Configuration Post Go-Live using SDLC

Organizations using SDLC will have a Test and Production System. It is vital for SDLC that development not be done in Production but rather, in Test and then Promoted.

If your organization will not be moving from Test to Production, but using test for User Acceptance Testing (UAT) Only, please see:

Best Practice: Configuration Post Go-Live | ASM HERMES 10.6

If you are not sure your databases are in Sync, do not use Configuration Portability. If you have made changes in production regardless if you made them in test also, then your Test and Production Databases will not be in Sync (index and GUIDS). You must use the instructions found in Best Practice: Configuration Post Go-Live and you will need to manually move your configurations into Production. Going forward, you should not make changes to test.

Configuration Portability is the module that is used to move configurations between Test and Production. It is being replaced in an as yet to be determined (TBD) release with a new configuration migration assistant that will not rely solely on the 2 databases being in perfect Sync with one another.

To be added to the mailing list and be notified when the new Configuration Migration Assistant is available, please email Knowledge@alemba.

This page will advise how to effectively function in SDLC whilst minimizing the amount of effort that will be duplicated across the systems. The sections that follow will provide information on how to:

1. Develop and test screens in test and export to Production

2. Develop and test Workflows and export to Production

3. Export Workflows from Production to Test

4. Implement System Settings/System Administration Change Control for your Production system

Summary of the Process for Moving Work Packages from Test to Production

Before you begin a new body of work - Back Fresh to Test

At this restore Point - No changes should be made in Production and concurrent projects developing in the newly refreshed Test system will need to Sync their timelines to allow for the Test Database to be refreshed without impact to one another.

What should not be done in Production

1. Screen Changes

2. Workflow Changes

What you can do in Production

1. System Administration Settings

2. Data Import (People, CMDB items, etc)

3. IPK Workflow Rules

4. Call Templates

5. IPK and Workflow Scheduling

6. Skins

Item in ASM	Item Type	Where Stored	Method of Moving	Who Can Execute
People Records	Data	Database	Manual/Import	Customer
Portal System	Data + Configuration	Database	Config Port/Import Screens/Manual (System Admin Settings)	Customer
Portal Skins	Screen Design	Database	Manual	Customer
Portal Menus (My Options)	Data	Database	Manual	Customer
Service Actions	Data	Database	Manual/CSV export/import	Customer
Services	Data	Database	Manual/CSV export/import	Customer
Stakeholder linkages	Data	Database	Manual	Alemba
Service Level Agreements	Data	Database	Manual	Customer
Email Templates	Screen Design	Database	Config Port/Import	Customer
Email Subject Headers (Email Subjects on Message Types)	Data	Database + Local XML Files	Config Port + Manual copy of XML FILes	Alemba
Email Processing Rules (IPK Workflow Rules)	Configuration	Database	Manual	Customer
Language Labels	Data	Database	CSV Export/Import	Customer
Workflows	Data	Database	Workflow Import	Customer
Screens	Screen Designs	Database	Config Port/Import Screens	Customer

Terms Used

• The Production (PROD) system is the master target system - the final destination for all the changes being developed

• The Test (TST) system is the source system - where all the changes are developed

Best Practice

Required Export / Import Sequence

The import and export sequence is critically important to a successful outcome. Follow these steps to ensure all changes are developed on the correct database and imported successfully to the master target system.

For Cloud Clients: You will need to coordinate and Schedule this change work with Alemba so that the requisite backup and restore actions can be carried out as and when required.

Summary of Steps

• Refresh Test with Production - Ensure the two are in Sync

• Start a Change Log

• Do the Development

• Update Change Log - Ensure all Changes are captured

• Do the Testing

• Log a ticket with Alemba Cloud Services at least 5 days in advance advising of the day and time you will push to Production if you are a cloud client - so that we can ensure a roll-back point is available for you.

• Promote to Production using the change log for manual changes and import utility for screens and workflows

• Regression Test

Best Practice

Back up the Target environment(s)

• Backup routine should always occur to facilitate rollback if needed

• If using a VM, you can snapshot the VM

• Cloud Customers should log a ticket with Alemba Cloud Services at least 5 days prior.

Best Practice

Code and configuration freeze on Target environment(s)

• Configuration changes should only be made on the Source system (TST)

• Manual changes should not be performed on Master Target (PROD)

  • Manual changes risk being overwritten by the process

Best Practice

• Only export and import the specific elements you need

Typical Mistakes that can cause data corruption

1. Source (TST) and other Targets are not synced with the Master Target (PROD) before development starts

2. Importing files from multiple environments into Master Target (PROD)

3. Importing in the wrong sequence

   • For example, if you import a workflow that needs custom screen sets that have not yet been created in the System Administration settings or imported into designer, then the workflow will come in "fractured" because the screens it needs are not present.

   • You cannot import screens until the screen set has been created in System Administration because there is nothing to link them to yet.

   • Similarly, if that workflow has rules written that depend on values in a DropDown configured on either the screens or the System Administration settings, such as Request Phase, etc and they do not exist, this will also create a situation where your imported workflow will not work.

   • Always import/reconfigure in this order: System Admin Settings -> Screens -> Workflows.

See Also

Workflow Porting

Configuration Portability

Spreadsheet Template for Tracking System Administration Changes

Alemba can provide a template for you to use that will include the options for documenting your system.

1MB

Configuration Workbook v0_1.xlsx

**Alemba Cloud Customers

Alemba Cloud Customers will need to contact Alemba through the Self-Service Portal and coordinate the back-fresh from Production to Test as and when needed. Please try to give a 5-day advance notice so that it can be scheduled.