Implementing Policy › Policy Implementation › Notifications › Service Level Agreements › How to Configure SLAs

How to Configure SLAs

In CA SDM, the SLA or service type describes the level of service that the service desk analyst provides to the customer. To track your enterprise commitments and schedules (as they relate to specific tickets), events are attached to service types. Events are used to define the condition under which the service type is violated and the actions to be taken after the violation. Each event has three generic behavior characteristics: conditions, actions on true, and actions on false.

• Condition identifies the measurable state of a ticket.
• Action identifies the processes that occur automatically when the condition is true or false after a specified amount of time.

Example: As a system administrator, you want to set up an SLA of 24-hours for a hardware request, failing which an email notification is sent to the Customer Support Manager and the analyst. This example is used throughout the scenario to explain how the email notification is configured for an SLA.

The following diagram shows how to configure the 24 hours. The SLA which sends an email notification, upon violation:

Follow these steps:

1. Open the CA SDM Web UI.
2. Verify the Prerequisites.
3. If you do not want to use a predefined macro, Create a Macro.
4. If you do not want to use a predefined event, Create an Event.
5. If you do not want to use a predefined service type, Create a Service Type.
6. Attach the Service Type to an Object.

Open CA SDM Web UI

Log in to the web UI from the following servers, depending on your CA SDM configuration:

• Conventional: Primary or secondary servers
• Advanced availability: Application or background servers

Verify the Prerequisites

Before you configure the service level agreement, ensure that you have completed the following steps:

• Installed the SLA options which are necessary for your organization needs.
• Verified the Notification Method for the Recipient
• Created a Message Template, if you want send an email notification upon an SLA violation and if you do not want to use a predefined message.

SLA Options

Depending on your organization needs, install the SLA options that you require to set up the SLA.

For example, in "classic" SLA processing (enabled if the classic_sla_processing option is installed in Options Manager) only one service type can apply to a ticket at any given time. When different attributes on a ticket have different service types associated with them, the higher ranked service type is used. The rank of a service type is defined when the service type is created, with the highest ranking being 1, the next being 2, and so on. For example, assume that the issue has a service type of 12-hour resolution (ranking 2), was assigned a priority code of 1, which has a service type of 4-hour resolution (ranking 1). The higher ranked service type determines the service behavior for the associated issue. In this example, 4-hour resolution is ranked higher than 12‑hour resolution, so the 4-hour resolution service type is applied to the issue.

The following options can be installed from the Options Manager:

Note: For more information about installing or uninstalling an option, see the Online Help.

Verify the Notification Method for the Recipient

Ensure that the contact to whom you want to send the notification, is assigned to that particular notification method.

Follow these steps:

1. Select Security and Role Management, Contacts on the Administration tab.

   The Contact Search page opens.

2. Search for the contact using the filter and select the contact that you want to notify from the search result.

   The contact detail page opens.

3. Select Notification on the Contact Details tab.
4. Verify the notification method. Based on your notification priority, choose the required option. For example, you want to send an email notification for any emergency notification. Select the Email option in the Emergency field.
5. To change the notification method, click Edit, change the option, and click Save.

   The notification method for the contact is verified.

Create Message Templates

Create a message template that contains the values to use for the notification message. When you send multiple notification messages, you can use the message templates to simplify your workload.

Note: If multi-tenancy is installed, select the appropriate tenant from the drop-down list. The public (shared) option creates the object for all tenants.

Follow these steps:

1. Select Notifications, Message Templates from the Administration tab.

   The Message Template List page opens.

2. Click Create New.

   The Create New Message Template page opens.

3. Complete the fields as appropriate.

   Symbol

   Defines a unique identifier for this message template.

   Object Type

   Specifies the object type associated with this template. For example, select Request/ Incident/ Problem for any notification related to a ticket.

   Record Status

   Specifies the status of the template as either active or inactive. Set the status to Active to use the message template.

   Auto Notification

   Specifies to send the notification associated with this template automatically, when the activity occurs. For example, you set up an initial notification, set up the objects to notify, and set up the message template, but you are not ready to turn on the notifications. In this case, you do not select Auto Notification. When you are ready to start automatic notifications, you select the check box. The notification becomes active and occurs as defined.

   Notify Level

   Indicates the relative importance of sending this notification. For example, select Emergency if you want to send the email notification to the contact immediately when the associated activity occurs.

   Notification Message Title

   Specifies the summary title of the message. You can use variables to insert the incident number in the message title. For example, @{call_req_id.type.sym} @{call_req_id.ref_num} @{type.sym}.

