly state what happens next and expectations
Provide Time Estimates: When possible, give timeframes for resolution
Update Regularly: Keep users informed, especially for lengthy issues
Use Proper Tone: Remain professional, empathetic, and solution-focused

Common Communication Fields in Tickets:

Subject/Title: Concise description of the issue
Description: Detailed explanation of the problem
Comments/Notes: Ongoing communication thread
Resolution Notes: Documentation of the final solution
Close Comments: Final notes when closing the ticket

Ticket Communication

Zoho Desk Basics

Zoho Desk is a context-aware help desk software that helps businesses focus on the customer. Here's a basic overview of its key features and functionality.

Zoho Desk Interface Overview:

Zoho Desk Dashboard

Key Features:

Multi-Channel Support
- Email, phone, chat, social media, and web form integration
- Automatic ticket creation from any channel
Ticket Management
- Custom ticket views and filters
- Automated ticket assignment and routing
- Customizable workflows and business rules
- SLA management with escalations
Knowledge Base
- Create and publish articles
- Suggest relevant articles based on ticket context
- Multi-language support
Reporting and Analytics
- Pre-built and custom reports
- Performance metrics dashboards
- Team productivity analysis

Zoho Desk Ticket Workflow:

Ticket Creation
- Tickets are created through various channels
- Automatic categorization based on keywords or rules
Assignment and Prioritization
- Automatic or manual assignment to agents
- Priority setting based on configurable rules
Working the Ticket
- Agents update status as they work
- Internal and external communication options
- Time tracking for work performed
Resolution and Closure
- Solution documentation
- Customer satisfaction surveys
- Knowledge base updates

Unique Zoho Desk Features:

Zia: AI assistant that suggests solutions and detects sentiment
Team Supervision: Monitor agent performance in real-time
Blueprints: Visual process builders for ticket workflows
Extensive Integration: Works with Zoho CRM, Analytics, and third-party apps

Knowledge Check: Ticketing Systems

What is the primary purpose of a ticketing system? a) To record employee work hours b) To track and manage user issues and support requests c) To monitor server performance d) To schedule maintenance windows
What does SLA stand for in IT support? a) System Level Architecture b) Service Level Agreement c) Software License Activation d) Support Liaison Assignment
Which of the following would typically be classified as a Priority 1 (Critical) ticket? a) A request for a new software feature b) A single user unable to print c) Email system down for the entire organization d) A question about how to use a specific application
What is the difference between public and private comments in a ticketing system? a) Public comments are visible to all staff, while private comments are only visible to managers b) Public comments are visible to the end user, while private comments are only visible to support staff c) Public comments are automatically posted to social media, while private comments remain internal d) Public comments are included in reports, while private comments are excluded
Which of the following is NOT typically a standard ticket status in help desk systems? a) In Progress b) Pending c) Transferred d) Profitable

Task Scheduler

Task Scheduling Fundamentals

Task scheduling is the process of automating repetitive tasks to run at predetermined times without manual intervention. This is a crucial aspect of IT operations that improves efficiency and ensures consistency in routine processes.

Core Concepts of Task Scheduling:

Automation: Reducing manual effort for repetitive tasks
Timing Control: Executing tasks at optimal times (off-hours, specific intervals)
Dependency Management: Ensuring tasks run in proper sequence
Resource Optimization: Distributing workload to minimize impact

Benefits of Task Scheduling:

Efficiency: Frees up IT staff for more valuable work
Consistency: Eliminates human error in routine tasks
Reliability: Ensures critical tasks are never forgotten
Off-hours Execution: Allows resource-intensive tasks to run during quiet periods
Monitoring: Creates logs for verification and troubleshooting

Common Scheduled Task Categories:

Maintenance Tasks
- Database backups
- Log rotation and archiving
- Disk cleanup and defragmentation
- Temporary file deletion
System Administration
- System updates and patching
- Service restarts
- Health checks and monitoring
- Report generation
Business Processes
- Data imports/exports
- Batch processing
- File synchronization
- Automated emails
Security Operations
- Vulnerability scans
- Antivirus updates
- User access reviews
- Security log analysis

Key Components of Scheduled Tasks:

Trigger: When the task should run (time, event, etc.)
Action: What the task should do (run program, script, etc.)
Conditions: Requirements that must be met to run
Settings: Additional options (retry logic, timeout, etc.)
Security Context: User account under which task runs

Task Scheduling Concept

Windows Task Scheduler

Windows Task Scheduler is a built-in tool that allows users to automate tasks on a Windows computer. It's accessible to all IT support specialists and provides a solid foundation for understanding task automation concepts.

