HaloITSM Guides
Documentation to assist with the setup and configuration of the HaloITSM platform
Service Status Monitoring
Service Status Monitoring
Service Status Monitoring is a full service monitoring service within Halo, and allows tracking of full history from your chosen monitoring software.
This part works by receiving e-mails from your third party systems, processing those emails to update the Halo service status database, whatever the status of the notification, and track the history of the status of this service.
New requests can be raised when a service fails, where you can track the actions taken to restore the service to operational status.
Halo can even generate a ticket if a Service Status e-mail is not received.
The definition of a Service is quite broad. Examples of Services:
· A nightly batch job, such as a backup, virus scans, or disc space check.
· A frequently recurring check, such as a check of the status of a network link, or a check that a URL is operational.
· A manual task such as changing of the backup tapes in a server or periodically reviewing the list of valid users.
· Monitoring for warning messages from a third party utility or monitoring system and tracking that actions are taken to respond to the warning.
· Any task or job that you wish to report the success or failure of, and which may form part of your SLA. send the e-mail. This file can be found in the Win folder of the Halo installation folder.
Defining a Service
- Click on an existing one or press new in the top right.
- If editing an existing service, click edit in the top left
- Name and assign the category to the service
- Assign a cost and delivery time if necessary, add a description and summarise the service
- Head to the configuration page
- Adjust the settings as necessary, these are detailed below
- Of importance is how the ticket is logged to reference the service request
- If you pick a template to be logged this can choose the ticket type
- Fill in the remaining tabs including User Access and add any subscribers from here
- Add any related services and assets
Click Save
Details Tab
The details tab has the following fields:
Description | Define how this service will differ from others. |
Service Category | Select a predefined Service Type, these are set up in the left hand pane of the screen and clicking ‘New’
|
Estimated Delivery | This is the standard hours for fulfilment from request to delivery |
Service Cost | This is the standard cost for the service |
Business Owner | This is the User/Supplier/Agent that is responsible for this at a top level |
Technical Owner | This is the User/Supplier/Agent that is responsible for delivery or ensuring this operates as intended |
Configuration Tab
Specify the Users affected by the Service Status monitoring. Allows you to build a list of those affected, and e-mail en masse should you wish to keep them updated of any progress.
Service Assets Tab
Specify the Assets affected by the Service Status monitoring. Allows you to track any changes against the Asset entry also.
Service Status Tracking
Checking Interval in Minutes: | How often the check is expected to send an 'all is OK' message. If the message doesn't arrive, it indicates that the state of the service is unknown. |
Details Link: | A link to more detailed information about the service. Specify a URL or the name of a file preceded by the name of a viewing program, e.g.'notepad.exe status.txt'. |
Override Operational Status: | This is used to override the actual status with predetermined values. |
Parameters 1,2,3: | These are set for each service, and have meanings dependent on what the type is. For virus checking services the first parameter is the server name being checked. For file transfer services the first parameter is the keyword associated with the service, the second is the destination file location. |
Minimum/Maximum Values: | Zero (0) by default. |
Identification Rules
The identification rule tab defines how the incoming service status email is linked to a service, and has the following fields:
POP3 Server | Define which POP3 server the e-mail arrived on. |
Subject | A string that is found in the email subject. |
Body | A string that is found in the email body. |
From Address | A string that is found in the email from address. |
To Address | A string that is found in the email to address. |
ID Rule is Enabled | Uncheck to temporarily disable the rule. |
Status Rules
The status rules tab defines how Halo knows the status of a service i.e. Is it OK, or a Fault and has the following fields:
Choose whether receiving an e-mail notification from your monitoring software mean either:
1. Status is OK, or
2. Status is Fault / Service Failure / Problem.
Status is OK.
Select if receiving any message means the Service is OK, or
The message must contain one of 4 things to be classed as OK. Define as applicable.
Subject | A string that is found in the email subject indicating the status is OK. |
Body | A string in the email body. |
From Address | A string in the email from address. |
To Address | A string in the email to address. |
If more than one value needs to be matched use ‘$OR$ to separate parameters.
Status is Fault / Service Failure / Problem
Select if receiving any message means the Service is a fault, or
The message must contain one of 4 things to be classed as a fault or problem:
Subject | A string that is found in the email subject indicating the status is OK. |
Body | A string in the email body. |
From Address | A string in the email from address. |
To Address | A string in the email to address. |
If more than one value needs to be matched use ‘$OR$ to separate parameters.
Choose to create a Request on Failure, as required.
Setup Third Party Software
Set up your software to send an e-mail to the mailbox being polled by Halo.
By default all service status messages should have 'SERVICESTATUS' in their subject line.
If the third party service status gathering program doesn’t have the ability to send an e- mail directly, you can use the API to perform this if available from the 3rd party application. Check your APIDOC at Yourwebappurl.tld/apidoc
NHServer Processing
Configuration > Email > Email Rules.
Click New in the top right.
By default all service status messages should have 'SERVICESTATUS' in their subject line.
View Status Of Services:
Go to the Main Screen Navigation Bar > Services. A service can be in one of the following states and is indicated by the colours of traffic lights on service status lists:
OK | The NHServer program has received an email for this service that says it is OK. It has been received within the time frame expected (green) |
Fault | The NHServer program has received an email for this service that says it has a problem and is faulty. (red) |
Unknown - expired | No email has been received telling the status of the service within the time frame expected. So the service may be OK, but you don't know. (purple) |
Unknown No Data | Needs investigation. |
Overridden | You can manually override the status of the service as required. (An exclamation point (!) precedes status description) |
Engineer Aware | Engineer is aware of the issue, and actively working on it. |
Popular Guides
- Asset Import - CSV/XLS/Spreadsheet Method
- Call Management in Halo
- Creating Agents and Editing Agent Details
- Departments, Teams and Roles
- Importing Data
- Multiple New Portals with different branding for one customer [Hosted]
- Organisation Basics
- Organising Teams of Agents
- Step-by-Step Configuration Walk Through
- Suppliers
- Syncing Exchange Calendars
