Impact Analysis & Visualizations

WiscIT (Cherwell) has the ability to allow technologists to perform their own impact analysis.  This is done through "visualizations".

To access Visualizations:

1. Log into WiscIT
2. Call up any configuration item.
3. Tools
   
4. Visualizations
5. Visualization Manager
6. Select the Visualization you want; a visualization that was created for quick response and easy impact analysis is in the Global folder for users:  "Configuration Items - Only Servers Upward".  This visualization excludes IP addresses and DNS records (including IP and DNS in a visualization can slow response time, due to the large number of potential records).
7. After you select your visualization, it will appear in the Tools/Visualizations pick-list.

Below is a visualization of the Technical Service "SOLAR (FASTAR).

Please note:

1. In the upper left, there are 2 picks:
1. Search - you can enter a CI name here to do a new visualization
2. Layout - choose the layout that works for you
2. In the upper right is a window that, if there are many CIs displayed, you can use to scroll to a particular part of the visualization
3. There is a scaler at the top
4. In the lower right, there is a legend outlining
1. Links - the relationships between CIs - one can choose the types to display
2. Nodes - the CI types displayed in this visualization

Looking at the above example, one could say the following:

1. SOLAR can have the Test environ, and must have the website
2. The prksa database must have server DOLCETTO
3. The UW-Parkside Student Administration-SOLAR app must have the prksa database and the server CIRNANO.

Calendars

WiscIT (Cherwell) has useful calendars built into the tool.

To access Calendars:

1. Log into WiscIT
2. Tools
3. Calendars
4. Calendar Manager
5. Select the Calendar you want; a combined calendar was created for general use is in the Global folder for users:  "Change Impact Analysis Calendar".  This calendar includes Planned, Unplanned and Emergency Changes and Timeframes.
   
6. After you select your calendar, it will appear in the Tools/Calendars pick-list.

Below is the calendar for the week of November 9-15.

1. You can select a date or range to view on the right
2. You can select what types of outages to view in the lower right.
3. To get the details on an outage, double-click it.  The outage record will come up, and one can peruse the relevant Changes, Incidents, Problems or Configuration Items.