IncidentMonitor Update

Customer Idea – Invoice Query Project

Often clients ask us, can we do this or can we do that. So far we have not seen a question we could not answer positively. Sometimes we need to get our dev team involved, but more over we can simply do it. Using the workflow and form designers.

A great use of IncidentMonitor™ we recently saw and which has nothing to do with IT service desk is the configuration of an invoice query project. Think about it. When you send out invoices and you have multiple sales reps and consultants involved your accounting team probably receives questions about those invoices. I am pretty sure they need to push many of the questions to the sales reps or consultants as accounting probably cannot answer all questions. Our client had already digitized incoming invoices so they created a workflow around invoicing questions. Customers can ask their question through a service catalog form, the invoice number automatically identifies the invoice and will attach it to the request that comes in. The accounting department checks the question and answers the question or sends it off to the account rep to answer. All monitored by SLA’s so they are sure questions are answered within a set time. Service does not stop after delivering the product and sending the invoice. There is nothing more frustrating than getting stuck with questions about your invoice and no one to answer them.

SQL Server 2008 & 2008 R2 End of Support Alert

We would like to inform everyone who runs IncidentMonitor™ on SQL 2008 that SQL Server 2008 and 2008 R2 versions are reaching the end of their support lifecycle on July 9, 2019. End of support means the end of security updates, which may lead to security and compliance issues and put applications and data at risk if no action is taken.

What Are Your Options?

We strongly encourage Information Technology owners and operators to begin planning a migration path to the latest version (SQL Server 2017) as soon as possible. If your organization cannot update before the end of support deadline (July 2019), please consider the following options to extend security updates for SQL 2008 and SQL 2008R2 for up to 3 additional years:

• Option 1: Migrate your legacy workloads to the Microsoft Azure cloud
  Microsoft is offering 3 additional years of free security updates for SQL Server 2008 and 2008 R2 databases rehosted to Azure SQL Server Managed Instance (PaaS) or Azure Virtual Machines (IaaS).
  
  This option provides:
  • More time to complete your upgrade process;
  • Up to 80% cost savings by moving your existing SQL Server and Windows Server licenses (leveraging Azure Hybrid Benefits) and reserving capacity;
  • Security built into Azure, plus more than 70 compliance certifications.


• Option 2: Buy Extended Security updates for SQL Server 2008 and 2008R2
  Organizations can purchase an Extended Security Update subscription at 75% of full SQL Server license cost per year, for up to three years after the end of support date. Eligibility requires active Software Assurance or Subscription licenses under an Enterprise Agreement.



Support and Self Help Video’s

Just a reminder for everyone. Did you have a look at the video’s in the knowledge base? When you log in to our support portal and open the Knowledge Base, you can select the collection IncidentMonitor™ On Line Help, type in your search word/phrase and off you go. A list of video’s comes up. Below an example of various workflow video’s. Obviously the more detailed my question the better the result. It is very helpful.





Flex Licenses

We regularly get the question for a few extra licenses for a short period to do some testing or to expand the service desk because a large project needs to be supported. This is not a problem and we will cut you a temp key. The downside of this is that you should not forget the replace the temporary key for the original key again when the temporary key expires. When you regularly need some additional licenses this will be a problem. Specifically for questions like that we have introduced our Flexible License Plan. This plan allows you to extend the number of resources without the need to request temporary extra licenses. On top of your purchased licenses we will add an unlimited license key for concurrent licenses. A report will be set up. This report will run automatically each month and will be emailed to you and to us. This report will tell us the maximum number of concurrent licenses used in the month. You will only be charged for the licenses used. This Pay Per Use solution gives you a lot of flexibility.

If you want to learn more you can contact your sales rep.