ServiceDesk Plus is an ITIL ready help desk application from ManageEngine. Desktop Central is a windows desktop management software that helps enterprises to improve their IT Services by remotely deploying patches, software, managing assets, etc. As per ITIL, improving your Service Operation and with constant improvisation techniques, you should be able to improve the value of your services.
Desktop Central integrates with ServiceDesk Plus to update the Asset data in to CMDB, Auto-generate tickets for help desk requests and the ability to deploy software applications from ServiceDesk Plus. Some of the benefits of this integration include:
- Get comprehensive information about IT assets like hardware and software installed in the computers in your network
- Log specific events like detecting prohibited software applications, insufficient number of licenses as tickets in ServiceDesk Plus
- Log service and configuration requests, made by users as tickets in ServiceDesk Plus, automatically
- Install software applications from the ServiceDesk Plus console
Integrating Asset Data to CMDB
Desktop Central scans the Windows Systems in your network periodically and collects data related to hardware and software assets that are installed. The data is then saved in your ServiceDesk Plus CMDB. This means you will get a most accurate asset data in your ServiceDesk Plus console.
Prerequisites x Close
Before you integrate details about assets with ServiceDesk Plus, you must complete the following tasks:
- Ensure that the build numbers conform to the details given below:
- Desktop Central: Professional Edition, Build number 70017 or later versions
- ServiceDesk Plus: Professional Edition, Build number 7601 or later versions
- Run both Desktop Central and ServiceDesk Plus in your network
- Manage all the computers in your network using Desktop Central
- Configure ServiceDesk Plus settings in Desktop Central. Navigate to the ServiceDesk Plus Settings section in the Desktop Central console and enter the following information about the computer in which you have installed ServiceDesk Plus:
- IP address of the server or the DNS name
- Port number of the server
- Protocol settings for communication
- Check the IT Asset Data checkbox in the Features to Integrate section
Process of Integrating Asset Data x Close
Whenever the data related to assets is updated in Desktop Central, it will automatically be updated in ServiceDesk Plus. The Desktop Central agents collect data related to hardware and software assets in your network and send it to the Desktop Central server. This data is then synchronized and updated in the ServiceDesk Plus server (refer to the figure given below).
Integrating Asset Data with ServiceDesk Plus
You can also integrate data related to assets in your network with ManageEngine Asset Explorer.
Sending Help Desk Requests as Tickets
Desktop Central provides the users the ability to submit helps desk requests. It provides the users with a set of request templates that are customizable. The requests submitted by the users are logged as tickets automatically. It leverages your windows logon credential to submit tickets to ServiceDesk Plus. This means, you would no longer require to be re-authenticated to submit your requests.
Benefits x Close
The benefits include the following:
- Submit requests without logging in
- Send requests using predefined templates
- Use customizable subject lines to configure the HelpDesk application and enable automatic assignment of tickets
- Configure settings in Desktop Central to log the following asset-related alerts as tickets in ServiceDesk Plus. These include alerts related to:
- Recently added hardware
- Commercial software applications that have recently been installed or uninstalled
- Prohibited software applications that have recently been installed
- Software compliance issues related to expired licenses or under licensed software applications
Prerequisites x Close
Before you begin logging helpdesk-related requests as tickets or sending them using e-mail, you must complete the following tasks:
- Ensure that the build numbers conform to the details given below:
- Desktop Central: Professional Edition, Build number 70133 or later versions
- ServiceDesk Plus: Version 8.0 or later versions
- Run both Desktop Central and ServiceDesk Plus in your network
- Manage all the computers in your network using Desktop Central
- Configure ServiceDesk Plus settings in Desktop Central. Navigate to the ServiceDesk Plus Settings section in the Desktop Central console and enter the following information about the computer in which you have installed ServiceDesk Plus:
- IP address of the server or the DNS
- Port number of the server
- Protocol settings for communication
- Check the Log Help Desk Requests as Tickets checkbox in the Features to Integrate section
Process of Logging HelpDesk Requests x Close
To send requests to the helpdesk as tickets using e-mail, you must complete the following tasks:
- Configure the mail server settings in the Desktop Central console
- In the Admin tab>Help Desk Settings section, enter domain from which you want to send the ticket
- Enter content for the subject for the e-mail that you want logged as a ticket
- Select the required predefined template
- Send the request when required using the Desktop Central tray icon
Deploying Software Applications
Help Desk technicians can deploy software applications to specific computers from the ServiceDesk Plus console. All the software packages that are added in Desktop Central can be deployed from ServiceDesk Plus and the status of the deployment is updated in both Desktop Central and ServiceDesk Plus.
Prerequisites x Close
Before you begin logging helpdesk-related requests as tickets or sending them using e-mail, you must complete the following tasks:
Process of Deploying Software x Close
When you add new software packages to Desktop Central the packages are automatically updated in the ServiceDesk Plus server. To deploy software packages from ServiceDesk Plus you must complete the following tasks:
- Enable the Install/Uninstall option using the Service Catalogs option in the ServiceDesk Plus console
- Create a request to install software applications
- Use the Install/Uninstall option to create a configuration using the Desktop Central console. This configuration is deployed by the Desktop Central agent after the 90-minute refresh cycle or when the computer is started—whichever takes place earlier.
Unified Console
Help Desk technicians can now perform all desktop management functions from within ServiceDesk Plus. All the screens of Desktop Central will not get displayed within the ServiceDesk Plus Console and the users can choose the Desktop Management functions that they wish to perform from the Desktop Management menu.
Prerequisites x Close
Before you begin integrating Desktop Central UI with ServiceDesk Plus, you should ensure the following
- Ensure that the build numbers conform to the details given below:
- Desktop Central: Professional Edition, Build number 70242 or later builds
- ServiceDesk Plus: Build Number 8017 or later versions
- Run both Desktop Central and ServiceDesk Plus in your network
- Manage all the computers in your network using Desktop Central
- Configure the Desktop Central Settings in ServiceDesk Plus. Navigate to the Desktop Central Server settings section in the ServiceDesk Plus console and enter the following information about the computer in which you have installed Desktop Central:
- Name of the server
- Port number of the server
- Protocol settings for communication
- Select "Enable Desktop Management Menu" option and Save
Process of UI Integration x Close
When you integrate the Desktop Central console with ServiceDesk Plus:
- ServiceDesk Plus users will get to see a Desktop Management menu in ServiceDesk Console
- They can access all the Desktop Management functions from that menu
- Whenever a new user is added in ServiceDesk Plus who has access to Desktop Management functions, the user will also get added in Desktop Central.
Useful References
“Asset data integration from Desktop Central to ServiceDesk Plus is a great new feature that has improved management of assets in our network.The asset data in ServiceDesk Plus is now up-to-date and accurate. In short, the asset information collected by the Desktop Central agents are more reliable.
”Rob van Endt, IT Manager, Hutt City Council
Want more features?
Send us your wish list of the features of Desktop Central features that you want integrated with ServiceDesk Plus. For more details on ServiceDesk Plus, see www.servicedeskplus.com.
