RUNNING A HELPDESK CONTENTS. using HP Web Jetadmin

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RUNNING A HELPDESK

using HP Web Jetadmin

OVERVIEW

HP Web Jetadmin contains many tools for managing and troubleshooting printing devices. As a result, it is increasingly used as a helpdesk tool. HP Web Jetadmin includes several features helpdesk personnel can use to remotely troubleshoot devices without having to physically visit them. This can significantly reduce the time spent resolving issues.

HP Web Jetadmin enables administrators to take proactive measures—such as regularly querying for status or enabling email alerts—so that device problems are resolved before the end user calls the helpdesk.

HELPDESK EXAMPLES

Helpdesk personnel can perform the following steps from within HP Web Jetadmin to troubleshoot a device issue remotely:

 Quickly locate the device by using Quick Device Discovery.

 View the status of the device to discover whether it is in an error condition.  Generate a test page to determine network connectivity.

 Toggle the device online and offline.  Power-cycle the device.

 Perform a cold reset to factory defaults.

 View critical diagnostic information such as firmware version.  Upgrade firmware for HP Jetdirect devices and other HP devices.  Configure network or device parameters.

This paper will examine techniques for quickly locating, troubleshooting, and managing devices, both reactively and proactively.

VIEWING DEVICES

When there is a problem with a device, users typically call the helpdesk. They might provide a variety of information for the helpdesk personnel to remotely locate the device. Once the device is located, helpdesk personnel can view the device’s status, including the current state of the device, along with the front panel message (Figure 1).

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Quick Device Discovery

Quick Device Discovery can be used in HP Web Jetadmin to find a device on the network if a user provides either the IP hostname or IP address of the device. Quick Device Discovery initially looks in the HP Web Jetadmin cache to see if the device has already been discovered. If it has not, Quick Device Find can use the information provided to locate the device on the network and add it to the HP Web Jetadmin cache of discovered devices. Once found, Quick Device Discovery displays the status of the device (see Figure 1 on the previous page).

Search

When a network searchable IP address or IP hostname is not available, HP Web Jetadmin provides a search feature that scans the visible device list or specified columns for any user-specified text string. A search can be invoked in one of two ways:

 Type any search string into the Quick Search field on any device list or device group toolbar and then press Enter (Figure 2).

 Invoke the Advanced Search tool by selecting the binocular icon near the Quick Search field (Figure 2). Many advanced search features—including Wrap, Use regular expression, and Find All—help you locate devices that are already in an HP Web Jetadmin device list.

Filters

The Filters feature is another way to find devices among large lists in HP Web Jetadmin. Click the Filters icon at the top of the device list to quickly locate devices that have already been discovered based on specified criteria (Figure 3).

A number of built-in filters—including New (Last Discovery)—can be used to quickly reduce the number of devices being displayed using filter criteria. Custom filters can also be created by using the New or Manage features from within the Filter tool. Figure 4 shows the Filter Editor and Function selection tool. In HP Web Jetadmin, multiple layer filters can be created and joined with the logical operators AND/OR.

Figure 4—Filters editor

Advanced Search button

Figure 2—Advanced Search

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The following is an example of how filtering can be used: A company with several locations has given all devices an identifier in the Description field for the city and building where the device is located. If a user makes a specific request such as, “Help me find a plotter in my building,” the HP Web Jetadmin helpdesk operator simply adds a filter criteria that searches for any Description containing the location criteria (for example, “St.Paul-BLDG4”) and another criteria that searches for any Model containing “Designjet”. The resulting filtered list includes only devices that have Designjet as part of the model name and are located in St. Paul in Building 4.

Advanced filters can be created with boolean operators used for matching criteria. For example, a query could be made on all IP addresses greater than “15.2.1.1”.

NOTE Filters can only be used to find devices that have already been discovered in HP Web Jetadmin. Filters cannot be used to discover new devices on the network. For more

information about device discovery, see the document “Discovering Devices Using HP Web Jetadmin,” available at the Self Help and Documentation tab at www.hp.com/go/wja.

