TechTip: Open-Source Asset Management Software

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** This thread discusses the article: TechTip: Open-Source Asset Management Software **
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[dagar]

TechTip: Open-Source Asset Management Software

** This thread discusses the article: TechTip: Open-Source Asset Management Software **
I have been using GLPI for about a year now. It is a good program and it interfaces with OCS-Inventory which will inventory the software and should also be able to be used to do patch/program management (tho I punted on it after some failed attempts). What I would like to see is either better English documentation (the development is in French), and/or some good video overviews of using it in an example scenario. ie: There is a financial info to be attached to inventory. It is using french terminology and financial formulas. So as a good follow up to this article, how about walking us through some scenarios to bridge the gap? 1. Setup the glpi administrator and tech(s) 2. Install ocs-inventory agent on the computers 3. import the computer hardware AND software 4. Put the financial information in along with licenses and support contracts 5. Correctly assign the software to the hardware 6. Go through the process of users calling/emailing in with complaints to the hardware/software and assigning the incident to the techs 7. Go through an RMA process on a bad component 8. How to customize the reports (ie: I want a monthly financial report showing actual expenditures and amoritized costs) Some other areas that I see glpi lacking: 1) I would like to see configuration and change management. a) track what incidents are against what version or patch level of software. b) tie the changes to specific incidents (ie: we switched to Ubuntu Linux from Windoze 2000 because of this instability incident.) 2) Better integration of the project management module.

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TechTip: Open-Source Asset Management Software

** This thread discusses the article: TechTip: Open-Source Asset Management Software **
As with many open source projects, you often find documentation to be lacking, so I definitely agree with you in that area. I've not spent a ton of time on their resources, but many of your questions might be answered at their user wiki. http://glpi-project.org/wiki/doku.php?id=en:welcome There is also an English version for a forum linked on their page as well. http://glpi-project.org/forum/viewforum.php?id=6 I've dabbled in playing with OCS a few times, but it has never found its place in my installations, so I know little about OCS. I don't maintain financial information either, so I've not linked any financial information into items. Also, I don't use the built in help-desk ticketing software, because I use another package for help desk purposes. To change passwords, log in as the user you wish you change the password on. Then go to: Administration -> Settings and update the password. It's annoying that you can't easily change these in one place, and I probably should have mentioned that in the TechTip. To add and link software: Inventory -> Software and click on the add software tab. Enter all the fields you wish to enter and save the item. Inventory -> Computers and click on the computer or resource you want to add software to. Then click on the software tab. A field will appear at the bottom called "Installed Software:" Simply use the drop down box to link this software to the host. You can do the same for documents as well. Management -> Documents and upload the documents you wish. Go back to the computers or resource tab and link the items together. Another useful item is to link a device to a computer: Inventory -> Computers and choose the computer you want. Now choose the Connection tab and you'll see the list of printers, monitors, devices, or phones that you can directly link to the computer selected. Like any piece of software, you will always find pieces and bits that probably don't suit everyone's tastes. Not to mention everyone uses software differently. I find GLPI to be very useful for the things that I use it for, but I also am not using many of the fuller featured items which others might find not so well-rounded for their applications. Max