The work of the computer department: improving efficiency through the electronic application system
Formulation of the problem
There is a distributed computer network of the organization, which includes about 250 computers. The task is to efficiently serve the entire network. First of all, the installation includes the installation and configuration of various software, the second - the maintenance of hardware. The first is carried out remotely (RAdmin, remote desktop, etc.), in the second case computers are brought to our department, and the necessary work is already in place.
Disadvantages of the existing system
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The existing service system is standard telephone calls. Any specialist in the department picks up the phone, and then the most interesting part begins ... :-) The person at the other end of the wire tries frantically to explain what happened to him, and you frantically think how to solve this problem. And well, if the problem belongs to your competence, it happens that the tube is transferred to another specialist, and from him to the third one. Accordingly, all explanations are repeated anew, time goes on, everyone is nervous and so on. Who worked in technical support - will understand me perfectly what it is.
Solution
Initially, it was my thought to make in each department a special document with a common access where everyone could write their “complaints”. Then, for example, once a day, these documents were pumped out, and then the necessary work would be carried out. However, as a result of certain events, all reflections [very] quickly moved into the practical phase :-), and it was decided to make the system based on a web interface.
Why the web interface was chosen is explained very simply. If you write some kind of your own program, you need to install it everywhere, then somehow transfer data to the server, and so on. More problems with implementation than good. At the same time, browsers are everywhere (the same ancient Internet Explorer), so it is enough to spread the shortcuts to the desktops of users who will refer to the correct address.
As a web server, we took the first computer that we wrote off (Pentium III, 3 memory bars of 128 MB each, hard at 40 GB - more than enough for our purposes). Quickly raised Apache, MySQL, PHP, the benefit of the experience already exists. After that, I started programming the system itself.
The system of "electronic applications"
Actually, the first version of the system was made “on the knee” and in a record 4 days. :-) I will briefly describe what it consists of:
- application form (available to all, indicate the department, phone number, name, description of the problem and computer access number)
- application verification form by its number
- a general list for the distribution of incoming applications (by the head, you can specify the "urgency" of the application)
- list of applications of a specific specialist
- separately - the so-called “two screens” mode: in the upper half - the applications of a particular specialist, in the lower half - the general list. Conveniently.
A little later, the system was upgraded to a normal level. In particular, the ability to view applications for an arbitrary period of time was added (it is especially convenient when you need to report on the work done :-))
Benefits from system implementation
- First and foremost: the permanent stressful state disappeared. Subjectively, the number of incoming calls decreased by 5-7 times. Nobody fusses, it is immediately clear what kind of computer, what problem, and how to solve it.
- As a consequence of the first point - a sharp reduction in the cost of telephone communications
“It has become especially convenient for a repair specialist: he can prepare the necessary spare parts in advance in order to quickly start repairing as soon as a computer or printer is brought. Or, say, to agree in advance with the service center.
- Convenient from the point of view of people applying: you can always see the number at which stage it is
- Convenient from the point of view of the authorities: you can always show what you were doing
- Conveniently from the point of view of a VERY big boss: you can always show what the whole department was doing
- Another rather interesting point: for each application, you can specify the solution, so that the general tape of applications begins to act as a kind of "wiki" - you can read how other specialists solve problems (tips and tricks :-), so to speak)
findings
I recommend to all computer specialists who work in medium and large organizations with a large park of office equipment.
There is a distributed computer network of the organization, which includes about 250 computers. The task is to efficiently serve the entire network. First of all, the installation includes the installation and configuration of various software, the second - the maintenance of hardware. The first is carried out remotely (RAdmin, remote desktop, etc.), in the second case computers are brought to our department, and the necessary work is already in place.
Disadvantages of the existing system
')
The existing service system is standard telephone calls. Any specialist in the department picks up the phone, and then the most interesting part begins ... :-) The person at the other end of the wire tries frantically to explain what happened to him, and you frantically think how to solve this problem. And well, if the problem belongs to your competence, it happens that the tube is transferred to another specialist, and from him to the third one. Accordingly, all explanations are repeated anew, time goes on, everyone is nervous and so on. Who worked in technical support - will understand me perfectly what it is.
Solution
Initially, it was my thought to make in each department a special document with a common access where everyone could write their “complaints”. Then, for example, once a day, these documents were pumped out, and then the necessary work would be carried out. However, as a result of certain events, all reflections [very] quickly moved into the practical phase :-), and it was decided to make the system based on a web interface.
Why the web interface was chosen is explained very simply. If you write some kind of your own program, you need to install it everywhere, then somehow transfer data to the server, and so on. More problems with implementation than good. At the same time, browsers are everywhere (the same ancient Internet Explorer), so it is enough to spread the shortcuts to the desktops of users who will refer to the correct address.
As a web server, we took the first computer that we wrote off (Pentium III, 3 memory bars of 128 MB each, hard at 40 GB - more than enough for our purposes). Quickly raised Apache, MySQL, PHP, the benefit of the experience already exists. After that, I started programming the system itself.
The system of "electronic applications"
Actually, the first version of the system was made “on the knee” and in a record 4 days. :-) I will briefly describe what it consists of:
- application form (available to all, indicate the department, phone number, name, description of the problem and computer access number)
- application verification form by its number
- a general list for the distribution of incoming applications (by the head, you can specify the "urgency" of the application)
- list of applications of a specific specialist
- separately - the so-called “two screens” mode: in the upper half - the applications of a particular specialist, in the lower half - the general list. Conveniently.
A little later, the system was upgraded to a normal level. In particular, the ability to view applications for an arbitrary period of time was added (it is especially convenient when you need to report on the work done :-))
Benefits from system implementation
- First and foremost: the permanent stressful state disappeared. Subjectively, the number of incoming calls decreased by 5-7 times. Nobody fusses, it is immediately clear what kind of computer, what problem, and how to solve it.
- As a consequence of the first point - a sharp reduction in the cost of telephone communications
“It has become especially convenient for a repair specialist: he can prepare the necessary spare parts in advance in order to quickly start repairing as soon as a computer or printer is brought. Or, say, to agree in advance with the service center.
- Convenient from the point of view of people applying: you can always see the number at which stage it is
- Convenient from the point of view of the authorities: you can always show what you were doing
- Conveniently from the point of view of a VERY big boss: you can always show what the whole department was doing
- Another rather interesting point: for each application, you can specify the solution, so that the general tape of applications begins to act as a kind of "wiki" - you can read how other specialists solve problems (tips and tricks :-), so to speak)
findings
I recommend to all computer specialists who work in medium and large organizations with a large park of office equipment.
Source: https://habr.com/ru/post/67985/
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