Partitioning

Partitioning enables you to divide your system into separate functional areas. Each partition acts like a separate system with its own settings, person records and lookup data. The database is not actually divided, but you can flag Calls, Requests, Tasks, and other options to belong to different partitions and then give Analysts access to as many partitions as they need to complete their role. In this way, you can create different system setups for different support groups, with Analysts all using the same database but only accessing the information needed by them.  

To consider:

Do you want to create different system configurations for different groups in such areas as issue profiling, CMDB records, and Workflow or Service Desk management?

Partitioning is a way of dividing items in your database into separate sections in order to set up different Service Desk, Workflow Management and CMDB options for different groups and analysts.

Say, for example, your organization has one service desk with a number of support groups responsible for a wide variety of unrelated systems, technologies and User support, over a common User base and organizational structure. Each support group requires its own setup and service levels for different Users. In addition, the configuration items supported by each group are of no interest to any other group. Using partitioning, you can tailor your vFire Core system to suit the differing needs of the various departments and support groups accessing the database.

You can create an unlimited number of partitions, with separate logical data sets in each partition.

By partitioning, an organization using a single database server can benefit from:

  • simplified and centralized administration
  • a single consistent User and organizational listing
  • groups having independent types and/or escalation times
  • easy monitoring by senior management across support groups
  • consolidation of reporting
  • a smaller, partitioned Knowledge Bank, reducing the time spent looking through search results.

The Implications of Partitioning

Partitioning needs careful planning as it has implications when calls, requests, and tasks are forwarded within different partitions. For example, an Analyst logging a call may attach a CI created in a different partition to the call and forward it to an Analyst who does not have access to the partition in which the CI has been created, making it difficult for the receiving Analyst to complete their role in resolving the call. It is therefore important that you plan how you want to partition your system before you set up partitioning.

Once partitioning has been applied it cannot easily be turned off without technical assistance. If you decide to do so, contact Alemba Support for assistance, as it may have a significant impact on the way in which your system functions.

Setting up Partitioning

To set up partitioning, you need to:

  1. Enable partitioning and select the method of partitioning.
  2. Indicate which tables you want to partition.
  3. Create the partitions.
  4. Assign individual people to partitions in the person details.

    5. You may need to log in initially as Admin, as this login automatically has access to all partitions. Once you have given an Analyst access to multiple partitions, assuming they have the authority to create or update Analysts, they can then assign access to those partitions to others.

  5. Allow Analysts the ability to change the partition of a Call.