Accessing Windows Task Scheduler:

Search "Task Scheduler" in the Start menu
Run taskschd.msc from Run dialog or Command Prompt
Access via Control Panel > Administrative Tools > Task Scheduler

Creating Basic Scheduled Tasks:

Open Task Scheduler
Click "Create Basic Task" in the right panel
Enter name and description
Select trigger type (daily, weekly, one-time, etc.)
Configure trigger details (time, days, etc.)
Select action (start program, send email, display message)
Configure action details (program path, arguments)
Review settings and finish

Windows Task Scheduler

Advanced Task Properties:

Triggers: Multiple triggers possible
Actions: Multiple actions possible
Conditions: Additional requirements (idle time, power state)
Settings: Execution limits, retry logic, task deletion
History: View execution history (success/failure)
Security: Run as specific user, highest privileges

Common Task Scheduler Use Cases:

System Maintenance:

# Disk Cleanup Command
cleanmgr /sagerun:1

# Check Disk on Next Reboot
chkdsk C: /f /r

Backup Scripts:

# Simple File Backup
robocopy C:\ImportantData D:\Backup\Data /MIR /R:3 /W:10

Network Operations:

# Network Connectivity Check
ping -n 1 google.com > C:\logs\pingtest.log

Application Management:

# Restart Application Service
net stop "Application Service" && net start "Application Service"

Report Generation:

# Export Database Query to CSV
sqlcmd -S server -d database -E -Q "SELECT * FROM table" -o C:\Reports\daily.csv

Dollar Universe Overview

Dollar Universe is an enterprise-class job scheduling and workload automation platform used by large organizations to manage complex batch processing across multiple systems and applications.

Key Features of Dollar Universe:

Cross-Platform Support:
- Windows, Unix, Linux, IBM i, z/OS
- Support for major ERP and database systems
Centralized Management:
- Single console to manage jobs across all environments
- Visual workflow designer
Advanced Scheduling:
- Calendar-based scheduling
- Event-based triggers
- Complex dependencies
- Conditional execution
Enterprise Features:
- Workload forecasting
- Resource management
- SLA monitoring
- Disaster recovery

Dollar Universe Architecture:

Dollar Universe divides its environment into four "universes" or spaces:

Application (X): Development environment
Simulation (S): Testing environment
Integration (I): Staging environment
Production (P): Live environment

This separation allows jobs to be developed and tested before promotion to production.

Basic Dollar Universe Concepts:

Uprocs (Universal Processes): Basic job definitions
Sessions: Groups of related Uprocs
Management Units (MU): Logical grouping of resources
Nodes: Physical or virtual machines where jobs run
Launchers: Components that execute jobs
Business Views: Custom dashboards for monitoring

Dollar Universe Architecture

Practical Task Scheduling Examples

Below are practical examples of common tasks that are typically automated through scheduling systems, along with the commands or scripts used to execute them.

1. Database Backup

Windows Task (SQL Server):

sqlcmd -S serverName -E -Q "BACKUP DATABASE [CustomerDB] TO DISK='D:\Backups\CustomerDB_full_%date:~-4,4%%date:~-10,2%%date:~-7,2%.bak'"

Linux Cron Job (MySQL):

mysqldump --user=username --password=password database_name > /backup/mysql/database_name_$(date +\%Y\%m\%d).sql

Dollar Universe Task:

# Define variables
DATABASE="CustomerDB"
BACKUP_DIR="/backup/databases"
BACKUP_FILE="$DATABASE_$(date +%Y%m%d).bak"

# Execute backup command
sqlcmd -S $SERVER -E -Q "BACKUP DATABASE [$DATABASE] TO DISK='$BACKUP_DIR/$BACKUP_FILE'"

# Verify success and notify
if [ $? -eq 0 ]; then
    echo "Backup successful" | mail -s "Database Backup Success" admin@company.com
else
    echo "Backup failed" | mail -s "URGENT: Database Backup Failure" admin@company.com
fi

2. Log File Cleanup

Windows Task:

forfiles /p "C:\logs" /s /m *.log /d -30 /c "cmd /c del @path"

Linux Cron Job:

find /var/log -name "*.log" -type f -mtime +30 -exec rm {} \;

Dollar Universe Task:

# Define retention period and log directory
RETENTION_DAYS=30
LOG_DIR="/var/log/application"

# Remove files older than retention period
find $LOG_DIR -name "*.log" -type f -mtime +$RETENTION_DAYS -exec rm {} \;

# Compress files older than 7 days but within retention
find $LOG_DIR -name "*.log" -type f -mtime +7 -mtime -$RETENTION_DAYS -exec gzip {} \;

# Log action
echo "Log cleanup completed on $(date)" >> $LOG_DIR/cleanup_history.log

3. System Health Check

Windows Task:

@echo off
echo System Health Check: %date% %time% > C:\reports\health_check.log
echo. >> C:\reports\health_check.log
echo Disk Space: >> C:\reports\health_check.log
wmic logicaldisk get deviceid,freespace,size >> C:\reports\health_check.log
echo. >> C:\reports\health_check.log
echo Memory Usage: >> C:\reports\health_check.log
wmic OS get FreePhysicalMemory,TotalVisibleMemorySize >> C:\reports\health_check.log

Linux Cron Job:

#!/bin/bash
REPORT_FILE="/var/log/health_check.log"
echo "System Health Check: $(date)" > $REPORT_FILE
echo "Disk Usage:" >> $REPORT_FILE
df -h >> $REPORT_FILE
echo -e "\nMemory Usage:" >> $REPORT_FILE
free -m >> $REPORT_FILE
echo -e "\nLoad Average:" >> $REPORT_FILE
uptime >> $REPORT_FILE

