CA Service Management

  • 1.  Limiting user web sessions

    Posted Nov 10, 2011 10:21 AM
    has anyone found a way to limit the number of web sessions a user can initiate?
    for example, we are finding users that have up to 15 web sessions open at the same time.

    Thanks.


  • 2.  RE: Limiting user web sessions

    Posted Nov 14, 2011 07:44 PM
    This question occassionally comes up.

    OUT OF THE BOX
    There is no "Out of the box" way to limit the number of web sessions that a user may initiate.

    ENHANCEMENT REQUEST
    There is an Enhancement Request lodged for this feature to be added. If this is a concern to your site, you may log an issue with Support requesting this Enhancement Request also. The more customer sites request a feature, the more weight the request may receive. Please include the "Business Reason" about why this is a concern. What benefit is gained by restricting to one user login?

    CAT SERVICES CUSTOMISATION
    An alternative is to discuss with CA Technologies, Services, about implementing a feature which meets your business needs. For example, having users create requests via Web Services. Or getting a script to monitor pdm_webstat -D output for duplicates and sending a notification. There are a number of alternatives.

    BUSINESS CASE
    It really depends on why this functionality is needed. Can you expand on the business reason for why this is needed?

    Allowing multiple logins does allow some benefits.

    Some reasons given prior by clients:
    * Licence count: This may be overcome by doing a pdm_webstat - D and removing duplicates to get an accurate count.
    * Performance concerns: Having multiple logins by users rarely causes performance concerns, as the users are still only capable of updating one screen at a time. Plus in general Service Desk scales well.
    * "Neatness": Enhancement could be made to either (a) alter the pdm_webstat output to only give 'unique' counts or enhancement could be made to only allow single login.


  • 3.  RE: Limiting user web sessions
    Best Answer

    Posted Nov 15, 2011 04:54 PM
    There is also a known issue on Service Desk 12.5 which may be what you are encoutering:
    ---------------------------------------
    PRODUCT: Unicenter Service Desk RELEASE: 12.5

    PROB #: 1767 FN: T5N7199 FT: D33 DATE: 26 Sep 2011
    USRD
    PROBLEM SYMPTOM: WIN-PDM_WEBSTAT REPORT SHOWS INCORRECT SESSION COU
    ----------------------------------------------------
    After installing the first set of Cumulative
    published patches for Service Desk Manager 12.5,
    specifically the resolution to Star Problem
    number USRD 1210, the session statistics reported
    by pdm_webstat utility may contain even the
    logged out sessions. The report may contain such
    logged out sessions for up to 5 minutes after log
    out.

    Steps to Reproduce:

    1. Install the first set of cumulative patches for
    Service Desk Manager 12.5.
    2. Log in as an administrator.
    3. Log out.
    4. Run the pdm_webstat utility. It will report the
    logged out session as active.
    ---------------------------------------

    The solution to this is available by logging an issue at support.ca.com and quoting the problem number "USRD 1767."