Glossary

 

A

 

Agent - SapphireIMS agent is executable software, which should be installed in the client systems that will act as an agent for the SapphireIMS server

 

API Key - An application programming interface key (API key) is a code passed in by computer programs calling an API (application programming interface) to identify the calling program, its developer, or its user to the Web site

 

Approval Manager - The person whose approval is mandatory to proceed with the service request work flow and take the request to a logical conclusion

 

B

 

BIOS (basic input/output system) is the program a personal computer's microprocessor uses to get the computer system started after you turn it on. It also manages data flow between the computer's operating system and attached devices such as the hard disk, video adapter, keyboard, mouse and printer.

 

BSM User - This role has access to the 'Fault' and 'Performance' menus and 'Business Service Monitoring Dashboard'. This role can be customized to add or remove access privileges to other menus as well.

 

C

 

CAB Member - CAB Member is inherited from 'Technician' role. The person who is the member of the Change Advisory Board, assesses the RFCs and approves the changes.

 

Change Approval Manager - is inherited from 'Approval Manager' role. This person is also member of the Change Advisory Board and has the authority to approve the change after CAB members gives approval

 

Change Builder - is inherited from 'Technician' role. The person who implements and builds the changes

 

Change Manager - is inherited from 'Technician' role. The person who manages the changes, gets approval and ensures that the approved changes are implemented and resolved.

 

Change Requester - The person who submits the change request. This role is inherited from the Submitter role. Therefore, all privileges that are applicable to the 'Submitter' role are applicable to the Change Requester.

 

Change Tester - The person who tests the implemented changes. This role is inherited from the 'Technician' role. Therefore, all privileges that are applicable to the 'Technician' role are applicable to the Change Tester.

 

Child Request Access - This person has the privilege to submit dependant (child) records for service desk (parent) records.

 

CIDR - CIDR is a method for allocating IP addresses and routing Internet Protocol packets. CIDR notation is a syntax for specifying IP addresses and their associated routing prefix. It appends a slash character to the address and the decimal number of leading bits of the routing prefix, e.g., 192.168.2.0/24 for IPv4, and 2001:db8::/32 for IPv6.

 

CIS - CIS is a not-for-profit organization founded in October, 2000 whose mission is to enhance the cyber security readiness and response of public and private sector entities. CIS has four divisions: the Central Intelligence Center, the Multi-State Information Sharing and Analysis Center (MS-ISAC), Security Benchmarks, and the Trusted Purchasing Alliance. Through these four divisions, the Center for Internet Security works with a wide range of entities, including those in academia, the government, and both the private sector and general public to increase their online security by providing them with products and services that improve security efficiency and effectiveness.

 

Client Task Agent Profile - This profile includes hosts for agent tasks.

 

Cluster - A cluster is a group of hosts. when you add a host to a cluster, the host's resources become part of the cluster's resources. The cluster manages the resource of all hosts within it. Clusters enable the VSphere High Availability (HA) and VSphere Distributed Resource Scheduler(DRS) solutions.

 

CMDB - A configuration management database (CMDB) is a repository that acts as a data warehouse for information technology (IT) organizations. Its contents are intended to hold a collection of IT assets that are commonly referred to as configuration items (CI), as well as descriptive relationships between such assets.

 

Compliance Count - Displays the total count of the machines that is compliant (OS/software is associated with the machine) with the respective OS/software

 

Critical System List - This profile includes hosts that are critical like production servers for which there won't be any deployment of patches until they are manually approved. For devices which are set as critical systems, the patch deployment will always be only on approval

 

D

 

Datacenter - A datacenter is the primary container of inventory objects such as hosts and virtual machines. From the datacenter, you can add and organize inventory objects. Typically, you add hosts, folders and clusters to a datacenter. VCenter Server can contain multiple datacenters. Large companies might use datacenters to represent organizational units in their enterprise.

 

Datastore - A datastore is a logical container that holds virtual machine files and other files necessary for virtual machine operations. Datastore can exist on different types of physical storage, including local storage, ISCSI, fibre channel SAN, or NFS. A datastore can be VMFS-based or NFS-based. You can create a new datastore by formatting LUNs or by mounting NFS volumes to an existing host. In addition, you can add a host with existing datastores to the inventory.

