ESD portal helps Airmen solve issues, find solutions

by Staff Sgt. Jessica Hines
31st Fighter Wing Public Affairs

3/28/2014 - AVIANO AIR BASE, Italy -- The Air Force's Enterprise Service Desk has developed some new self-help tools that are now available to help answer and resolve basic network issues and questions.

The site is accessible through the AF portal with the use of a members' common access card by searching "ESD portal."

From there, Airmen can use the "Self-help Search" option to view information technology solutions for issues relating to email configurations, how to map a network drive or printer and how to set up a personal folder storage.

"Before you had to call in with a request or go to your [information assurance officer] to get that information, but now they are making those tools available for everybody," said 2nd Lt. Chase Luedeke, 31st Communications Squadron deputy operations flight commander.

"This is shifting some of that work load, which was created when everything was centralized into the enterprise network, by giving some of the power back to the bases as well as the customer," he added.

The site also allows users to manually search frequently asked questions and find step-by-step instructions to solve their own issues.

Under the "Update my GAL" option, users can update their own telephone number, office symbol, street address and more directly in the global address list, without the need to open a ticket.

"The GAL is a pretty big addition; members don't have to submit a ticket, they can instantly update their information themselves," said Chase. "There are a lot of self-help options that people just don't know are available to them."

The "Service Request Console" allows a member to submit certain types of tickets themselves such as organizational email permissions, modify email distribution groups and more. This tool is currently limited in regards to the type of tickets that can be opened, but the ESD is working to improve and expand its capabilities.

Furthermore, users no longer need to call to check the status of their ticket, they can click "My tickets" and see their ticket and its status in real-time.

To help Team Aviano members even more, the 31st CS has created a desktop icon, which will link users directly to their SharePoint site and all its benefits.

"People can click on the icon, which will appear automatically on all the network computers on base and it will take them directly to our SharePoint page, which links users to all the information from the both the communications squadron and the ESD," said Chase. "We just want to make it as easy as possible."

The 31st CS SharePoint, which also links to the ESD Portal, provides even more assistance with common base support functions such as video teleconference and public address equipment requests as well as training options and IT equipment custodian tools.

"We tried to hit up every faucet of support we could possibly put on there; it's a great one-stop shop," said Chase.

If the self-help options do not resolve a specific issue, members can always open a ticket over the phone. The ESD Portal can also help Airmen find the best time to call based on average wait times by clicking "Phone Wait Times" on the site.

For more information regarding the ESD visit the AF portal at www.my.af.mil.