Columns

Devices or attributes can also be found quickly by viewing the information contained within columns in HP Web Jetadmin. Columns can be sorted by clicking on the heading at the top of the column and resized by dragging the side of the heading or re-ordered by drag and drop. You can manage columns through the Layouts tool found on the device list toolbar, which includes several built-in column layouts (Figure 5). Custom layouts can be created from any of several hundred data attributes. Security, Status, and Active Directory are just a few of the pre-existing columns that enable users to extract data from the device environment as well as view and interact with that data through HP Web Jetadmin device lists.

Device Groups

When the list of devices in HP Web Jetadmin becomes too large to quickly locate or manage devices, it can be broken into subsets, or Groups, in order to manage the devices more easily. For example, devices can be organized into groups representing different buildings, while subgroups represent different floors of each building. Automatic groups can be created that enable dynamic group membership based on filter criteria. With groups created, helpdesk personnel can quickly locate devices based on the location of the end user or other logical criteria. Device group icons in HP Web Jetadmin indicate device status for the devices and/or subgroups within a group container. Figure 6 shows a number of different device group icons:

 “+” (on the left side of some of the icons): The group contains a nested group or subgroup.

 Yellow triangle overlaid: Devices in a warning state.  Red circle overlaid: Devices in an error state.

Figure 5—Column Layouts tool

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These icons enable helpdesk staff to quickly find devices in need of attention. Groups with red or yellow arrows at the right-hand side indicate a subgroup in an error or warning state. Navigating into the group’s subgroup structure allows quick discovery of problematic devices. Finally, automatic groups can be distinguished from manual groups by observing the chain links on the right-hand side of the group. This indicates that an automatic group is bound by a filter.

TROUBLESHOOTING DEVICES

Once a device has been located by helpdesk personnel, a variety of troubleshooting options are made available by HP Web Jetadmin to solve the problem remotely, rather than physically traveling to the device—potentially saving significant time and energy. Most of these troubleshooting features can be found in the Troubleshoot tab on any device list or device group (Figure 7).

Print Test Page

From the Troubleshoot tab, users can print a test page using the Print Test Page button (Figure 7). Users can either print a standard test page or an actual file. Printing from file allows users to browse to a local file and then send it to the printer port 9100. This feature can be used as a ping test for determining whether network communication is possible to the device, and whether the problem lies with the print queue versus the device itself.

Detailed status

This feature shows all status messages available from the device.

Embedded Web Server

The Embedded Web Server (EWS) button allows users to launch the device’s EWS interface in a browser session. For new HP devices, interfaces contain tools and other detailed information that have not yet been implemented in HP Web Jetadmin.

Print Test Pagebutton

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Online/Offline

Remotely toggles the device to either an online or an offline state depending on which state the device is currently in.

Reset Device

This feature provides a way to remotely power-cycle a device.

Other features

Other features inside the Troubleshoot tab include a list of Recent Alerts generated by the device, a history of Recent Configurations of the device, and status on available Firmware Updates.

Detailed Info

Another tab found within HP Web Jetadmin device lists is Detailed Info. This tool displays many of the device’s vital statistics, including network status, device information such as firmware version, and device usage meters (when available).

FIRMWARE UPGRADES

With HP Web Jetadmin, users can upgrade the firmware of HP Jetdirect devices and many HP devices over the network. Upgrades to firmware can correct problems with devices and add new features without replacing hardware. The ability to upgrade HP Jetdirect firmware on multiple devices simultaneously saves time for administrators. This “batch” process is available by highlighting the desired devices and then choosing the Firmware tab from the device list tab area (Figure 8). Firmware images can be qualified by administrators first; then helpdesk staff can be given permission through HP Web Jetadmin Roles to allow them to upgrade with

qualified images only. This can provide the helpdesk staff with measures that address known device issues or add new features.

