| See also:
4656 KAOT01::S_HYNDMAN 9-MAR-1993 0 Is it possible to manage UNIX/S*
4181 RIPPLE::KOPEC_ST 1-DEC-1992 2 Equip Inv dbase, Work Order sys*
3483 DPDMAI::DAVIES 31-JUL-1992 2 Trouble Ticket: UIS-HELPLINE
3109 WARNUT::PURNELLR 1-JUN-1992 2 Trouble ticketing system
1764 TOOK::MCPHERSON 5-NOV-1991 54 QUESTION: What do you want from*
Possibly candidates (3rd party, shipping NOW)
1. "Target->Hotline" from Target Systems
2. UIS-HelpLine (about which I know nothing)
3. Remedy ARS (doesn't run on any DEC platforms)
Attached are instructions on how to integate Target->Hotline. Could be
extended top work with just about ant TT application, I believe...
/doug
********************************************************************************
From: TOOK::MCPHERSON "Life is hard. Play short. 24-Mar-1993 1108" 24-MAR-1993 11:18:04.27
To: SIOG::PARKS
CC: MCPHERSON
Subj: RE: target hotline and decmcc
Colman,
>I believe that you have integrated Target Hotline with DECmcc. Is any of
>this work re-useable for another customer (Intel) and/or can you give me
>details of how it was done ?
I have attached some emails between myself and Target Systems. These
should give you enough to get started.
Note that these methods were all based on MCC V1.2 (or earlier)
capabilities and some enhancements have been made in MCC V1.3 (now
shipping). Notable changes with V1.3 are:
- event collector now supports UDP/IP as well as DECnet for event
transport. This means that the mcc_evc_send program needs to
have a 7th argument specified : protocol (either UDPIP or DECNET)
- It is much easier to customize the Iconic Map PM menus and add
new applications to them. This means it would be trivial to add
a "Trouble Ticketing" menu with several buttons on it for opening
up various Hotline functionality (e.g. "Open Ticket", "Close
Ticket", etc)
Please consult the new MCC documentation for how to use these new
features.
/doug
<attachment>
From: ISVNET::NM%IH2000::CROTEAU "Jerry Croteau Target Systems (508)460-9206 06-Dec-1991 1625" 6-DEC-1991 16:27:38.00
To: DECNET::NM%TOOK::MCPHERSON
CC: CROTEAU
Subj: RE: DECmcc information for TARGET->HOTLINE
Doug,
Thanks! I got it this time. You should be able to send to me
at ISVNET::CROTEAU.
I really appreciate the info on DECmcc. I'm leaving for DECUS in
the morning so I'll talk to you when I get back.
Take care for now.
Sincerely,
Jerry Croteau
Product Manager
TARGET SYSTEMS CORP - "Helpdesk/System Management Software for VAX Computers"
33 Boston Post Road West
Marlboro, MA 01752 USA
508-460-9206 fax 508-481-9187
Digital Easynet -> ISVNET::CROTEAU (from VMSmail)
Digital ALL-IN-1 -> CROTEAU @ ISVNET @ VMSMAIL (from ALL-IN-1)
Internet Email -> CROTEAU @ ISVNET.ENET.DEC.COM
From: DECNET::NM%TOOK::MCPHERSON "Doug McPherson | DTN 226-5145 | LKG2-2/N1 06-Dec-1991 1623" 6-DEC-1991 16:22:32.40
To: ISVNET::NM%IH2000::CROTEAU
CC: MCPHERSON
Subj: RE: DECmcc information for TARGET->HOTLINE
From: TOOK::MCPHERSON "Doug McPherson | DTN 226-5145 | LKG2-2/N1 06-Dec-1991 1511" 6-DEC-1991 15:20:16.52
To: ISVNET::NM%ISVHUB::CROTEAU
CC: DELNI::TERZIAN,JSG,MCPHERSON
Subj: Target->Hotline DECmcc integration instructions
This is a little skimpy on the "Target->Hotline" instructions, but
expect you know how to write up the instructions for that end...
I intentionally left out the instructions for the V1.2-specific
integration of getting escalation data back into DECmcc from
Target->Hotline because I haven't had a chance to try it, yet and the
instructions won't be needed until we can get the 1.2 stuff shipping
(got a few months, I think...)
Hope that this is helpful (for Target and Digital...)
/doug
*******************************************************************************
Customers of Target Systems' "Target->Hotline" and Digital's DECmcc
director products (DECmcc-EMS, BMS or SMS) applications can integrate
the two products using some simple command procedures to allow them to
share data.
Currently with DECmcc V1.1, customers can use DECmcc alarm data to
automatically open trouble tickets on other systems running
Target->Hotline. With DECmcc V1.2, users will also be able to alert
DECmcc about such things as escalation of trouble tickets that have
been opened on Target->Hotline.
