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Touchpoint Implementation Strategy

A touchpoint is an environment-specific logical representation of one or more managed resources. A managed resource is an agent or Orchestrator on which operators of a process run. To run an operator on a specific agent or a failover of that agent, specify the target as the touchpoint that is mapped to them.

Content administrators create touchpoints for process targets in the design environment after completing the process plans but before the design process starts. Content designers create the process, where operators target the touchpoints you created. Content designers test the process and then package it for transitioning to the production environment.

Before you transition the process, you create similar touchpoints that associate production agents with the production environment. That is, you create the same touchpoint names or proxy touchpoint names in the production environment that you used in the design environment. Creating these touchpoints enables the operators in the transitioned process to continue to use the same touchpoints as operator targets.

Consider the following process:

  1. Get a test version of the external system or activity that you plan to target.

    Examples of external entities include a Service Desk application, a production database, or a backup system.

  2. Install an agent on the host with the test version of the entity that you plan to target.

    If this approach is not possible, create an SSH connection from an agent host to the host with the target then create a proxy touchpoint.

  3. Map a touchpoint (or proxy touchpoint) to the agent in the design environment that runs the test copy of the targeted external system.
  4. Designers run and test the process, where operators in the process target the touchpoint for testing.
  5. During the transitioning of a process to the production environment, complete the following procedure for each target that is an agent touchpoint:
    1. Identify one or more hosts that are running the application, database, or system to target.
    2. Install an agent on each identified host.
    3. Create a touchpoint that associates each agent that is a potential target with the production environment. Name the touchpoint with the same name used in the design environment.
  6. During the transitioning of a process, complete the following procedure for each target that is a proxy touchpoint:
    1. Identity the remote host that is running the application, database, or system to target.
    2. Install an agent on an available host.
    3. Create an SSH connection from the agent host to the remote host.
    4. Create a proxy touchpoint that associates the agent host with the production environment. Name the proxy touchpoint with the same name used for the proxy touchpoint in the design environment.