New features in Data Center Operation 8.2.12

Change request templates

Change request templates are managed by Administrators (users with permission "Planning Work Orders") to prepare a Request Form in the DCO web client using the Change Management > Change Request Templates option. The Request Form is then filled in by users to request changes in the data center.

Each template has a Name, Activation state, and Form field to specify information about the change. Templates are flexible; multiple templates can be defined in the system. For example, you can create a template for adding equipment, another for moving items, and another for creating users or custom properties.

Administrators can create, edit, delete, activate, or deactivate a template. Only active templates can be used to create change requests.

Form fields that can be used in the template (and then in the change requests):

• Text input
• Numeric input
• Date input
• Multi-line text field
• Email input
• Checkbox
• Select input (combo box)
• Radio button
• Header
• Genome selector
• Location selector
• Blank space - separator

The Genome selector allows you to specify the equipment model from the Custom Catalogue. This is useful for creating a template for adding equipment. You can specify the kinds of equipment (PDU, UPS, Server) and/or mounting types to select in the field.

Three value fields are available for publishing properties from a work order task to an asset: Barcode, Serial number, and Name.

You can use the Location selector to select the existing Location, Floor Plan, or Room from the data set.

You can define basic validation on each field to prevent users from submitting a change request with incorrect or missing information. For example, each field can be made optional or required; text fields can have a minimum or maximum length. When you edit the template form, you can enter values into the fields to see how they work. These values are not persisted.

The Administrator can define the form layout for four different screen sizes to make the form adjustable to the user's screen size when they are creating or editing a change request.

Creation, deletion, and editing change request templates are logged by the Audit log and can be verified in the desktop client by running the report.

Change requests

A change request can be created by all non-tenant users in DCO based on templates created by an Administrator (a user with permission "Planning Work Orders") in the DCO web client: Change Management > Change Requests. 

A typical scenario:

1. A user creates a change request, and fills in the form. The change request can be saved as Draft.
2. A Draft or a newly created request can be Submitted if all fields are filled in according to the validation specified in the form.
3. The Submitted request is read-only and waits for an Administrator to act. The request can be Unsubmitted by the author if some corrections need to be done, which puts it back into Draft.
4. The Administrator can do one of three operations on a Submitted change request:

• • Approve: The Administrator has accepted and processed the request, for example, by creating a work order for executing the change.
  • Reject: Indicates the change is impossible to complete.
  • Require more information: The request status is changed to Need update. The author can modify the form data and resubmit the request.
  • Closed: The final step, used when the request has been executed. The request can then be deleted by the author or the Administrator. 

Requests in Draft state are only visible to the author; they are not visible to other users.

Requests in other states are visible only to the author and Administrators.

If the author of a request is removed from the system, requests in Draft and Needs Update states are deleted. Requests in Submitted, Rejected, and Approved states survive so administrators can act on them.

Requests in Approved state

If a request contains one Genome, the Admin can Copy Genome Properties to populate properties from the Genome in the request to an asset in an open work order. The values that are copied are: Barcode, Serial number, and Name. There is validation on the barcode to keep it unique in the model. 

Note: The work order must be created in the DCO desktop client.

You can comment on requests in states other than Draft to allow further communication between the author and the administrator.

When a request changes state, or a comment is posted, a notification email is sent to interested parties:

1. If the change or comment is made by the author of the request, email is sent to all administrators.
2. If the change or comment is made by an administrator, email is sent to the author of the request.

Email is sent in the user’s preferred language.

Note: You must configure mail settings with the Mail configuration REST web service.

Creating, deleting and changing the request state is logged in the Audit log. You can run a report in the desktop client to view the audit log.