Technical Synopsis of the iWise Architecture
(Note: The information below can be downloaded as a PDF, from the infraWise white papers section of this website)
The following diagram and associated description illustrate the robustness of the iWise Enterprise Solutions’ multi-platform architecture. Consisting of a suite of ITIL-compliant disciplines, the iWise solutions offer organizations a unique lifecycle approach to IT Service Management. The infraWise approach focuses on automating and streamlining service and support processes to improve efficiency and reduce costs.
Throughout the world, organizations large and small use the iWise applications and centralized repository to address ITSM Service Support and Service Delivery requirements. The intent of the diagram and descriptions below are to demonstrate to readers the scalability, openness, and security features inherent in the iWise data model, as well as point out the user-friendly interface options, flexible reporting capabilities, and ease of integration between iWise and third party solutions.
iWise Enterprise Solutions Architecture
Illustration Overview
- The components 1 – 4 represent iWise Client or transaction-based interfaces to the iWise environment.
- The iWise Web Clients (1) access the iWise applications with a Web browser (for example, Microsoft Internet Explorer) using standard HTTP over SSL, after being authenticated by the Customer’s security system (Authentication Server) (14).
- Help desk Agents (3) use the iWise Service Desk applications to create and track incidents and problems through resolution, using automatic escalation and e-mail notification throughout the life of the incident. The Help Desk Agents (3) can enter iWise records manually, or accept calls from the VRU. See items 23 through 26 in the diagram for more details.
- The diagram depicts an example that uses two separate Data Centers (4) in different locations. One of the Data Centers can be considered the primary site, while the other may be the remote site from which users access the iWise applications through the customer’s network, using an iWise Web Client or an iWise Windows Client.
- The Client E-mail (5) represents the various types of e-mail messages that iWise sends for notification or approval purposes. For approvals, the user clicks the Approve or Reject button in the e-mail message, returning the response to iWise via the XML server. Quick updates to the status text can be made through the notification e-mail message for Incident Management. These e-mail capabilities allows users at all management levels to perform various functions without having to logon to the iWise client.
- The Auto-Discovery database (6) represents the linkage(s) from iWise to the database(s) used by the tool(s) that performs auto-discovery functions on platforms such as Windows, UNIX, and z/OS. Auto-discovery is depicted as a single database although the actual number of databases is determined by the specific discovery tools and platforms required by the customer. Reporting may be carried out against the auto-discovery database(s) directly by using their included reporting tools or the discovery data can be amalgamated with the iWise database which will offer the reporting tools the capability to access the full range of all related records.
- The E-mail Server (7) represented above is depicted as a single server; however, multiple e-mail servers can be involved to provide the SMTP (send) and IMAP (receive) e-mail processing.
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The following applications can be installed on the same single rack-mounted server, or across multiple servers, depending on company standards and performance requirements:
- The Web Application Server (8) serves up the Java Server Pages (JSP) and other Java code, which comprise the iWise Web Client application. Apache Tomcat is commonly installed on the iWise Web Application Server.
- The iWise XML Server (9) executes as a Windows Service and interfaces with iWise. infraWise is continually expanding the functions and processes on this server as the iWise environment extends into new areas of integration.
- The iWise Message Server (10) provides the ability to send an e-mail via an SMTP Server. The iWise Message Server runs as a Windows Service.
- The iWise Transaction Server (12) controls all access to the iWise SQL-compliant database (13) which can be located on any accessible platform. This ODBC accessed database is where the iWise records are stored, as well as all the tables used to support the iWise applications.
- The iWise Monitor Agents (11) represent automation scripts (written in the Open Object REXX programming language) that run on the iWise Transaction Server against the iWise Database. Each agent is defined by: the task that the iWise Monitor Agent carries out, such as escalation or notification; the frequency of operation, such as hourly, daily, or weekly; and the conditions to examine such as changes needing approval.
- The Authentication Server (14) is responsible for validating user IDs and passwords before users can log on to the iWise applications. Authentication may be carried out by any security system on any accessible platform that has an API that iWise can use to pass the required information for authentication. Common examples are Active Directory, LDAP, Oblix, RACF, Top Secret, etc.
- Reporting (15) can be performed using any ODBC compliant reporting tool, such as Crystal Reports or SAS. Various reporting tools can also be used to allow users to view reports using a Web browser.
- Visual diagrams (16) can be setup using a tool such as Microsoft Visio. After setting up an ODBC connection to the iWise database, configuration data from iWise can be shown in the Visio diagram.
- The Aperture tool (17) is a visual information system that combines graphic, text, and numeric data into relational databases. The data can then be accessed through the iWise Windows Client. Aperture can interface with iWise using an ODBC connection; it provides for additional information to be associated with the iWise records.