 

DHCP - Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) is a client/server protocol that automatically provides an Internet Protocol (IP) host with its IP address and other related configuration information such as the subnet mask and default gateway

 

Dll file - A DLL file, short for Dynamic Link Library, is a type of file that contains instructions that other programs can call upon to do certain things. This way, multiple programs can share the abilities programmed into a single file. For example, several different programs might all call upon the veryuseful.dll file to find the free space on a hard drive, locate a file in a particular directory, and print a test page to the default printer.

 

DNS - The Domain Name System (DNS) is a hierarchical distributed naming system for computers, services, or any resource connected to the Internet or a private network. The Domain Name System is an essential component of the functionality of most Internet services because it is the Internet's primary directory service. DNS serves as the phone book for the Internet by translating human-friendly computer hostnames into IP addresses.

 

E

 

Environment Variables - Environment variables are a set of dynamic named values that can affect the way running processes will behave on a computer. They are part of the environment in which a process runs. For example, a running process can query the value of the TEMP environment variable to discover a suitable location to store temporary files, or the HOME or USERPROFILE variable to find the directory structure owned by the user running the process.

 

F

 

Firewall - In computing, a firewall is a network security system that controls the incoming and outgoing network traffic based on an applied rule set. A firewall typically establishes a barrier between a trusted, secure internal network and another network (e.g., the Internet) that is assumed not to be secure and trusted.

 

FTP - The File Transfer Protocol (FTP) is a standard network protocol used to transfer computer files from one host to another host over a TCP-based network, such as the Internet. FTP is built on a client-server architecture and uses separate control and data connections between the client and the server.

 

H

 

HTTP - The Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) is an application protocol for distributed, collaborative, hypermedia information systems. HTTP is the foundation of data communication for the World Wide Web.

 

HTTPS - is a protocol for secure communication over a computer network which is widely used on the Internet. HTTPS consists of communication over Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) within a connection encrypted by Transport Layer Security or its predecessor, Secure Sockets Layer. The main motivation for HTTPS is authentication of the visited website and to protect the privacy and integrity of the exchanged data.

 

I

 

Installed Count - Displays the number of machines where this OS/OS group/Software is installed

 

Instance Level Threshold - When a threshold is configured for an instance of the device, the threshold is termed as an instance level threshold.

 

IntelAMT - Intel AMT data collection type is used for collecting data from systems which have the Intel AMT processor built-in. This is used as an additional data collection type on top of WMI/WBEM/SSH/SNMP to leverage the additional inventory and automation features provided by Intel AMT hardware.

 

Inter Project Admin - This person has the privilege to transfer requests to other SD projects.

 

Inventory User - This role only has access to the  'Inventory' menu. This role cannot be customized to add or remove access privileges to other menus.

 

IPMI - The Intelligent Platform Management Interface (IPMI) is a set of computer interface specifications for an autonomous computer subsystem that provides management and monitoring capabilities independently of the host system's CPU, firmware (BIOS or UEFI) and operating system.   IPMI is the standard interface which allows administrators out-of-band system management.

 

IT Operations Manager - IT Operations Manager is inherited from 'Approval Manager' role. An IT Operations Manager is needed to take overall responsibility for a number of Service Operation activities. For instance, this role will ensure that all day-to-day operational activities are carried out in a timely and reliable way.

 

K

 

KB Manager - The Knowledge Manager ensures that the organization is able to gather, analyze, store and share knowledge and information. His primary goal is to improve efficiency by reducing the need to rediscover knowledge.

 

KEDB Manager - KEDB stands for 'Known Error Database'. The Knowledge Manager ensures that the organization is able to gather, analyze, store and share knowledge and information. His primary goal is to improve efficiency by reducing the need to rediscover knowledge. The KEDB Manager role can be inherited from any of the default roles. The access privileges can be defined based on the role from which it is inherited.

 

L

 

L2 Team - L2 Team is inherited from 'Technician' role. 2nd Level Support takes over requests which cannot be solved immediately with the means of 1st. level support.

