IT Help Desk Software

[Rspademan]

Hi All,

 

I work as a IT Tech in a school in Nottinghamshire and have been assigned with the job of finding some helpdesk software for staff to use.

 

I've googled around a bit and have seen a lot out there, would appricate some feedback from people. We even have a little bit of a budget for this so it doesn't have to be 'freebie' software.

 

Anyone within the Nottinghamshire area that has a helpdesk solution in place they can chat to me about or even allow me a quick visit to check to see it in action?

 

Any help would be greatly apprciated.

 

Richard

[Jawloms]

SpiceWorks all the way....

[FN-GM]

We use Spiceworks, its free and is good for a basic helpdesk. We do want to roll-out a helpdesk to other departments in school so we will probably be moving off it.

[witch]

There have been many threads on this topic which will give you a good idea - just search edugeek.

Here's some to start you off:

http://www.edugeek.net/forums/network-classroom-management/108328-helpdesks-webhelpdesk-pro-servicedesk-plus-other.html

 

 

http://www.edugeek.net/forums/how-do-you-do/112399-new-domain-helpdesk.html

[Gibbo]

Spiceworks if there are a few of you and you need free.

 

ManageEngine ServiceDesk if you're happy to pay.

[bladedanny]

We use osticket. It's PHP/SQL based so needs a web server to run on. We have it running on a really old desktop and it runs fine. If you know a bit about PHP you can write your own scripts, for example I have a page that just displays how many open tickets there are that is constantly displayed on a screen in the office.

 

It can also be setup to pull emails from an inbox and create tickets out of those.

[djm968]

Spiceworks

[sparkeh]

We use Spiceworks, its free and is good for a basic helpdesk. We do want to roll-out a helpdesk to other departments in school so we will probably be moving off it.

Not looked at it in depth but SW now allows you to create multiple departments in the helpdesk if that helps you?

 

edit: Oh another vote for Spiceworks

[Mako]

Spiceworks.

[FN-GM]

Not looked at it in depth but SW now allows you to create multiple departments in the helpdesk if that helps you?

 

edit: Oh another vote for Spiceworks

 

Can you? Didn't know that.

 

It is however a pain that you can't use ldap for the back end and you cant make it so people cant edit other tickets.

 

Thanks

[ICTonto]

I'll add a lonely voice for Request Tracker RT: Request Tracker - Best Practical , it does need some linux skills but is fast and fully configurable.

[chris_uk]

I'll add a lonely voice for Request Tracker RT: Request Tracker - Best Practical , it does need some linux skills but is fast and fully configurable.

Have you got it linked to Active Directory? It is the one thing that is stopping me from using it.

[localzuk]

Have you got it linked to Active Directory? It is the one thing that is stopping me from using it.

 

I used it with AD for about 4 years - its a faff but totally doable, until I moved to Spiceworks.

 

The beauty of RT is that it is crazily customisable - you can get it doing all sorts of fun things. The downside is the complexity in doing so.

[WithoutMotive]

Another one for Spiceworks here. I use it as an email-only helpdesk. Saves staff having to learn something different (unless, like here, they're a bit pathetic at using email, too).

[chris_uk]

I used it with AD for about 4 years - its a faff but totally doable, until I moved to Spiceworks.

 

The beauty of RT is that it is crazily customisable - you can get it doing all sorts of fun things. The downside is the complexity in doing so.

Don't suppose you still have some of the config's for it?

[Jamman960]

I really like OTRS, mainly for the automated SLA's although I still haven't got around to fully implementing it as yet

 

James

[HMCTech]

Help Desk Software, Live Chat Software and Customer Service Software

[localzuk]

Don't suppose you still have some of the config's for it?

