Web-based Help Desk Software

[nsherin]

Hiya all,

 

Hope you're all having a good summer and either enjoying a relaxing one or not working too hard if at work!

 

I'm looking to implement a web-based Help Desk system, in order to kewp track of ICT incidents - e.g. hardware/software issues and also ICT requests - e.g. VLE changes etc. from staff.

 

It would also sort out the issue of performance management, if it ever came up. so that I would have something tangiable to show SLT if asked. Plus. the ability to update support incidents with a 'progress update' would be useful, so that people can see we're actually working on the problem and haven't forgotten them.

 

Does anyone know of a good, free web-based Help Desk system that could do this? I'd also like Active Directory Integration, so I can easily grant staff access to log an incident - obivously I don't want students being able to do this. AD integration would mean one less set of user accounts to maintain, as we could just grant access by security groups that we've already defined.

 

E-mail notification to technical staff of raised incidents would also be a very useful feature.

 

Windows-based would be preferable, although Linux is a possiblitiy - I'm going to host this on it's own virtual server.

 

I tried Liberium (Liberum Help Desk), but didn't have any luck getting it up and running.

 

Any idwas and suggestions would be much apprecated!

 

Many thanks,

Neil

[Edu-IT]

This isn't free but at the same time it isn't too pricey. I recommend My Little Helpdesk.

[kesomir]

I use OneorZero

 

Help Desk / HelpDesk and Task Management - Open Source, Free and Supported Software by OneOrZero

 

I use the free (couple versions behind) version and because of that only use it internally, for security.

[GrumbleDook]

This isn't free but at the same time it isn't too pricey. I recommend My Little Helpdesk.

 

It is free if you host it yourself, you just have to apply for it. If you can pay up for it all the better as this helps out Ozan.

[somabc]

Spiceworks, it may not do everything you want but it is easy to use

[nsherin]

Thanks for the speedy replies so far. I'll take a look at those packages tomorrow morning.

[dhicks]

the ability to update support incidents with a 'progress update' would be useful, so that people can see we're actually working on the problem and haven't forgotten them.

 

I wanted a system that did this too, so I wrote one. I like email-based call-tracking systems (just depends what you're used to, I guess), so that's what I've written - you send an email to the support address and you get an auto-reply back with a tracking code embedded in the subject. Any subsequent replies to that email then get filed under the same job number.

 

I'd also like Active Directory Integration

 

My system uses LDAP authentication, which works very well with AD (that's what I'm using).

 

so I can easily grant staff access to log an incident

 

Anyone can log a call to my system, pupils included (heck, they're the ones doing the learning, you know). The idea with our email system is that email addresses will match LDAP usernames, so it would be simple enough to add a bit of code to go and check that a particular user belonged to a particular group before accepting a request from them.

 

E-mail notification to technical staff of raised incidents would also be a very useful feature.

 

Again, easy enough to add, but the idea of my system is that calls are tracked on a nice all-in-one web-based interface. It uses the Dojo JavaScript library to provide a snazzy drag-and-drop interface that lets you sort tasks into order of importance and read all emails belonging to a task via a tree-based interface.

 

Windows-based would be preferable

 

Python-based, developed under Windows, but should run on anything that Python (and the LDAP module) runs on. The application is it's own self-contained web server, run on any port you like - you can run it on your desktop machine if you like, or a server. There is no database to fiddle around with, it's all self-contained (simply stores data in folders and files).

 

It's not really quite finished yet, but you're welcome to have a play around with it if you want.

 

--

David Hicks

[somabc]

MSM Key Features and Benefits - Marval Group - Everything ITIL and ISO/IEC 20000

[EduTech]

I also recommend My Little Helpdesk... cant go wrong with it..

 

If you can pay for it like GB said it would help out ozan.. but drop him a PM he will chat to you..

 

He's Nice he wont bite

 

Ozan aka ICT NUT

 

James.

