Support:Certificates and Helpdesks

http://www.grid-support.ac.ukAndrew Richards (GSC/NGS) – CCLRC, RAL

Provides Support…• Helpdesk support@grid-support.ac.uk

– first point of contact for requests and queries

– personally contactable during office hours

– provides access to technical expertise at all sites

• Web information resource http://www.grid-support.ac.uk

– tutorials

– evaluation reports

– links to other resources

• + Other

…and Services

• Certificate Authority for the UK e-Science programme– issues X.509 digital certificates – uses network of Registration Authorities (RA) to validate users– Bi-monthly training course for RA operators– see http://ca.grid-support.ac.uk/

• National resource directory service– Globus MDS + BDII Implementation for NGS– holds published information on Grid-enabled resources– National MyProxy Service – myproxy.grid-support.ac.uk

http://www.grid-support.ac.uk

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es-Grid UKHEP eScience

eScience CA

y = 131.09x - 162067

y = 56.084x - 68879

y = 11.821x - 14552y = 62.552x - 77854

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• Current CA– Recently migrated to improve stability and

security

• Future Development Plans– >Matt Viljoen

User Registration (Process)

User Applies(Via Website)

Application Submitted to Peer Review Panel

Application QC

Approved ?

Rejected(User Notified)

Accepted(User Notified)

User added to NGS VO

(includes SRB account)

User added NGS-USER and

NGS-ANNOUNCEMailing lists

• Access Grid• Certification• Condor• ETF• For Information• General• GT2• GT3• GT4• Globus-MDS• GridFTP

• Internal• Maillist• Myproxy• NGS• OGSA-DAI• Project Registration• RA• Security• SRB• Support Notices• Training• Unicore

• Provide first point of contact support

• Contact point between other helpdesks– Or provide helpdesk facilities for other sites

• Develop Support relationship with technical expertise at sites

Status Agents Informed User Informed Comment

Request New query submitted

Open X X Query number distributed

Stalled X X

Rejected X X

Agent RepliedX X

Agent email response automatically informs user and associated agents

User RepliedX

User email response automatically informs associated agents

Resolved X Query answer

Closed Can be reopened

Possible ticket status and order for Helpdesk Tickets

Rule Description

Certificate Request Subject contains Certificate, assign to Jianhua and Alex.

NGS rule Subject contains NGS, assign to Rob and Andy.

Requests over 1 day old Email notification to Andy, Jianhua and Alex.

Last edited over 2 days ago Inform appropriate agents that query still active.

Follow up date reminder Issue an email reminder to agent(s) if query follow up date set.

Close resolved queries After 2 days change status from Resolved to Closed.

Close rejected queries Automatically change status from Rejected to Closed.

Bugzilla reports Forward bugzilla-daemon@mcs.anl.gov email to Xiao & close.

•Default auto assignment •Automatic escalation and business rules:

Automated Workflow

•An audit trail of all actions performed on a query can be viewed from the History button on the Details screen.•View Contact History on the Edit screen shows all queries associated with a user

Query History

Inter-Helpdesk Development e.g. GGUS

•Upgrade server to FootPrints v6.5, includes new user portal interface to access knowledge base without logging in. Make server SSL-enabled i.e. https

•Explore use for other areas of e-Science eg GridPP, OMII

•Populate UKGSC knowledge base with additional solutions and FAQs.

•Publicise web interface to users and include web link in email notifications to users. Note: Users logon to FootPrints with their email address and register a password.

•Create additional business rules to automate procedure and add reports to satisfy SLAs etc.

•Review best practice for interactions with other e-Science helpdesk systems, internally and externally (e.g. GGUS relationship)

Helpdesk Plans

Grid Support Centre Contact Information:

Websites

http://www.grid-support.ac.uk

Helpdesk (via Grid Support Centre)

Email: support@grid-support.ac.uk