 

# Any configuration directives you include  here will override
# RT's default configuration file, RT_Config.pm
#
# To include a directive here, just copy the equivalent statement
# from RT_Config.pm and change the value. We've included a single
# sample value below.
#
# This file is actually a perl module, so you can include valid
# perl code, as well.
#
# The converse is also true, if this file isn't valid perl, you're
# going to run into trouble. To check your SiteConfig file, use
# this comamnd:
#
#   perl -c /path/to/your/etc/RT_SiteConfig.pm


$DatabasePassword = 'rt_pass';


$MailCommand = 'sendmailpipe';
$SemdmailArguments = '-oi';


$CorrespondAddress = '[email protected]';
$CommentAddress = '[email protected]';


$Timezone = 'Europe/London';


#Set($LogToSyslog , undef);
#Set($LogToScreen , 'error');
#Set($LogToFile , 'debug');
#Set($LogDir, '/opt/rt3/var/log');
#Set($LogToFileNamed , "rt.log"); #log to rt.log




Set( $rtname, 'site/rt');
Set( $Organization, "ORG");
Set ($WebBaseURL , 'http://SITE');
Set ($WebPath , '/rt');


Set($WebImageURL, $WebPath . "/NoAuth/images/");
Set($LogoURL, $WebImagesURL . "logo.gif");
Set($LogoLinkURL, "http://SITE/rt");
Set($LogoImageURL, $WebImagesURL . "logo.gif");
Set($LogoAltText, "ICT Helpdesk");


#Set(@Plugins,(qw(Extension::QuickDelete)));
Set(@Plugins,'RT::FM','RT::IR','RTx::Statistics', 'RTx::Calendar','RTx::Tags',(qw(RTx::EmailCompletion)),qw(RT::Authen::ExternalAuth));


Set($HomepageComponents, [qw(QuickCreate Quicksearch MyCalendar
    MyAdminQueues MySupportQueues MyReminders RefreshHomepage)]);


# THE EXTERNAL AUTH


Set($WebExternalAuth, 0);
Set($WebExternalAuto, 0);


Set($ExternalAuthPriority, ['My_LDAP']);
Set($ExternalInfoPriority, [ 'My_LDAP']);


Set($ExternalServiceUsesSSLorTLS, 0);


Set($AutoCreateNonExternalUsers, 0);


Set($ExternalSettings, {
'My_LDAP' => {
'type' => 'ldap',
'auth' => 1,
'info' => 1,
'server' => '10.5.143.10',
'user' =>
'CN=Administrator,CN=Users,DC=domain,DC=county,DC=gov,DC=uk',
'pass' => 'Password',
'base' => 'ou=Staff,ou=Managed Users,dc=domain,dc=county,dc=gov,dc=uk',
'filter' => '(objectClass=*)',
'd_filter' => '(userAccountControl:1.2.840.113556.1.4.803:=2)',
'tls' => 0,
'net_ldap_args' => [ version => 3 ],
'attr_match_list' => [ 'Name',
'EmailAddress',
'RealName',
'WorkPhone',
'Address2'
],
'attr_map' => {
'Name' => 'sAMAccountName',
'EmailAddress' => 'mail',
'Organization' => 'physicalDeliveryOfficeName',
'RealName' => 'cn',
'ExternalAuthId' => 'sAMAccountName',
'Gecos' => 'sAMAccountName',
'WorkPhone' => 'telephoneNumber',
'Address1' => 'streetAddress',
'City' => 'l',
'State' => 'st',
'Zip' => 'postalCode',
'Country' => 'co'
}}}
);
1;

 

That's what I used.

[E_S_P]

If you want a free one, and have less than 100 users then have a look a SysAid Free Edition We have used SysAid for a number of years and it all works really well. The paid version we use is quite powerful with the added on modules. Not too expensive to buy either.

[deano]

manage engine service desk is free upto 5 technicians

[Abaddon]

SysAid here as well.. does an excellent job, and we have no problems (with it!).

[Edu-IT]

We use OP Smartdesk.

 

OP SmartDesk - The Specialist IT Consultancy and Solutions Provider

[Sylv3r]

We use Kayako (Help Desk Software, Live Chat Software and Customer Service Software) and love it although others on this thread have mentioned decent helpdesks for free which I can't argue with either.

[DaveMurphy]

ManageEngine ServiceDesk is great, works via AD and SSO so you don't have to assign or create additional accounts for users.

[mdench]

I'll add a lonely voice for Request Tracker RT: Request Tracker - Best Practical , it does need some linux skills but is fast and fully configurable.

 

Another vote here for RT its soo flexible and can be made to do alot of things. We have ours monitoring 4 fairly active mailboxes with IT, premises and office staff using it to keep track of jobs and makes it really easy to shift jobs between departments if needed.