- Tivoli NetView (18) or any similar network management tool, such as BMC Patrol, send alerts to iWise that create incident records that are automatically assigned to the appropriate technicians to resolve the detected conditions.
- Business to Business, or B2B (19) represents a bi-directional interface with any external applications that need to combine related information with iWise.
- The Host AOC (20) application or any similar operational management tool sends alerts to iWise to create incident records when defined events or conditions exist.
- The Tivoli Enterprise Console (TEC – a.k.a., Inventory) (21) or similar enterprise foundation products, such as CA UniCenter, that provides distributed monitoring, inventory, remote control, and software distribution, etc. capabilities. The iWise LanSAM monitoring tool (which is used to configure, install, and monitor the iWise application servers) has the ability to forward events to the TEC or similar focal points.
- The network (22) represents network devices used to access the iWise environment from the Customer’s Intranet or Internet.
- The VRU Phone lines (23) represent the multiple phone lines coming in from the VRU system.
- The Voice Response Unit (VRU) Server (24) represents the server that processes the VRU phone lines.
- The Call Server (25) represents the server that sends the call package to the phone switch.
- The Phone Switch (26) (such as Nortel, Avaya, Cisco, etc) is the unit that determines which helpdesk agent should receive the call and then completes the connection.
- The Help desk Agent (3) receives the call and completes the transfer from the switch.
- iWiseMobile (27) represents PDA devices that users can use to interact with iWise on a portable device. Depending upon the device, e-mail and/or web access may be used as the interface.
Client Processing Flow
This section discusses each client-to-iWise process flow, including each of the client process components presented in the illustration above.
iWise Web Clients
The iWise Web Clients (1) access the iWise applications from Web browsers (such as Microsoft Internet Explorer), using standard HTTP over SSL. The iWise Web Clients bring up the initial Web Client login page, using a URL such as:
http://iWiseServerDNSName/iWiseWeb/index.jsp
The iWise Web Client logon page is a JSP page that resides on the Web Application Server (8). The iWise Web Client logon page allows users to specify their LAN user IDs and passwords, which are then passed on to the iWise Transaction Server (12). The iWise Transaction server then passes this information on to the Authentication Servers (14). The Authentication Servers then authenticate the user ID and password and return the information to the iWise Transaction Server. If the user ID and password are not authenticated, the user is not permitted access to the iWise Web Client (1).
The JSP pages that make up the iWise Web Client are “served up” by the Web Application Server (8). The users can search the database, display or update existing iWise records, or create new records.
Whenever a Web Client transaction is submitted for processing, it is sent to the Web Application Server and passed on to the iWise XML Server (9). The transaction is an XML/SOAP transaction, contained within the HTTP protocol.
The iWise XML Server then converts the XML transaction into an iWise transaction, and sends it on to the iWise Transaction Server (12).
The iWise Transaction Server then submits the transaction to the iWise SQL-compliant database (13) for processing.
The result of this transaction is then sent back to the iWise Web Client, taking the reverse path back to the Web browser.
iWise Web Client Examples
The following images represent examples of the iWise Web Client interface. infraWise provides a Web front-end for the applications included in the iWise Enterprise Solutions suite of products. The following screen shots, excluding the general logon panel, depict the iWise Change Management application.
Logon Screen
The following screen shows the iWise logon page, where the users enter their LAN IDs and passwords, which are authenticated via the security package specified in the iWise Transaction Server, such as Windows Domains, Active Directory, or LDAP.
Initial Screen
The following is the first screen that users see once they are successfully authenticated and logged on to the iWise Web Client. It shows all of the "Incidents assigned to my group" by default, but a user can use any one of the selections on the left of the screen to perform a different search.
Display Screen
If the user clicks one of the large blue record numbers in the list on the “Initial Screen” above, the record displays in Display mode, as shown below. The user can navigate through the record, viewing all the fields, or update the record by clicking the Update button.
Update Screen
If the user clicks the Update button from Display mode, or clicks the Update link from the initial screen, the record displays in Update mode, as shown below. This gives authorized users the ability to modify fields or add comments to the record. Users can click the Help icon to display field-specific help if they are not sure about the purpose of the field.
Help Screen
The following screen is an example of the Reported by Help that displays if the user clicks on the question mark in the yellow bubble next to the field on the iWise Update Web page. The same text displays in the iWise Windows Client if the user right-clicks in a field, then selects Help, or presses
iWise Mobile
The following images represent examples of the iWiseMobile (27) interface. infraWise provides a mini-browser front-end for each of the applications included under the iWise Enterprise Solutions suite of products. The following images depict screen shots from the iWiseMobile Change Management application.