[mtdmitchell]

Help Desk Software by Ilient

 

The Dogs ********

[tjb]

We are using Ilient's SysAID helpdesk here too, it's only the free version at the moment but we will probably upgrade to the full version in the near future. It is very slick looking and does everything we need. I also tried My Little Helpdesk (9.0.6 I think) but had many issues with the SQL setup and eventually gave up my trial of it when the next version was no longer available as a free download. It was a shame as the next version looked easier to install and setup!

[Spitfire]

We use HelpSTAR 9.0, good all round facilities, hard and software assset management, web based access for users, good support from firm.

[Chriss31]

Hello everyone,

 

Thanks for the speedy replies. I work alongside Neil (the OP), and we took a look at SysAid yesterday. For those of you who use it, does the free version support Active Directory integration? We had a play around with the installation but couldn't seem to see whether it did or not.

 

Thanks,

 

Chriss

[Hightower]

@dhicks - Could I have a look at it please?

[ICTNUT]

you are more than welocme to try My Little Helpdesk for free -> Helpdesk Software, Service Desk, Web, Mobile ITIL and FITS based support. - Edu Application

 

It does all that you have listed and then some

 

PM Me if you need anymore help or info

[TechMonkey]

we were using spiceworks but are starting to shift to GLPI and OCSNG

[Abaddon]

Another vote for Illients Sysaid.. has all the options, and is easy enough to use. I bought the full version a month or so ago.

[Edu-IT]

It is free if you host it yourself, you just have to apply for it. If you can pay up for it all the better as this helps out Ozan.

Yes and no. It's free initially but then you have to pay for upgrades. I was also thinking that this person didn't want to host it themselves. Not sure what made me think that.

[ICTNUT]

Quote:

Originally Posted by GrumbleDook

It is free if you host it yourself, you just have to apply for it. If you can pay up for it all the better as this helps out Ozan.

 

Yes and no. It's free initially but then you have to pay for upgrades. I was also thinking that this person didn't want to host it themselves. Not sure what made me think that.

 

Just to clarify: Our aim is to provide schools, colleges, and uni's with the best software we can without fleeceing them just becouse "it's education" so to that end we provide the software to you for free initially.

 

The software itself is very full featured, stable, and is in use by a large number of schools up and down the UK as well as abroad and if you choose to continue to use it there is no cost to you.

 

We do charge non educational customers as this generates a revenue stream to allow us to continue development, provide support, and run our kit (dedicated servers for the hosted service), if however you decide that you would like to upgrade to the latest version great, but it will cost you and that would be 50% of whatever our current base price is, so at the moment that would be £60.

 

This £60 would give 12 months of support and upgrades, new versions are currently released every 8 weeks approx, and includes a price promise that even if our base cost increases your annual support and upgrades renewal will not.

 

I hope that this makes things alittle clearer but if not give me a PM or email me

Edited August 21, 2008 by ICTNUT
typo

[amfony]

##Apologise in advance for hijack##

 

Hi ICT NUT - i like the way you do things, fair but not a hippy either. Question about your lan messenger type thing ive read about in other threads, is it available under the same idea? Free to schools? i cant seem to find it sorry.

 

##End Apology -- Carry On Web Help Desks##

 

We are going to move to One||Zero. Its nice easy to use i find, and looks professional too.

[tjb]

@Chriss31 - LDAP integration is only available in the full version of SysAid

 

@ICTNUT - If I read your website correctly My Little Helpdesk is only available free to UK schools. Please correct me if I am wrong.

[Zorba]

Using Liberum here, does all we need at the moment and free.

[ICTNUT]

 

@ICTNUT - If I read your website correctly My Little Helpdesk is only available free to UK schools. Please correct me if I am wrong.

 

Currently this is correct as we are able to prove that applications from the UK are indeed educational. We are looking into ways to provide the same facilities to educational establishments abroad as we do in the UK

 

@amfony: I have sent you a PM re Lan Messenger

[tjb]

@ ICTNUT - I'm pretty sure I could prove I work at an Australian school if necessary Hopefully I'll get the opportunity to run My Little Helpdesk here in Oz one day...

[kxv2020]

If you have Sharepoint installed [free version or MOSS] then you can use that to do - integrates well with AD and its can send out emails too!