   Notification Message Body

   Specifies the content of the message. You can use variables to insert the analyst name, end-user name, and description into the message. For example,

   @{call_req_id.type.sym} @{call_req_id.ref_num} @{type.sym}.
   

   Assigned to: @{call_req_id.assignee.combo_name}
   

   Customer: @{call_req_id.customer.combo_name}
   

   Description: @{call_req_id.description}
   

   Click on the following URL to view:
   

   @{call_req_id.web_url}
   

   You can use the ARTIFACT keyword to specify how artifacts are handled in outbound messages, message templates, notifications, and auto-replies. The ARTIFACT keyword uses the following values:

   • NONE—Specifies no validation of artifacts. This value is the same as not using the keyword.
   • PROTECTED—Validates a ticket against the hash for confirmation. If confirmation fails, the artifact is considered invalid and filtering fails when filtering searching for an artifact ({{object_id}}).
   • SECURE—Decrypts the ticket number. If the value is not a valid password, the artifact is considered invalid and filtering fails when filtering is searching for an artifact ({{object_id}}).

   HTML Message

   Specifies the HTML message that is displayed to the recipient. If the recipient receives the message on an external device, such as a cell phone or PDA, the message displays in plain text only. Click Edit HTML Message to open the HTML Editor.

   Quick View

   Displays the message as it appears to the recipient.

   HTML Source

   Displays the message in the HTML source code.

4. Click Save.

   The message template is created.

Create an Email Notification Macro

You can create a macro, which can be used to add actions to objects or check for certain characteristics or conditions.

Note: If multi-tenancy is installed, select the appropriate tenant from the drop-down list. The public (shared) option creates the object for all tenants.

Follow these steps:

1. Select Events and Macros, Macros on the Administration tab.

   The Macro List page opens.

2. Click Create New.

   The Create New Macro page appears.

3. Complete the fields as follows:

   Symbol

   Enter a descriptive identifier for the macro.

   Macro Type

   Select the type for this macro. The macro type that is selected controls the remaining data that needs to be supplied.

   Note: The Execute CA IT PAM Action selection is only available when CA IT PAM Workflow is configured with CA SDM. The Execute CA Workflow Action selection is only available when CA Workflow is configured with CA SDM.

   Object Type

   Select the type of object on which the macro can be run.

4. Click Continue.

   The page fills in with the remaining data needed for the macro that is based on the selected macro type.

   Note: According to the example, select Multiple Notification Macro as the macro type to send an email notification upon an SLA violation. For more information about other macro types, see the Online Help.

Multiple Notification Macro

This macro type lets you send a notification to one or more contacts. You can specify the message to send, the recipients of the message, and the urgency level.

Follow these steps:

1. Type the template name directly in the Message Template field, or click the search icon to select the desired template. This template is used to create the notification message.
2. Click Save.
3. Choose the appropriate contacts to notify from the following tabs:

   Note: Use the Update Contacts button that appears on each tab to search for and select more contacts to notify.

   Object Contacts

   Displays the available organizations, vendors, and configuration items for the selected Object type that receive notification about tickets. For example, you can select Affected End User or Affected End User's Org to notify.

   Contacts

   Displays the individuals who are added to the notification macro, regardless of their association with the ticket.

   Contact Types

   Displays the users who are defined within the notification macro with the same classification, such as analyst or customer.

4. Click Save.

   The multiple notification macro is created.

Create an Event

Create an event and attach a marco to this event. This event is executed after certain time is elapsed. If any macro is attached, an action is performed.

Note: If multi-tenancy is installed, select the appropriate tenant from the drop-down list. The public (shared) option creates the object for all tenants.

Follow these steps:

1. Select Events and Macros, Events on the Administration tab.

   The Event List page opens.

2. Click Create New.

   The Create New Event page opens.

3. Complete the event fields and configuration information.

   Click Save.

4. To add the macro to this event, complete the action information.

   The new event is saved.

Event Fields

Complete the following fields to add or edit an event:

Name

The name of the event.

Object Type

Indicates whether the event is attached to an issue, request, change order, workflow task, knowledge document, knowledge report card, assistance session, or managed survey.

This field can only be edited when creating an event. This field is read-only when you want to update the event.

Record Status

Indicates whether the event is active or inactive. Only active events can be used.

Configuration Information Fields

Complete the following fields to add or edit the configuration information:

Delay Time

Specifies the time after which the event is triggered.

