Connections

In the Connections category, the basic database connection for the operation of the INETAPP server is set first. Furthermore, the configuration of LDAP data sources for user matching as well as the addition of further database connections for asset and user import from an external databases is done here.

Note: For creating reports the data sources of the datasource manager are used.

i-net HelpDesk database

The i-net HelpDesk server connects to its database via the universal database interface JDBC (Java Database Connectivity).

Separate drivers are required for each specific database. The following database drivers are included in INETAPP.

It is possible to specify your own database connection URL in advanced configuration mode, should additional parameters be required for the connection. However, only the above three database types are supported.

Check connection

You should always test whether the settings you have made are valid. If the connection fails, please refer to the message text for the exact reason.

Internal designation HDS

The connection to the HelpDesk database has the internal designation HDS (HelpDeskService). You can refer to the designation HDS as a data source in the data source selection for reports.

LDAP Connections

For automatic import and synchronization with an LDAP directory server, store the connection data here. For access you must specify an account that has at least read access to the LDAP directory.

As entry in the field Server name you store the host name or the IP address of the LDAP directory server.

Note: With the LDAP type LDAPS (SSL) you must specify the FQDN name of the server.

The entry in the Port field does not have to be made, since it is used automatically if you use the default port for LDAP (port 389) or LDAPS (port 636).

As an entry in the Domain field, set the part of the domain component (DC - domainComponent) where the account is located.

Example: "patternname" in domain "example.local". Then in the domain field the entry is example (without .local). If the account is in a child domain, e.g. north. example.local then the entry is north, because in LDAP notation: dc=north,dc=example,dc=local.

You can restrict the connection to one or more Organizational Units (OU).

The logical structure is bottom up (the OU itself) along the storage path to the top (the domain name in LDAP notation). The individual parts of the path are separated by commas. In the case of multiple OUs, the semicolon acts as a separator.

The LDAP connections configured here is used in the Data Import application.

Note: Data is only read from the LDAP source. Nothing is written back.

Examples

  • Access to the default container for users: USERS.
    • Syntax: cn=USERS,DC=company,DC=local
  • Access to an organizational unit:
    • Syntax: ou=berlin,DC=company,DC=local
  • Access to OU and Users:
    • Syntax: ou=berlin,DC=company,DC=local;cn=USERS,DC=company,DC=local

Other databases

Additional database connections for external sources can be configured. These are used in the following modules:

  • User import from a SQL database or via ODBC (for MS Access or csv),
  • import of inventory data or
  • display in Add Ons (e.g. in an additional tab; see the example below)).

The database management systems (DBMS) supported are: MS SQL-Server, MySQL and Oracle, MS Excel as well as the database interface ODBC.

The drivers required to access a DBMS are already included in INETAPP. ODBC should only be set up if there are special reasons, e.g. access to MS Access or to a csv file.

For the aforementioned supported DBMSs, you should always use the JDBC driver supplied by i-net software, as it is much faster than ODBC.

Setting up the configuration for MS System Center Configuration Manager (SCCM)

System Center Configuration Manager (SCCM) is a software product from Microsoft. It replaces earlier versions called Systems Management Server (SMS). SCCM is Microsoft's software solution for centralized management of hardware and software within an organization.

The following explains how to access SCCM data from i-net HelpDesk. Two things have to be set up for this.

  1. Connection to the SQL database of SCCM
    • Important: The name of the connection is mandatorily SMS.
  2. Add-On "SMS" so that in the tab "SCCM" in the desktop application the SCCM data is available in the form of views.

Add-On "SMS"

Displays SCCM data inside the i-net HelpDesk, e.g. on an extra tab "SCCM" of the desktop application. Different views of the SCCM data can be selected in the "Selection" field. In case of a new installation of i-net HelpDesk the tabs for SCCM are missing by default!

Precondition

A script from i-net software must be executed on the MS SQL database of SCCM. The script creates additional views (views) on the data in the SQL database. These views are then available in the HelpDesk client, tab "SCCM", field "Selection".

The script can be found here. Execute the script, e.g. in SQL Management Studio on the SCCM database. The referencing is done by the computer name.

After creating the views, the connection to the SCCM database must be configured.

Configuration > General > Connections > Additional databases > Add database connection > Name: SMS.

Now you can set up the Add-Ons for SCCM in the administration Configuration > Components > Add-Ons.