E-mail Interface
The Client E-mail (5) allows users to send e-mail messages from their e-mail client to the iWise2IMAP@company.com IMAP e-mail address. The iWise2IMAP e-mail account is defined on the IMAP E-mail Server (7). The e-mail message remains on the IMAP server until it is processed by the iWise XML Server (9), which periodically logs in to the IMAP e-mail account and processes each message that it finds. Internal settings in the iWise XML Server control how often the IMAP server is queried for incoming messages.
Only certain users are able to send an e-mail message to the iWise2IMAP e-mail address. Configuration settings can be used to allow only users from the “@Company.com” domain to send messages to this account. Additional users and domains can be added if necessary.
If you want to allow an e-mail message to be sent to this address from outside the firewall, the IMAP server must be made available to the public via the firewall.
For each message sent to the IMAP account, the iWise XML server creates or updates an object in the iWise database. For example, the subject of the e-mail message is placed into the 45-character description field in the newly created object. The body of the message is inserted into the freeform text area. The XML server defaults the remaining fields, such as Assignee Name, Group, Date/Time Entered, Date/Time Occurred, and Urgency Code. These default values are controlled by the object template used by the iWise XML Server, which uses it to create an XML/SOAP transaction.
The iWise XML Server then converts the XML transaction into an iWise transaction, and sends it on to the iWise Transaction Server (12).
The iWise Transaction Server then submits the transaction to the iWise SQL-compliant database (13) for processing.
The result of this transaction is then returned to the original E-mail Client. The XML Server stores the results of the transaction in an e-mail message and sends it, via the E-mail Server (7), back to the original e-mail address. The return e-mail resides on the SMTP Server until it is requested by the original e-mail account.
The iWise e-mail interface is defined in further detail in the INFINT01_infraWise_Integration.pdf.
iWise Windows Clients
Tools such as Microsoft Remote Installation Server or Novell Application Launcher can be used to install the iWise application to every User desktop. Users can access the iWise Windows applications using the iWise Windows Client (2) icon located on their desktop, which displays the iWise Client logon dialog. The iWise Client logon dialog box allows users to specify their LAN user IDs and passwords, which are then passed on to the iWise Transaction Server (12). The iWise Transaction Server then passes this information on to the Authentication Servers (14). The Authentication servers authenticate the user ID and password and return the information to the iWise Transaction Server. If the user ID and password are not authenticated, the user is prevented from logging into the iWise applications.
For example, the name of the Company domain could be COMPANY. The Company domain may be a server running Microsoft Active Directory. This server contains the names of the actual Authentication Servers (14), which contain the Company user accounts. In order for the iWise Transaction Server to be able to authenticate against the Authentication Server, the iWise Transaction Server must be a member of and logged into the Company domain.
Once authenticated, the iWise Client communicates directly with the iWise Transaction Server (12). An iWise authorization group controls the iWise Windows Client privileges, dictating which iWise records a user or group of users may display, update, create, etc.
The iWise Transaction Server (12) then submits the transaction to the iWise SQL-compliant database (13) for processing.
The result of this transaction is then sent back to the calling iWise Windows Client, taking the reverse path.
iWise Windows Client Examples
The following images represent examples of the iWise Windows Client (2) interface. infraWise provides a Windows Client front-end that can be used to access the iWise applications included in the iWise Enterprise Solutions suite of products. The following are screen shots of some of the panels that make up our iWise CMDB (Configuration Management) application.
Initial Screen
After iWise authenticates the user using your chosen authentication method, he or she sees the initial panel shown below. iWise selects the application based on predefined settings in the user’s profile. Each user can customize the colors and fonts to suit his or her taste. iWise then stores the settings in the user’s profile.
Entry Screen
The screen below shows the iWise Component Definition panel. The blue, or shaded, boxes represent required fields that must be completed before the user is permitted to save the record. The required fields can be tailored to suit the customer.
Update Screen
The screen below shows the iWise Component Update panel. The blue, or shaded, boxes represent required fields that must be completed before the user is allowed to save the record.
ODBC Reporting
The iWise SQL-compliant database (13) also provides the ability to create and maintain reports via an ODBC reporting tool, such as Crystal Reports (15), Microsoft Access, or Cognos.
iWise Monitor Agents
iWise Monitor Agents (11) are automated processes that execute on the iWise Transaction Server (12). They perform tasks such as notification and escalation and are controlled by the iWise Master Monitor, which resides in the iWise SQL-compliant database (13).
The Master Monitor scans all the iWise Monitor Agents (11) to see which are scheduled to run and how often they should execute.
For each iWise Monitor Agent (11), there is a unique monitor object in the database that controls and defines its characteristics. It identifies the task that the iWise Monitor Agent carries out, such as escalation or notification, and when each monitor is scheduled to run, such as hourly, daily, or weekly.
(You can download this information in PDF format from here)