To allow DECmcc to send alarm data into Target->Hotline for further
processing (e.g. opening and directing Trouble Tickets), the following
steps need to be taken:
ON THE DECMCC SYSTEM:
STEP 1. Modify the MCC Alarms FM MAIL procedure to include the PROBLEM
CODE identifiers needed by Target->Hotline.
Copy the sample MCC DCL procedure "MCC_COMMON:MCC_ALARMS_MAIL_ALARM.COM"
to "MCC_COMMON:MCC_ALARMS_HOTLINE_MAIL_ALARM.COM". (We'll edit this
command procedure rather than change the one supplied with the kit.)
Add a line to the alarm mail message to tell Target->Hotline the
appropriate PROBLEM CODE for this particular alarm. (NOTE: You'll also
need to make certain that Target->Hotline has the same PROBLEM CODE set
up on that end, and is also set up to dispatch the message to the
appropriate Hotline personnel.) Do this by copying and modifying a
block of 4 lines just above the section of the procedure that deals
with "processing the DRF". (This is about at line #150 of the command
procedure.). You will need to add in a section that looks like this:
$ ! Add in the problem code string for Target->Hotline
$ header = "PROBLEM CODE: "
$ total_line = F$EDIT ("''CATEGORY'", "TRIM")
$ call write_lines
Now this procedure will send a mail message identical to the original
procedure, except that it includes a line for PROBLEM CODE. In this
case, we simply copied the "Category" parameter passed in by the Alarms
FM and used it as PROBLEM CODE, too.
STEP 2. Select or create the alarm rule that is appropriate for the
situation you would want Target->Hotline to open a trouble
ticket on.
As the parameter to the alarm rule, specify the MAIL account (or VMSmail
distribution list) that you would like to send the DECmcc alarm data to.
At least one of the recipients of the alarm mail message must be a
Target->Hotline mail account (e.g. TARGET::HOTLINE).
Make sure that the "Category" parameter is the same as a PROBLEM CODE
that the Target->Hotline system knows about.
For example, an alarm rule script might look something like this:
Create MCC 0 ALARMS RULE HOTLINE-RULE1 -
Category = "BRIDGE", -
Description = "Someone has changed the Hello Interval on this bridge.", -
Expression = (CHANGE_OF (BRIDGE BLDG1 Hello Interval, *,*)), -
Procedure = MCC_COMMON:MCC_ALARMS_HOTLINE_MAIL_ALARM.COM, -
Exception Handler = MCC_COMMON:MCC_ALARMS_MAIL_EXCEPTION.COM, -
Perceived Severity = WARNING, -
Parameter = "TARGET::HOTLINE", -
Queue = "SYS$BATCH", -
in domain = CAMPUS_LAN
"HOTLINE-RULE1" is DECmcc's name for this particular alarm rule. Each
alarm rule within DECmcc must have a unique name.
"Category" is the string that the procedure will copy into the PROBLEM
CODE for Target-Hotline. For DECmcc's purposes, it could be any
meaningful string, but Target->Hotline's PROBLEM CODE limitation is six
characters, so that is our limit for this approach.
"Description" can be any text that might help the recipient of the
Alarm Mail message make sense of the problem.
"Procedure" is the full file specification of the DCL command procedure
to run when the alarm rule evaluates to TRUE. In this case, it will
execute the file MCC_ALARMS_HOTLINE_MAIL_ALARM.COM, located in
MCC_COMMON.
The "Exception Handler" is the procedure that is run to 'clean things up'
when (for whatever reason) the alarm rule cannot be evaluated when it
is scheduled (e.g. the bridge is unreachable).
The Parameter "TARGET::HOTLINE" is used as the parameter to specify the
generic Target->Hotline account to receive the alarm mail message.
Note that this could just as easily be a list of addresses or the name
of a VMSmail distribution list.
"Perceived Severity" may one of six levels available in the DECmcc
system: Indeterminate, Clear, Warning, Minor, Major and Critical.
"SYS$BATCH" is the name of the queue that the command procedure will
execute on when the alarm rule evaluates to "TRUE".
STEP 3. Create and enable the rule in DECmcc.
Assuming you have created the alarm rule above and saved it in a file
(say RULE-1.COM), you can create it and enable it from the DECmcc
command line interface by doing the following commands:
MCC> DO RULE-1.COM
MCC> ENABLE MCC 0 ALARM RULE HOTLINE-RULE1
Now that the rule is enabled an running, it will automatically send
mail to Target->Hotline whenever someone changes the Hello Interval on
that bridge. It will continue to remain running as long as the rule
remains enabled (and DECmcc is running for that process).
On the Target->Hotline system:
STEP 1. Make certain that there is a mail account set up to receive and mail
messages and dispatch them to the appropriate personnel.
STEP 2. Make certain that the PROBLEM CODES that DECmcc will be including in
its mail messages match up to codes already entered in Target->Hotline.
Additionally, there should be appropriate mail message routing set up
for each of the problem codes. (That way BRIDGE problems will go to the
BRIDGE specialists, DECNET problems will go to the DECNET specialist,
etc).
