Information on GLPI Structure, Relationships and Rules

maxgen · 2010-11-01 13:21:53

I am struggling with a number of aspects of GLPI.

I have an OCS / XAMPP installation on Windows 2003 to which I have added GLPI 0.72.4
I have configured LDAP to AD - OCSNG MODE - Receivers and Notifications - these are all working.
It is a Greenfield setup and I am able to change most anything. I am testing in a VM environment so I can migrate to GLPI 0.78 if that is a consensus.
I have searched through the forums and the wiki and Google without much success in understanding the relationships of some of the elements in GLPI.
The intention is to use this in a school environment to provide a quality Helpdesk that staff can rely upon, and to better manage our fleet and equipment. We have been using WebHelpdesk but find that it is cost prohibitive and not as functional as we first hoped without far more licences and even then doesn't do some of the things I already have worked out in GLPI.
My issues with GLPI are that it appears to have everything I want but I just don't know the best way to structure the environment. It seems that once you structure it one way or another you are stuck with that structure. The forums and wiki (especially for English) are a bit fragmented with information and the documentation doesn't actually provide information for a good base structure.
I have written up some documentation on our build to date which I am happy to share or put on the wiki if it is deemed to be of any use.
I need to understand the rules (especially business) and how they work with entities, groups, users and Inventory. I cannot picture how they are supposed to work together. I know a few months ago I came across some some information that helped me decide to try GLPI but of course I cannot find it now, like all projects this one is changing daily.
I realise this is a long winded way of saying what is deemed to be a basic structure for GLPI?
My present structure is:
root entity only
AD groups imported
AD users imported (they have automatically picked up their groups)
No OCS devices imported yet (I want to associate devices with users [mobile devices] or locations [static devices] but don't know how)
email is working. (the root entity has a field for Admin email but is blank however in Notifications the Admin email works fine so I assume the concept is that the entity has it's own Admin?)
I have so many questions about things that may seem quite simple to those who have been working with this for a long time and I don't want to ask others to do all the leg work for me so what is the best way to gather the information and ensure it is available for other GLPI noobs in the future?

sean.tapscott · 2010-11-01 16:27:16

Entities represent anything that requires separation. Its best NOT to start out in the root entity. I recently had to transfer everything out of the root entity into a sub entity and it was a bit frustrating. I wrote about this before, because I find it fascinating.

http://www.glpi-project.org/forum/viewt … p?id=21081

Here are some other things I've learned since then (should probably go into the wiki but whatever). The user accounts themselves don't exist in the entity structure. It's their profiles which determine which entity they're using. To make this easier for the user, should not use recursive profiles, and instead should give them profiles inside the entity. That way, they can switch between entities by using the profile dropdown at the top of the simplified interface.

Maybe an example will also help. I wanted to use GLPI for another department in my company. The helpdesk functions quite well as simply a service desk for general use. I couldn't do this with just the root entity, as I didn't want that department to be able to see or edit my department's tickets.

So, first step is to have the right permissions. If you're not a super-admin with recursive permissions, you won't be able to see the entities that you create. Next, create the entity. After that, I think its better to unlink your software from your computers before transferring from a root entity to a child entity. Often, the software will transfer into the entity, but will leave behind any unlinked softwares, and then when you try to merge the two disparate software groups into the one entity, it won't allow it. It was annoying.

Anyway, Hopefully the link above helps, and yeah, entities have their own admins.

maxgen · 2010-11-03 21:47:05

Thank you Sean - After reading your posts and doing a lot more reading and thinking - we have AD users slotting nicely into their appointed entities and taking on the attributes set in the rules.

My intention is to keep this thread alive and as my confidence and knowledge grows I will attempt to answer the topic heading from my own experience - hopefully this will assist and lead to others with limited MySQL and PHP experience taking up this superb project.

Also to the project developers my sincerest congratulations on a wonderful piece of work. Having used IRM some years back I am just in awe of the sophistication and power of GLPI.

Last edited by maxgen (2010-11-04 00:52:11)

JMD · 2010-11-04 00:50:04

thanks maxgen

alechan · 2010-11-04 09:17:15

Sean is right, better don't rely on root entity only.
In my case entities are the different companies (5) , child entities are the branches (+100) and the groups are the different departments.
I give the simplified access to all the user so that they can check what's going on to their ticket.
One business administrator per entity has recursive rights so that he can also check the subentities.

Also by creating AD groups for example, while importing from OCSNG, you can associate computers to entities so it is really easy to track down every piece of hardware in your network.

Last edited by alechan (2010-11-04 09:18:33)

maxgen · 2010-11-04 13:44:27

JMD wrote:

thanks maxgen

C'est moi qui devrait vous remercier
Merci beaucoup

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#1 2010-11-01 13:21:53

Information on GLPI Structure, Relationships and Rules

#2 2010-11-01 16:27:16

Re: Information on GLPI Structure, Relationships and Rules

#3 2010-11-03 21:47:05

Re: Information on GLPI Structure, Relationships and Rules

#4 2010-11-04 00:50:04

Re: Information on GLPI Structure, Relationships and Rules

#5 2010-11-04 09:17:15

Re: Information on GLPI Structure, Relationships and Rules

#6 2010-11-04 13:44:27

Re: Information on GLPI Structure, Relationships and Rules

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