 

L3 Team - L3 Team is inherited from 'Technician' role. 3rd Level Support takes over requests which cannot be solved immediately with the means of 2nd. level support.

 

LDAP - The Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP) is a directory service protocol that runs on a layer above the TCP/IP stack. It provides a mechanism used to connect to, search, and modify Internet directories. The LDAP directory service is based on a client-server model.

 

License Count - Actual license count that is purchased (this is as entered in the ‘Add License’ screen)

 

License Remaining Count - The difference of license count and installed count.

 

Linux Subscription Account - Linux Subscription Account must be created for Linux flavors RHEL and SUSE Enterprise to enable patch management for Linux devices

 

M

 

Master Admin - This role has access to all the menus. This role cannot be customized.

 

Master Agent - A master agent reports to a server which is known as the reporting server

 

MOF File - MOF is a file extension for a Windows Management Object file format. MOF files created in the Managed Object Format have syntax based on Microsoft Visual C++.  MOF files can be compiled into the Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI) repository using mofcomp.exe.    MOF files often have a partner DLL (dynamic link library) file that stores data needed for retrieval in the MOF file.

 

MSI Packages - The Windows Installer package is an .msi file that contains explicit instructions about installing and removing specific applications. The company or developer who produces the application provides the Windows Installer package .msi file and includes it with the application. If a Windows Installer package does not come with an application, you might need to create a Windows Installer package by using a third-party tool.

 

N

 

Network Adapter - A network interface controller (NIC, also known as a network interface card, network adapter, LAN adapter or physical network interface, and by similar terms) is a computer hardware component that connects a computer to a computer network

 

Non Compliance Count - Displays the total count of the machines that is non compliant (OS/software is not associated with the machine) with the respective OS/software

 

O

 

On-Site Technical Staff - On-Site Technical Staff is inherited from 'Technician' role. The engineer who works at the site of the incident.

 

P

 

Parallel Approval - In parallel approval process, a service request can be sent for approval at the same time to multiple approval managers.

 

Patch - The patch is a self-contained package that contains all the information required to update the application. A patch package (.msp file) can be much smaller than the Windows Installer package (.msi file) for the entire updated application.

 

Patch Exclusion List - This profile excludes hosts from patch management

 

Patch Inclusion List - This profile includes hosts for patch management

 

Physical Memory - Physical memory refers to the actual RAM chips installed in a computer.

 

Ping - Ping is a basic Internet program that allows a user to verify that a particular IP address exists and can accept requests. "Ping" means the act of using the ping utility or command.

 

Ping Poller - Ping poller is a poller or local data collector which returns the information related to a specific ping operation.

 

Ping Timeout - The time in millisecond to declare an IP Address as “System "Unreachable”

 

Poll Interval - Poll Interval allows you to configure Inventory data collection and Performance Monitoring polling interval for each device.

 

Poller - local data collector for monitoring a service resource

 

POP3 Server - Stands for "Post Office Protocol." POP3, sometimes referred to as just "POP," is a simple, standardized method of delivering e-mail messages. A POP3 mail server receives e-mails and filters them into the appropriate user folders. When a user connects to the mail server to retrieve his mail, the messages are downloaded from mail server to the user's hard disk.

 

Post Action - This action takes place after the selected state change of a service desk record.

 

Pre Action - This action takes place before the selected state change of a service desk record takes place.

 

Pro-active Problem Management - Problem requests logged without any reference of Incidents as Pro-active measure.

 

Problem Manager - Problem Manager is inherited from 'Technician' role. The person who is responsible for efficiency and effectiveness of the Problem Management process

 

Problem Support Engineer - The person who analyzes, classifies and provides resolution to the problems submitted. This role is inherited from the 'Technician' role. Therefore, all privileges that are applicable to the 'Technician' role are applicable to the Problem Support Engineer.

 

Problem User - The person who submits the problem. This role is inherited from the Submitter role. Therefore, all privileges that are applicable to the 'Submitter' role are applicable to the Problem User.

 

Process - Process is a term used in operating systems. In UNIX and some other operating systems, a process is started when a program is initiated (either by a user entering a shell command or by another program).

