4.1. Overview

XCRM is XSTRA’s Professional Services Automation (PSA) tool developed on the CIOCTO platform

CIOCTO is a multi-tenant cloud-based management platform and control plane that delivers tools and business intelligence to manage complex IT & Communications environments

Key Features of CIOCTO include:

• Web-Based User Interface
• Worlds Best Practice workflows incorporating:
  • ISO 9001.2015
  • ISO 27001.2013
  • ITIL
• Data Lake for Reporting and Billing Data incorporating:
  • Postgres Database
  • Data Lake API
  • CIOCTO Universal Agent – sends data to the Data Lake API
    • Windows Service
    • Unique Agent ID is set during installation, calls home, and gets “Adopted”
    • Logs all errors it encounters in undertaking tasks set for it
    • Tasks for Agents are set in XCRM
    • Agent performs many regular tasks. Example: Active Directory management
    • As far as data collection, it just grabs the requested data and passes it to the Data Lake via an API that is set to accept “Data Parcels”
    • The Agent is not hampered by data structures or schema’s at the Data Lake end
    • The Agent only passes “Data Parcels”
    • The Agent also acts as a proxy for PoweShell, Telnet, SSH
    • Facilitates Active Directory integration
  • Stream Register & Validator – continuously checks data in the data lake
    • AWAREIM Front End + C# Back-end Service + Postgres Database
    • STREAM REGISTER will contain:
      • Stream Name
      • Contact Email Addresses for alerts and notifications
      • Schema
      • Conditions of checking
      • Schedule of checking
  • Reporting – using Telerik Reports
• Vendor Bill Transformation services
• Plugins for Brave browser and Chrome browser for among other things – Single Sign-On (SSO)
• Two-Way Directory Sync for:
  • Microsoft ActiveDirectory
  • Microsoft AzureAD
• Vendor API integrations for multiple vendors including:
  • IngramMicro
  • Microsoft AzureAD
  • Microsoft Office 365
  • DNSMadeEasy
• Client Portals
• Client Dashboards and Business Intelligence
• Artificial Intelligence (AI)
• Restful API for:
  • Clients
  • Vendors
  • 3rd Party Integrations
• Full Product Life-Cycle Management
• Seamless Integration with Device42 for:
  • DCIM – Data Center Infrastructure Management
  • CMDB – Change Management Database
• XERO Accounting Integration
• Multi-Currency
• Full Multi-Level CRM system incorporating many API implementations including:
  • Company Number Lookup
  • Logo Implementation
  • Email Validation
  • Phone Number Validation and Normalization
  • Physical & Postal Address Validation and Normalization
• Ticket Client Survey Response System including dynamic Net Promoter Score (NPS) metrics at all CRM entity levels
  • Ability to separate NPS scores from 3rd parties at fault
• Help and Service Desk Ticket Routing
• BPMN – Process Implementation with PMBOK methodology using Smart Tickets including:
  • Incorporating PIMS (Project Information Management Systems)
  • Participants
    • Pools
    • Lanes
  • Activities
    • Tasks
    • Sub-Processes
    • Call Activities
    • Event Sub-Processes
    • Adhoc
  • Gateways
  • Events
  • Definitions
  • PMBOK Methodology
• Complex Task Definitions =
  • Control Sheets +
  • Procedures +
  • Checklists
• Ticket functional automation using Smart Tabs
• Microsoft Teams integration using Azure Logic Apps
• Microsoft Planner integration using Azure Logic Apps – tasks are turned into tickets in XCRM and the task in Planner is set to 100% – this allows all Planner Tasks to be turned into XCRM tickets – if a user is assigned to a task they will become the “Assigned Rep” on the ticket in XCRM and you will be the “Client” on the ticket in XCRM
• IoS and Android App incorporating:
  • XCRM login Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA)
  • Reporting
  • Ticket Management
  • User information management
  • Smart Ticket responses
• Xpression – is a C# module that overlooks the SQL database and automatically provides logic, workflow and external system interactions
  • SMS
  • Smart Ticket scheduling
• Azure Logic Apps – handles lowly used processes that interface with the Microsoft sphere
  • Office 365 Email processing (eg: inbound support@xstragroup.com email loads, outbound email still needs a local SMTP server to send email)
  • Team messaging
  • Planner integration – which is a temporary function until we have an XCRM mobile app to create tickets with
• Knowledge Base
  • A unique approach where common content is able to be anchored outward against Client entities and separated for custom modifications to suit each Clients unique requirements, but, still trackable from the source content after separation and a side-by-side comparison against the source KB article can highlight changes
• Products
  • Product Catalog
    • Multiple Catalogs
    • Category Tree Per Catalog
    • Serial Number Tracking
  • Common Product Specification Templates
  • Warehouse Management
• Communication Templating using Telerik Editor
• Custom Modules and Module Manager incorporating information exchange with 3rd parties using the following technologies:
  • API
  • Screen Scrape
  • Offshore Human Data Processing and Entry services

XSTRA has adopted many of the CIOCTO methodologies as shown HERE