Configuration

HP Web Jetadmin provides the ability to configure printers and HP Jetdirect devices individually or in batches to assist in solving issues. For example, if timing issues are occurring while printing, the TCP-IP Idle Timeout could be increased on the HP Jetdirect device remotely using HP Web Jetadmin. Other useful networking parameters that may require configuration during the troubleshooting process include enabling/disabling protocols, frame types, and more. Device configurations such as tray and media administration can also assist in assuring the device is properly configured to handle the desired print jobs.

Firmware tab

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PROACTIVE MANAGEMENT

While all previously discussed troubleshooting techniques involve reactively responding to a user call at the helpdesk, HP Web Jetadmin also includes various proactive techniques whereby issues can be solved before ever being reported by users.

Status

Status can be viewed for individual printers or groups of devices to determine the current state of each device. Many of the problems causing a warning or error state can be remotely solved before they are detected by end users. The Severity and Status columns in Layouts can be enabled on any device list in order for helpdesk staff to find problematic devices.

Alerts

HP Web Jetadmin has the ability to send email messages, or alerts, whenever events occur on devices. For example, error or warning conditions on devices, such as paper out or toner low, can trigger HP Web Jetadmin to send email messages containing detailed information on the condition. The advantage of alerts is that administrators can receive real-time warnings via email for events that occur on networked devices. Receiving early notification of printer events allows administrators and helpdesk personnel to proactively troubleshoot and correct problems before they impact end user productivity. Individuals responsible for ordering consumables, such as toner cartridges, might enable toner low alerts so they can proactively order toner before it runs out.

Once a device is enabled to send alerts in HP Web Jetadmin, there are two different mechanisms by which HP Web Jetadmin can be informed that a condition exists on the device:

 Traps: HP Web Jetadmin can listen for device traps that warn of a condition.

 Polling: HP Web Jetadmin can periodically poll a device for status if the device does not support traps or the traps table is full. For more information, see the document “Using Proactive Alerts with HP Web Jetadmin,” which can be found at the Self Help and Documentation tab at

www.hp.com/go/wja.

If the status condition of the device matches any of the configured alerts for the device, a detailed email message is delivered to designated recipients. If a device only supports polling, SNMP status queries are sent to the device at user-defined intervals and the status is checked against configured alerts in the same way.

ENTERPRISE SYSTEMS MANAGEMENT INTEGRATION

HP Web Jetadmin provides a bridge for enterprise systems management applications such as HP OpenView or IBM Tivoli. These applications and others can be configured to launch HP Web Jetadmin software for specific printers and other imaging devices found within the enterprise application. Following is how an administrator might use this functionality when managing devices within HP OpenView.

IT administrators can use HP OpenView’s Network Node Manager to monitor the status of network hosts such as routers, switches, servers, and printers. This is done with a map of the network or network segment displayed in Network Node Manager. However, to arrive at appropriate and specific printing or digital imaging detail, the administrator requires the help of a tool focused on the variety of features needed to manage these devices. HP Web Jetadmin is that tool.

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device. (NOTE: Hostname use is also possible.) When HP Web Jetadmin is launched in this way, the application loads with the device pre-selected in the All Devices list within HP Web Jetadmin.

The URL linkage is generic enough to be used in any enterprise systems management application that can be configured, or “bridged,” into an application like HP Web Jetadmin. Other kinds of

integrations are possible depending on the application. Talk to your HP imaging and printing account team about HP Services’ Web Jetadmin Consulting for assessing and providing solutions for your enterprise management needs.

SUMMARY

Device issues contribute to the total volume of calls a helpdesk receives. Fortunately, HP Web Jetadmin provides many tools that allow for troubleshooting devices remotely, significantly reducing time spent solving issues. HP Web Jetadmin also provides proactive measures for managing device issues before end users experience them. This increases user satisfaction and encourages productivity in the enterprise.