Repeat Delay Time

Specifies the interval of time after which you want the event to be triggered again.

Allow Time Resetting

Specifies if a service desk analyst can change the Delay Time. This option must be selected in order for an event to be used as a Service Type event (an event associated with a service level, such as 4-hour resolution.).

Work Shift

Specifies the dates, days, and hours when the service type is in effect.

On Done Event Flag

Specifies the action to take once the event has been completed.

Repeat Event

Repeats the event at the specified time interval until the issue is closed.

Save History

Records the history of activities taken on the event.

No History

Do not record any history of the event. The event does not appear in the Event History window.

Condition

Displays the macro (if associated with the event) indicating the condition checked for by the event.

Text

Defines the event configuration. For some action macros, this field is used for a specific purpose. For example, in the Transfer to Event Contact action macro, it contains the userid of the person to whom you want the ticket to be transferred.

Action Information Fields

Select the actions to be associated with the event as follows:

1. Click the Action Information tab.
2. Select one or both of the Set SLA Violation for Actions on True/False Macro check boxes. Selecting these check boxes logs a Service Level Agreement (SLA) violation when a true or false condition is encountered for the event.

   Note: Specify appropriate macros for true or false condition under the action list to log the SLA violations.

3. Click Update Actions on True.

   The Macro Search page opens.

4. Search for the macros to be performed if the event condition is true.
5. Select the desired macros from the list on the left, and click More (>>).

   The selected macros are added to the list on the right.

6. When all desired macros are in the list on the right, click OK.

   The selected macros appear in the Actions on True Macro List.

7. Click Update Actions on False, and repeat the previous procedure to select the macros to be performed if the event condition is false.

Customize a Service Type

You can create a service type suits your requirements. You can also modify a predefined service type.

Follow these steps:

1. Select Service Desk, Service Types on the Administration tab.

   The Service Type List page opens.

2. Click Create New.

   The Create New Service Type page opens.

3. If multi-tenancy is installed, select the appropriate tenant from the drop-down list. The public (shared) option creates the object for all tenants.
4. Complete the following fields, as appropriate:

   Symbol

   Defines a unique identifier for the service type. In this example, you assign the symbol as 24_hr_resolution.

   Ranking

   Defines a ranking for the service type. In this example, the hardware request ticket may be associated with multiple service types. The ranking value determines the applicable service type. The service type with low ranking has the highest priority.

   Enter 1.

   Workshift

   Specifies the dates, days, and hours when the service type is in effect. The following rules apply to workshifts:

   • If you apply a workshift to a service type, stop and restart the service for the workshift to take effect immediately.
   • If a workshift for a service type has been specified, but not for an event, the service type workshift is in effect.
   • If a workshift for an event has been specified, but not for a service type, the service type workshift is ignored.
   • If a workshift for the event and service type have been specified, the service type workshift is ignored.

   Timezone

   Specifies the time zone for the service type. This time zone is used for triggering events in the system if the Use End User's Time Zone option is not selected.

   Use End User's Timezone

   Specifies the timezone of the affected end user to trigger the events.

   Violation Cost

   Specifies the cost that is incurred if the service type time limit is violated.

5. Click Save.

   The service type is saved.

6. To attach a service type event, select the appropriate tab (Requests, Change Orders, Change Order Tasks, Issues, or Issue Tasks) and click Add Service Type Event.

   The Create New Service Type Event page opens.

7. Click Event.

   The Event List page opens.

8. Do one of the following actions:
   • Click Create New to create an event. Complete the event fields and configuration information. To add a macro to this event, complete the action information.
   • Select one of the existing events from the list. You can use the filter criteria to search for an event.

     The selected or created event is displayed in the Event field.

9. Click Continue.

   The service type detail page is displayed with the attached event.

Attach the Service Type to an Object

Service types can be associated with various objects such as contacts, organizations, categories, priority codes. According to the example, you attach the service type to the Incident Area, which is Hardware.

Follow these steps:

1. Open the related ticket for which you want to assign an SLA.
2. Click Hardware from the Incident Area field.

   The Hardware Update Request/Incident/Problem Area page opens.

3. Click Edit.
4. Click Service Type.

   The Service Type List page opens.

5. Search for 24_hr_resolution service type that you have created.
6. Click 24_hr_resolution from the search result.

   The Hardware Update Request/ Incident/ Problem Area page opens with the updated service type.

7. Click Save.

   The service type is attached to the Hardware incident area.