 

Processor - A processor is the logic circuitry that responds to and processes the basic instructions that drive a computer. The term processor has generally replaced the term central processing unit (CPU). The processor in a personal computer or embedded in small devices is often called a microprocessor.

 

Product Key - Product key is a series of letters and digits that must be entered during software installation to authorize the user. Unique product keys help software manufacturers ensure that each copy of their software was legally purchased.

 

Project Admin - The Project Admin has the rights to configure and manage the service desk project

 

Project Manager - The project manager has the same access privileges as the Project Administrator, but does not have the right to change the project configurations

 

Project Type - There are 4 types of project currently supported by SapphireIMS:  

 

Property File Name - Property file name, is a script that will be executed pre or post the action selected in the custom business rule

 

Proxy Settings Profile - This profile defines Proxy Settings Profile for all Linux flavors other than RHEL and SUSE Enterprise

 

R

 

Radius - Remote Authentication Dial In User Service (RADIUS) is a networking protocol that provides centralized Authentication, Authorization, and Accounting (AAA) management for users who connect and use a network service.Because of the broad support and the ubiquitous nature of the RADIUS protocol, it is often used by ISPs and enterprises to manage access to the Internet or internal networks, wireless networks, and integrated e-mail services. These networks may incorporate modems, DSL, access points, VPNs, network ports, web servers, etc.The RADIUS server is usually a background process running on a UNIX or Microsoft Windows server.

 

Regular Expression - Regular expression is an expression based on the filter type which is likely to contain the  nodes to be mapped to an OU

 

Remaining Count - The number of licenses remaining excluding the compliant machines is displayed here

 

Retention Period - The number of days you want to retain the service request in 'My Requests' or 'All Requests' page

 

Run Diag - The 'Run Diag' utility is useful in debugging issues with SapphireIMS Agent.   To execute this utility, right click the SapphireIMS Agent tray icon and click 'Run Diag'. It takes about 30 seconds to generate the SapphireDebug.zip  Next, go to the installed folder of SapphireIMS Agent and double click SapphireDebug.zip and please send the required files to the SapphireIMS support team.

 

S

 

SAN - A storage area network (SAN) is a dedicated network that provides access to consolidated, block level data storage. SANs are primarily used to enhance storage devices, such as disk arrays, tape libraries, and optical jukeboxes, accessible to servers so that the devices appear like locally attached devices to the operating system.

 

Sequential Approval - In sequential approval, the service request is sent for approval in sequential order.

 

Service Desk Engineer - Service desk engineer is inherited from 'Technician' role. The person who uses his engineering capacity to work on the service request. The 'Service Desk Engineer' is also known as 1st. level support. The responsibility of 1st Level Support is to register and classify received requests and to undertake an immediate effort in order to restore a failed IT service as quickly as possible.

 

Service Desk Supervisor - Service desk supervisor is inherited from 'Technician' role. The person who uses his knowledge and experience to resolve the service request.

 

SLA - Service Level Agreement is an agreement between two or more parties where one is the customer and the others are service providers

 

Slave Agent - A slave agent is an agent that reports to a master agent

 

SNMP - SNMP data collection type is used for collecting data from systems (and devices like routers/switches) where SNMP service is enabled. To use this data collection type you would need to specify the SNMP credentials (‘Read’ and ‘Write’ community strings)

 

SNMP Traps - SNMP Trap is one of the 5 basic message types used in SNMP protocol, although more types have been added since version 1 of SNMP. An SNMP Trap is unique because it is the only message that can be sent from an agent without a get request. SNMP traps enable an agent to notify the management station of significant events by way of an unsolicited SNMP message.

 

SNMP Walk - SNMPWALK is one of the main tools used by a network engineer to troubleshoot behavior or verify configuration of devices. Snmpwalk is a command line utility available on almost all router platforms.

 

SSH - Secure Shell, or SSH, is a cryptographic (encrypted) network protocol for initiating text-based shell sessions on remote machines in a secure way. This allows a user to run commands on a machine's command prompt without them being physically present near the machine. It also allows a user to establish a secure channel over an insecure network in a client-server architecture, connecting an SSH client application with an SSH server

 

SSL - SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) is the standard security technology for establishing an encrypted link between a web server and a browser. This link ensures that all data passed between the web server and browsers remain private and integral.

