Porting Configuration Data

Once an organization has configured and tested the settings on the source system (development environment), the settings can be ported to the target system (test or Prod environment)

Once an organization has configured and tested the settings on the source system (development environment), the settings can be ported to the target system (typically, the test environment) to test the import and settings, and then ported to the live environment, referred to as the master target system.

To export data from a source system and import it into a master/target system, take the following steps:

  1. Start the ASM Config Portability service (on the server it is disabled by default).

  2. Open the Configuration Portability Settings window.

  3. Select the settings you want to export. You will always have at least 2 files, but possibly more:

Organizing Import Files for System Setup

When setting up your system, it's crucial to segment your files for a streamlined import process. This approach is essential for configurations such as catalog promoted items that require service actions. These specific settings cannot be imported until service actions are properly configured. Moreover, service actions depend on the workflow template, which in turn relies on the prerequisite System Admin settings.

To ensure a smooth setup, meticulously plan the order of imports, starting with the foundational elements. This organized sequence will facilitate a more efficient and error-free system configuration. For example:

  1. 1 file for system admin settings. Do not include

    • Screens

    • Message Templates

    • SSP Settings

    • Link Stream/Status to Call Screen Set or other options that depend on Screen Set

    • Security Roles (because Roles need screen sets to be configured)

  2. One file for screens and Message Templates (or you can make one file for each)

  3. One File for all Sys Admin Options that require screen sets these will be the options you skipped on file #1.

  4. One File for Security Roles

  5. One File for SSP Settings (If using ASM HERMES and later, uncheck Text Search - it has been deprecated)

To Create an Export File

Prerequisites

Before exporting the production database to the development system, it is recommended that you first run the Config Portability GUID Assignment.scp via the server console to allocate unique identifiers (GUIDs) to any fields missing a GUID so the system properties remain synchronized when using Configuration Portability.

Part 1 - Setup the Data and create the files

  1. From The Admin (Main) Menu, scroll down to Configuration Portability.

  1. In the screen that loads, you will select the New Icon. By Default All options will be selected. You will need to:

    • Enter a name for the file. Typically this will be the Change Order #, followed by the date, the file sequence number and the topic of the file. Example: 83456-13112024-File 1- SYS ADMIN Initial Settings. But you can use any naming convention that works for your organization.

    • In the Description include relevant details about the content.

    • Click the Unselect All Options Button

  1. Go through each tab, selecting the appropriate settings.

  2. Click the Save Icon

    • Repeat step 2 and 3 for each export file you wish to make.

To Export the Files

If porting IPK/Workflow groups, ensure that the recipient analyst (in IPK Groups or Workflow Management Groups windows) and partition settings are the same on the source and target system.

For administrator values that can be flagged, for example the Request Completion Statuses, where a status can be set as the one to use for Closure, if different values are flagged in the source and target system, the value set in the target system is retained on import. For porting knowledge screens, both knowledge entry types and knowledge base entry types are ported.

  1. Click the Export button to export the data from the source system into a file.

    • Method 1 from the main Configuration Portability Settings Window

    • Method 2 from inside the File's settings

  1. The Export begins. This may take as few as 15 minutes, or as long as several hours, depending on the amount of data you are exporting.

  1. Verify that the export has gone through as expected by reviewing the export log file.

  2. Click the link available in the log file to save the exported file. By default it will go into the Downloads folder, place it where you can easily access it, or place it onto the server (Cloud Systems)

  1. Log out of the source system.

Import your file to the Master Target or Target System

After you export the configuration data from the source system into an export file, you can import the file into the target or master target system.

Alemba® recommends that you first import the configuration settings on a copy of the production database to verify that there are no errors with the export file or the import process.

Before any import, perform a backup of the target system. If the import does not complete as intended, you can roll back to the previous version of the database.

The import processes dependent data first. If, during the import process, the application encounters missing or inconsistent data, an error is written to the log file. Any log file errors should be investigated after the import to ensure the integrity of data in the target system.

The following types of errors are written to the import log file:

  • Data errors such as data dependency errors, the existence of duplicate names, or the impossibility to find exact matches.

  • System errors such as network failures or memory errors.

The log file also provides the list of values that were exported or imported. This enables you to compare what was exported and what was imported.

  1. Create a backup of the target system or master target system.

  2. Log in to the target system or master target system.

  3. Open the Configuration Portability Settings window.

  4. Create a Settings entry that matches the entry you exported. Follow steps 3 and 4 from Part 1.

  5. Save the Settings.

  6. Import the data into the target system using the exported file.

    • Click the Save and Import Settings Icon

  1. Select the File (.zip) that corresponds to the data you want to import

  1. Cick the Import Icon again

  1. Review the confirmation screen and verify you have all the correct setting selected.

    • Selected Available lists what you have selected that is present in your file and will be imported.

    • Selected Unavailable lists what you selected to import but does not exist in your file and will not be imported

    • Unselected Available lists what you have not selected to import but what is in imporrt file. It will not be imported but It could be. Cancel thsi action and go back and change your options.

    • Unselected Unavailable are all remaining options that wil not be imported.

  1. Verify that the import has gone through as expected by reviewing the import log file.

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