CF Web>UserSupport>IudDraft (2013-04-10, DanielAllen)

Inventory System Triage Documentation (Draft)

The inventory system tracks CSCF and Computer Science equipment in a database. It can be accessed at https://cs.uwaterloo.ca/cscf/internal/inventory/.

System Specifications

Hardware

The inventory system runs on our main webserver, www150.cs.uwaterloo.ca, and our MySQL server, database.cs.uwaterloo.ca

Software

File Path corresponding to root URL: www150.cs:/software/odyssey-3_apache/data/vhosts/cs.uwaterloo.ca/cscf/internal/inventory
Apache Error log files: www150.cs:/software/odyssey-3_apache/logs/yyyy/mm/dd//www150-errors-cs-ssl
Web Framework Log files: www150.cs:/software/odyssey-3_apache/data/vhosts/cs.uwaterloo.ca/cscf/internal/inventory/web/inventory/protected/runtime/application.log
Database:
- Stored on database.cs
- Named equipment
- Access is via command-line or phpMyAdmin

Authentication and Authorization Information

If you are not already logged in to CAS, the inventory system will prompt you for a username and password after you view one of its pages. Your WatIAM credentials will give you access and your session won't expire for one day.

People

Administrator: Daniel Allen
Point of contact (expert): Daniel Allen
Major client:
- CSCF
  - Most CSCF staff use inventory.
  - Contact: cscf-staff@cs.uwaterloo.ca

Terminology

None.

Guides to the Completion of Scheduled Tasks

Once a Term, at start of term

Add new co-ops

When we hire new co-ops and part time staff, we need to add them as users of the system. (See below).

Remove old co-ops

Co-op access typically includes an expiry date, so it is not critical that their accounts be deleted when they leave, but optionally we can tidy up by checking the users list for old users to delete.

Guides to the Completion of Common Requests

Adding a New User

Users must be added manually:

Log into https://cs.uwaterloo.ca/phpMyAdmin/ using your userid and mysql password (generally assigned by Isaac; not your WatIAM password).
Navigate to "equipment" database and "users" table in the left-hand menu
Choose "Insert" from top menu-strip.
Fill in the fields as follows:
- userid = their 8-character userid
- comment = format: Added by drallen on 7 April 2013
- expires = date their work-term ends, possibly plus a few weeks extra in case they stay longer
- Unit = CS
- suFlag and swFlag = empty
- flags = empty for read-only access; wm (for 'write' and 'mass-action') - for most users; or wmd (for 'write', 'mass-action', and 'delete')
tell the user they are activated; if they can log in using their WatIAM password, it is done.

Alternatively, from phpMyAdmin "SQL" tab, or from the command-line of mysql ( mysql -u username -p equipment )

Add a row to users in the following format:

INSERT INTO `users` (
  `userid` , `comment` , `expires` , `unit` , `suFlag` , `swFlag` , `flags`
) VALUES (
  '$USERID', 'added 2012/05/08  ST #82450', '2012-06-01', 'CS', NULL, NULL, ''
);

Removing a User

User access will expire automatically after the expiration date. However, the users list can be tidied by removing long-expired users.

Setting/changing a user's expiration date

(As above under "adding a new user") log into PhpMyAdmin and navigate to "equipment" database, "user" table.
select the "edit" button next to the user.
change the date in the "expires" row.
save the record. If the expiration date is in the past, the user will immediately lose access.

Deleting a user

(As above under "adding a new user") log into PhpMyAdmin and navigate to "equipment" database, "user" table.
select the "delete" button next to the user. Confirm the deletion.

Common Failures/Bugs & Troubleshooting

People see a web-server 500 Error on a white background

The issue is probably the fault of CAS. Users will have to remove their browser cookies related to cs.uwaterloo.ca and re-authenticating.

The procedure for deleting cookies varies from browser to browser. http://www.aboutcookies.org/default.aspx?page=2 explains the process for all browsers.