The need

NetworkD is a leading provider of desktop systems management and help desk solutions. NetworkD’s customers have long yearned for web based access to Frontrange’s HEAT® service and support system. NetworkD decided to develop a product called iNferno which provides analyst access via the web to Frontrange HEAT® customers without necessitating terminal services. NetworkD’s developers needed to find a means through which to recreate the complex user interface which was robust, secure and maintainable.

 

Company Profile

Established in 1996, NetworkD is the number one provider of Infrastructure Management Software and Business Process Solutions - designed and delivered on a global platform. NetworkD specializes in LANDesk® implementation, Custom Development, Software Packaging and other IT Systems Management consulting services.

 

The Challenge

NetworkD needed to develop a complex web front-end to Frontrange’s HEAT service and support system. The web front-end needs to provide users with a responsive, data-rich user interface to manage and respond to service and support requests stored in HEAT. NetworkD’s developers were challenged to develop a web based user interface which would provide the level of interactivity and responsiveness required by HEAT users. The goal was to achieve the same look & feel of the desktop based system without requiring any additional technologies beyond a browser and a regular HTTP server.

 

The VWG Solution

The Web based solution provides access to the HEAT system via a browser. The solution replaces Frontrange’s current practice of accessing HEAT via terminal services. Customer reactions have been great and everyone who’s seen it is surprised at how well iNFerno recreates HEAT screens.

NetworkD first started developing iNferno using Microsoft Ajax and ComponentArt WebUI when they encountered two major problems: horrible performance with some actions taking up to 10-15 seconds and problems rendering screens correctly when accounting for different screen sizes and resizable forms. Mark Reed, NetworkD’s Group Development Lead reveals “Once we went to VWG we saw anywhere from 100%-400%+ improvement in speed those issues that took 15 seconds went down to 2-3 seconds. I stumbled upon VWG and installed it and after 1 hour I was convinced that we needed to port the entire project over and that any current time lose would be made up down the road with ease of maintainability…”

Using Visual WebGUI, NetworkD was able to accurately re-render the HEAT (32-bit) interface and provide 80% of the functionality and add additional functionality like color coding the ticket lists with a single developer within 4 months. Mark attributes the efficiency gained by using VWG to “not having to worry about all the different web language (CSS, HTML, Javascript, ASP.NET).We are able to concentrate on building the applications not the underlying technology.”. NetworkD is now working on additional projects using VWG including web dashboards for iLaunchpad and iRecall as well porting its iControl for Windows and iSurvey products.

 

Screenshots from the Application

The main iNferno™ interface acts as a web-based alert monitor as well as adding additional features requested on many occasions by HEAT® users. Utilising a truly web-based interface, iNferno™ provides a clear representation of the groups and work lists associated with an analyst including all of the important support data they require for their role.

iNferno™ renders HEAT forms just as they have been designed through the HEAT® Administrator editor removing the need to design specific web forms for use by analysts. 
As well as rendering forms, iNferno™ supports many of the capabilities that make HEAT® so flexible and powerful including AutoTask functions that allow call automation and launching of external applications.  Other NetworkD components are supported for launch via HEAT® auto-tasks within iNferno including iLaunchPad™ and iControl for Windows™.

Customer details are also fully accessible via the toolbar icons including customer profiles, configuration item data, and caller history.