Software Product Docs

User guide

Introduction

Operaio Desktop Alert can be used to notify users about important events. The software supports various plugins which capture and forward events to the users. Examples include the SCSM plugin, which notifies analysts whenever a ticket is assigned to them or when a service level objective status changes to warning or breached. The SCOM plugin notifies operators about new alerts.

Main Features:

The main features of Operaio Desktop Alert are:

  • Reduce the number of emails
  • Balloon alert when event happens
  • Configurable by user
  • Open plugin framework to support 3rd party systems in the future

Installation

Prerequisites

Client Side

  • Audio Output (to enable sound alerts)
  • Networking capabilities
  • Windows 7 and newer
  • .NET Framework 4.5.1

Server Side

  • Networking capabilities
  • Windows 7 and newer or Windows Server 2008 R2 or newer
  • .NET Framework 4.5.1
  • Internet Information Services (IIS) 7.5 or newer. The following IIS components must be installed:
    • Windows Authentication and Impersonation
    • ASP.NET 4.5 or newer
    • IIS Management Console

To install IIS components on Windows Server 2012 or newer, use the Server Manager, Add roles and features wizard. In the tree, under Web Server (IIS) check the Web Server\Security\Windows Authentication option and Web Server\Application Development\ASP.NET 4.5 and Web Server\Management Tools\IIS Management Console.

Installation

Server Application

The server application is bundled in a ZIP archive. There is no automatic installer provided. To install the server application log on to your Web Server and follow the steps below:

  1. Create a directory named DAServer in the wwwroot directory. By default this is: C:\inetpub\wwwroot.
    For example: C:\inetpub\wwwroot\DAServer
  2. Extract the content of the desktopalerts.server.zip archive to the directory created under 1.
    Please note: If you would like to use another location of the web service, make sure that this directory is readable by the account that IIS uses for the application pool (IIS_IUSRS by default)
  3. Run IIS Manager
  4. In the left tree select web site under which you want to install the application.
    Please note: If you want to create a new web site (for e.g., to use another port), don’t forget to create application inside this site. Without an application, no code will be executed. Application’s and site’s root directories may be the same.
  5. In the context menu select Add application and then specify its name and the location (the one where the archive was unpacked). Select .NET 4.5 Classic or .NET 4.0 Classic application pool.
    Click OK.
    Important: make sure that ASP.NET engine is enabled for this site. For that, select the whole server in the left tree panel and then go to “ISAPI and CGI Restrictions”. Select ASP.NET items with appropriate bitness and click “Allow”.
  6. Select newly created web application and in the main area to the right select Authentication under IIS category. Enable Windows Authentication and make sure that NTLM provider is first in the list. Also, enable ASP.NET Impersonation.
  7. To enable application logging make sure that Logs is writeable by IIS_IUSRS account (or whatever account you may use for the application pool).
  8. Restart web site.

The following plugins are bundled with the application and do not need separate installation:

  • SCSM Plugin
  • SCOM Plugin

If you want to update these bundled plugins or your installation package does not include them, please refer to plugins’ respective manuals.

Client Application

The client installation is bundled as a standard .exe installer. Follow the instruction in the UI:

The configurations settings are described here

How it works

This section describes the usage Operaio Desktop Alert.

Client Application

After the installation you can see Operaio Desktop Alert in the notification area:

The application is now up and running and waits for notifications from the enabled plugins.

Notifications

When a subscribed event of any of the plugins is triggered, you will get a notification on your client workstation.

Use the icon the clear all notifications.

The configuration for Operaio Desktop Alert is described here

Logging

The server application writes a log file which contains information about the application lifecycle and also error traces. The file is located in Logs subdirectory.

In order to perform fine tuning of the logging parameters, find and edit the log4net section in the web.config file.

For example, you may change log file location in line <file value="Logs\filename.log" /> or adjust logging level in line <level value="DEBUG" />

More information about Log4net parameters can be found at https://logging.apache.org/log4net/index.html.

Configuration

Operaio Desktop Alert needs some additional configuration after the installation completes.

Client configuration

On the client side you need to specify some additional configuration. All settings can be changed in the UI using the Options Window.

General

Under the General tab you can specify the following options:

  • Web Service URL
    A HTTP link to the server application’s API endpoint. Please enter the URL to your web service like this: http://{host}[:port][/subdir].
  • Query interval
    Sets the time interval (in minutes) by which the client application checks for new messages on the server.
  • Show balloon tips for
    Time interval for which the popup window will remain visible after emerging.
  • Play sound on new messages
    Add optional a WAV file when new messages arrive.
  • Start program when Windows starts
    Activating this option will place a shortcut to the application in the user’s StartMenu\Autostart folder.
  • Logon as different user
    Check this option and press the Logon… button to enter credentials different from ones that were used to log on to the current Windows session.

When the user clicks OK, the options are saved in the Registry under HKCU\ Software\itnetx\DesktopAlerts key. When the application starts, the settings are read from this location. When the application starts for the first time, this registry key does not exist, and the default settings are loaded from the default.xml file located in the application directory. The same actions are performed when the user clicks the Reset to default button.

Filter Parameters

Under the Filter Parameters section, you have the possibility to specify a filter for the messages you want to receive:

You can choose between

  • SCOM Alerts
    Use this option if you want to receive messages from the SCOM Plugin.

and

  • SCSM Queries
    Use this option if you want to receive messages from the SCSM Plugin.