 

SSO - Single sign-on (SSO) is a property of access control of multiple related, but independent software systems. With this property a user logs in once and gains access to all systems without being prompted to log in again at each of them.

 

Standalone Agent - A standalone agent is an agent which is not associated with any master agent.

 

Submitter - The person who uses IT Service and reports requests against the service.

 

Subnet Mask - A Subnet mask is a 32-bit number that masks an IP address, and divides the IP address into network address and host address. Subnet Mask is made by setting network bits to all "1"s and setting host bits to all "0"s.

 

Sudo Admin - This role has access to all the menus. This role can be customized to add or remove access privileges to other menus as well.

 

System Level Threshold - When a threshold is configured at the host level or for all instances of the device, the threshold is termed as a system level threshold

 

System OID - Object identifier or OID is an identifier used to name an object (compare URN). Structurally, an OID consists of a node in a hierarchically-assigned namespace, formally defined using the ITU-T's ASN.1 standard, X.690. Successive numbers of the nodes, starting at the root of the tree, identify each node in the tree. OIDs are a specific approach to creating globally unique object identifiers in a distributed system.

 

T

 

TCP - TCP is one of the main protocols in TCP/IP networks. Whereas the IP protocol deals only with packets, TCP enables two hosts to establish a connection and exchange streams of data. TCP guarantees delivery of data and also guarantees that packets will be delivered in the same order in which they were sent.

 

Technician - is a Technical Management role which provides technical expertise and support for the resolution of the service desk request.

 

Third party - 3rd. Party is typically located at hardware or software manufacturers (third-party suppliers) with the aim  to restore a failed IT Service as quickly as possible

 

Thresholds - Thresholds are the key parameters which help to classify a collected monitoring parameter to be in alarm state or not. Thresholds can be defined for any of the collected parameter      

 

U

 

User - This role has access to 'Performance' and 'My Asset' menus. This role can be customized to add or remove access privileges to other menus as well.

 

V

 

Virtual Machine - A virtual machine is a software computer that, like a physical computer, run as operating system and applications. An operating system installed on virtual machine is called a guest operating system. Because every virtual machine is an isolated computing environment, you can use virtual machines as desktop or workstation environments, as testing environments, or to consolidate server applications. In VCenter server, virtual machines run on hosts or clusters. The same host can run many virtual machines.

 

Virtual Machine Host - A host is a computer that users virtualization software, such as ESX and ESXi, to run virtual machines. Hosts provide the CPU and memory resources that virtual machines use and give virtual access to storage and network connectivity.

 

Virtual Memory - Virtual memory, is an imaginary storage area used by programs.

 

VNC - VNC (virtual network computing) enables you to remotely access and control your computers from another computer or mobile device, wherever you are in the world. It is used by individuals and by organizations across every industry sector for a range of different use cases, including providing IT desktop support to colleagues and friends, and accessing systems and services on the move.

 

W

 

Web Service Api (ITAM) - provides support for integration with third party applications to get discovery and inventory information, post software installation job and get the software/script package information.

 

Web Service Api (ITSM) - Web Service is used to integrate various applications to facilitate sharing of data between them. The integration can be achieved with any third party application or web service that is capable of sending the data via http protocol. In case of request operations, it provides a convenient method to raise requests (other than the default e-mail or web form) directly into SapphireIMS ITSM without logging into the application. You can also design your own web form to raise a request using web service API's.

 

WBEM - In computing, Web-Based Enterprise Management (WBEM) comprises a set of systems-management technologies developed to unify the management of distributed computing environments. WBEM is based on Internet standards and Distributed Management Task Force (DMTF) open standards

 

WMI - Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI) is the infrastructure for management data and operations on Windows-based operating systems.

 

WOL - Wake-on-LAN (WoL) is an Ethernet or Token ring computer networking standard that allows a computer to be turned on or awakened by a network message. A physical Wake-on-LAN connector featured on the IBM PCI Token-Ring Adapter 2 (the large white connector). The message is usually sent by a program executed on another computer on the same local area network. It is also possible to initiate the message from another network by using subnet directed broadcasts or a WOL gateway service.