STEP 3. Make sure that the mail collection is running.
From: TOOK::MCPHERSON "Life is hard. Play short. 17-Dec-1992 0954" 17-DEC-1992 09:54:48.77
To: US1RMC::"farber@target.com"
CC: MCPHERSON
Subj: resend: DCL procedure to send events to MCC from Hotline...
From: TOOK::MCPHERSON "Life is hard. Play short. 13-Jul-1992 1310" 13-JUL-1992 13:11:59.13
To: US1RMC::"farber@target.com" ,US1RMC::"croteau@target.com"
CC: DELNI::TERZIAN,MCPHERSON
Subj: I: Sample, self-documenting procedure for sending Target->Hotline escalation notices into DECmcc using the Data collector for V1.2
Howdy.
The attached DCL procedure is a fair example of how to include support
for sending events from Target->Hotline into DECmcc via the Data
Collector AM and the sample DCL / Ultrix shell interface
(mcc_evc_send.exe) shipped with the kit.
The sample below uses Trouble Ticket escalation as an example and is
triggered each time an open ticket escalates. This procedure can also
be copied and slightly modified to send events to DECmcc when a trouble
ticket is opened or closed. (Note: For Closing a ticket, you may want
to force the severity to "Clear").
This procedure is pretty self-explanatory. Please test it out before
you ship it to ant customers or include it in any documentation, as
it's really easy to get the "''' '"s mixed up sometimes when you're
building up a message string from global symbols...
Call or send mail if you want to discuss this in more detail...
/doug (508)
486-5145
$ Save_Verify = F$Verify(0)
$goto start
$!+--------------------------------------------------------------------------
$!
$! File: HOTLINE_MCC_SEND.COM
$! Author: Douglas McPherson
$! DECmcc/Enterprise Management Frameworks,
$! DIGITAL EQUIPMENT CORPORATION
$!
$! Revision
$! History: When Who What
$! -------------------------------------------------------------
$! 13-JULY-1992 Doug Initial creation
$!
$!
$!
$!+--------------------------------------------------------------------------
$! This is a sample DCL command procedure that demonstrates how one might
$! use the sample Data Collector code (mcc_evc_send) to 'sink' events about
$! Trouble Ticket Escaltion into a DECmcc system running the Data Collector
$! event sink (MCC_EVC_SINK.EXE).
$!
$! THIS IS SUPPLIED AS AN EXAMPLE ONLY.
$!
$! Please examine the comments carefully for instructions on how to
$! customize this procedure to meet your particular environment.
$!
$!+--------------------------------------------------------------------------
$START:
$ on error then continue
$ on severe_error then continue
$!
$!
$! Change the next line to reflect the current location of mcc_evc_send.exe
$! on your system.
$!
$ send_event :== $mcc_examples:mcc_evc_send.exe
$!
$!
$! Change the next line to reflect the DECnet node name of the DECmcc
$! system running the Data Collector Event sink that you wish to receive
$! the event:
$!
$ sink_node :== MCDOUG
$!
$!
$! Change the next line to reflect the name Data Collector on the DECmcc system
$! you wish to receive the event:
$!
$ collector_name :== Trouble_Tickets
$!
$! The next line is used to insert the Target->Hotline log number into the
$! Event Title field of the message:
$!
$!
$ notify_text == "Open Ticket: #''hot_log_number'"
$!
$! The next line is used to construct the actual event text by
$! substituting the appropriate symbols into the event text string that is
$! sent by the MCC_EVC_SEND.EXE application. This data includes:
$! - brief description of the Ticket
$! - time logged
$! - username who logged it
$!
$ event_text == "''hot_log_description' logged ''hot_log_logged_time' by ''hot_log_logged_user'."
$!
$!
$! The next few lines translate the Target->Hotline severity codes into
$! one of the six severities that the event sink on the receiving end can
$! understand: Indeterminate, Clear, Warning, Minor, Major, Critical.
$! (The default severity is Indeterminate.)
$!
$ event_severity = "INDETERMINATE"
$ if hot_log_priority .eqs. "A" then event_severity = "MAJOR"
$ if hot_log_priority .eqs. "B" then event_severity = "WARNING"
$ if hot_log_priority .eqs. "C" then event_severity = "MINOR"
$ if hot_log_priority .eqs. "X" then event_severity = "CLEAR"
$!
$! Now we bundle it all up and send the event...
$!
$ send_event -
'sink_node' - !Node name where collector sink is running
"''collector_name'" - !Name of collector on DECmcc system
"''target_entity" - !Name of alternate Icon (entity) to do color change (defaults to Icon for the Collection)
"''notify_text'" - !Text to appear in notification window
"''event_text'" - !Detail text for notification detail window
'event_severity !Severity
$!
$! All done. Go home.
$ Exit 1+0*F$Verify(Save_Verify)
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