4. File Synchronization

Windows Task:

robocopy "E:\SourceFiles" "\\server\backup\files" /MIR /R:3 /W:10 /LOG:C:\logs\sync_log.txt

Linux Cron Job:

rsync -avz --delete /source/directory/ user@remote:/destination/directory/ >> /var/log/rsync.log 2>&1

5. Application Service Monitor

Windows Task:

@echo off
sc query "Important Service" | find "RUNNING" > nul
if errorlevel 1 (
  net start "Important Service"
  echo Service restarted at %date% %time% >> C:\logs\service_restarts.log
)

Linux Cron Job:

#!/bin/bash
if ! pgrep -x "service_name" > /dev/null; then
  systemctl start service_name
  echo "Service restarted at $(date)" >> /var/log/service_monitor.log
fi

Dollar Universe Complex Job Example:

# Define a complex ETL process with dependencies and notifications

# Step 1: Extract data from source system
EXTRACT_STATUS=$(./extract_data.sh)
if [ $EXTRACT_STATUS -ne 0 ]; then
  echo "Extract failed with status $EXTRACT_STATUS" | mail -s "ETL Process Failure" team@company.com
  exit $EXTRACT_STATUS
fi

# Step 2: Transform data
TRANSFORM_STATUS=$(./transform_data.sh)
if [ $TRANSFORM_STATUS -ne 0 ]; then
  echo "Transform failed with status $TRANSFORM_STATUS" | mail -s "ETL Process Failure" team@company.com
  exit $TRANSFORM_STATUS
fi

# Step 3: Load data into data warehouse
LOAD_STATUS=$(./load_data.sh)
if [ $LOAD_STATUS -ne 0 ]; then
  echo "Load failed with status $LOAD_STATUS" | mail -s "ETL Process Failure" team@company.com
  exit $LOAD_STATUS
fi

# Step 4: Generate reports
REPORT_STATUS=$(./generate_reports.sh)
if [ $REPORT_STATUS -ne 0 ]; then
  echo "Report generation failed with status $REPORT_STATUS" | mail -s "ETL Process Failure" team@company.com
  exit $REPORT_STATUS
fi

# All steps completed successfully
echo "ETL process completed successfully at $(date)" | mail -s "ETL Process Success" team@company.com

Knowledge Check: Task Scheduler

What is the primary benefit of using task scheduling in IT operations? a) Increasing server security b) Automating repetitive tasks to improve efficiency c) Reducing hardware requirements d) Simplifying user interface
In Windows Task Scheduler, which of the following is NOT a standard trigger type? a) At startup b) On idle c) On network connection d) At a specific time
What command would you use to schedule a task that deletes log files older than 30 days in Windows? a) del C:\logs\*.log /days:30 b) forfiles /p "C:\logs" /s /m *.log /d -30 /c "cmd /c del @path" c) remove-item -path C:\logs -older 30 d) erase C:\logs\*.log -age 30
What is a "Uproc" in Dollar Universe? a) A universal processor b) An upgrade procedure c) A basic job definition (Universal Process) d) An error logging utility
When scheduling backup tasks, what is considered a best practice? a) Always run backups during peak business hours b) Include verification steps and error notification c) Use the same backup destination for all backups d) Run backups as a standard user account

Server Monitoring Basics

Monitoring Fundamentals

Server monitoring is the process of continuously tracking and analyzing server performance, availability, and health to ensure optimal operation and quickly identify issues before they impact users.

Goals of Server Monitoring:

Proactive Issue Detection: Identify problems before they affect users
Performance Optimization: Track resources to maintain optimal performance
Capacity Planning: Collect data for future resource needs
Security: Detect unusual activity that may indicate breaches
Compliance: Meet regulatory and policy requirements
Availability Tracking: Ensure systems remain operational and accessible

Types of Monitoring:

Infrastructure Monitoring:
- Hardware health
- Operating system performance
- Network connectivity
- Storage utilization
Application Monitoring:
- Application performance
- Error rates
- Response times
- User experience
Service Monitoring:
- Service availability
- Business process completion
- End-to-end transaction flows
- Service level agreement compliance

Monitoring Methods:

Agent-Based: Software installed on servers collects and reports data
- Pros: Detailed information, works behind firewalls
- Cons: Requires installation, consumes resources
Agentless: External systems check server status without local software
- Pros: No installation needed, minimal overhead
- Cons: Less detailed information, network access required
Synthetic Monitoring: Simulating user actions to test functionality
- Pros: Tests user experience, proactive
- Cons: May not catch all real-world issues
Real User Monitoring: Tracking actual user interactions
- Pros: Shows actual user experience issues
- Cons: Reactive, privacy considerations

Server Monitoring Concept

Key Monitoring Metrics

Understanding critical server metrics is essential for effective monitoring. Here are the key metrics operations teams typically track:

1. CPU Metrics

CPU Utilization: Percentage of processor time being used
CPU Load: Number of processes waiting for CPU time
CPU Queue Length: Tasks waiting for processor time
Context Switches: How often CPU switches between tasks