db tweaks

- sessions autocommit
- ping_connection guards against connection timeouts
- adjusted session usage to use db.transaction when writing
soft_assert helper functions (and docs!)

Hopefully these make soft_assert more useful.
Fix force_navigate to....force_navigate
Merge pull request #668 from psav/fix_force_navigate

Fix force_navigate to....force_navigate
Merge pull request #660 from seandst/soft-asserts

soft_assert helper functions (and docs!)
Central creation of logging conf; guard agains env not having a logging conf
Merge pull request #651 from seandst/db-module-is-less-terrible

db tweaks
Automated Service Dialog
Merge pull request #644 from sshveta/servicedialog2

Automate Service Dialog
Fix 'not all arguments converted during string formatting' TypeError
typo causing KeyErro when accesing to DB
Merge pull request #676 from mfalesni/jenkins_fixes

Jenkins fixes
Update config/configuration to use URL from currently open browser window for navigation
Fix sel.VALUE => sel.ByValue
Fix utils/appliance
Add utils.db.database_on_server() context manager

Remove db_query decorator
Add appliance update test
Merge pull request #592 from jkrocil/new-redhat-updates-test

New redhat updates test
Began refactoring in Alerts section
Fix filling func