Problem Management Process
Problem Management is the process responsible for managing the lifecycle of all problems. The general purpose is to prevent incidents and to minimize the influence of those that you cannot prevent by identifying the unknown root cause of incidents as Known Errors.
Within SimpleOne, the Problem Management solution allows users to perform the following types of process activities:
- Identify and log problems.
- Prioritize and categorize them by impact and urgency, CIs and services.
- Assign problems to appropriate persons and groups.
- Investigate and perform functional or hierarchical escalation if necessary.
- Produce workarounds to reduce problem affection and to keep system functionality running while searching for a resolution.
- Resolve and Close problems with the objects related to them.
Problem Identification and Categorization
When detecting an issue, it is necessary to log and describe all the aspects of a problem. Create a Problem record for proper issue identification, and to log all activities and works on a problem.
Categorize and prioritize a problem for a proper assessment of the impact on your system. These activities help to produce a sufficient resolution.
Problem Investigation
Use the Problem Management features to Investigate problems and objects related to them. Establish hierarchical and functional relationships with Incidents and Change Requests to identify the issue cause.
Produce a workaround
You can reduce or eliminate the impact of a problem that is impossible to resolve for any reason. Create a Known Error record to produce a workaround useful for the relevant problems and issues.
Problem Resolution
Initiate and produce the most appropriate Problem solution by the SimpleOne features. Create Change Requests and Problem Tasks that are necessary for problem resolution.
Problem Closure
Verify completed problems to make sure that the issue has been eliminated and to Close the problems.
Problem Management States
Problem Management states allow users to monitor the problem processes, as well as control their investigation and resolution. Unlike Incidents, state values are available for every problem except the problems with the Closed state (it is impossible to reopen the closed problems). In other words, the Problem Management processes can be non-linear and require the ability to accept changes.
State | Description | Available Transitions |
|---|---|---|
| Registered | The problem is detected and recorded but not yet categorized. |
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| Assigned | The problem is categorized and assigned to a relevant person or group. |
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| In Progress | The person started working on the issue. |
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| Postponed | The problem can be marked Postponed if the problem resolving should be postponed for a known period. If the problem affects business functions, then it must have at least a temporary workaround. |
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| Known Error | An identified root cause of problems that have been analyzed but have not been resolved. An agent has come up with a temporary workaround of this cause as Known Error. Keep produced workarounds in the Known Error Database (Knowledge Base → KEDB) and apply them when related incidents occur. |
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| Completed | A problem is considered resolved when an agent has come up with a permanent solution for this issue. In this case, he/she must change the state to Completed so that the caller could perform the tests. If the tests are successful, then the problem should be marked as Closed. |
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| Closed | After completing a problem and verifying the issue elimination, an agent could close the problem (mark it as Closed). In case the agent hasn't closed the problem with the Completed mark, the system can close the problem automatically over an adjustable timeframe. The Closed value is only available for selection in Problem records with the Completed state. |
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