First let me describe my scenario here. We have multiple department & multiple developers within the department and each departments application can be exported from DEV and imported into another environment depending on there requirements/needs. As such there can and may times there are many different applications (Content Folders, Portals, Metadata, etc) that are imported into the other environments in a day or week. We cannot do a database backup and rollback all the application that may have been deployed that day or week. WebFOCUS does not take a snapshot of the application environment to roll back just that application. If you just redeploy your last deployed package that does not delete any new items that were added from the package that you are rolling back from.

We have been lucky enough that we did not have to roll back any deployments but as we get more and more departments/developers my concern is getting very HIGH.

So Here is my question
How are you handling your deployments and rollbacks. I am most interested in hearing how you are handling your roll backs.

Thanks
Scott

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For us, I wrote a release package manager, that allows us to select an export package and release it to another environment.

In this process the package is copied to the import and export directory (Export is renamed to Backup_blah), and then the backup is exported first, then the import is done.

A backout process is as simple as copying the backup to the import directory and importing it.

It isn't perfect, but has been enough for us so far.

Yea, I see what you mean. That would still not be good enough to restore a production application/department for use as we have lots of report caster jobs that need to be recreated and your process only backup what is being deployed not what has not been touched and does not remove the new items to restore it to the original state. IBI really needs to rethink how they are handling deployments. It needs to be some sort of application related control that takes a snapshot of that is being changed and what is being added then have a backout process that deletes the new content and restores the updated versions.

Totally agree.

Waz, can you please share more details on how you implemented release package manager?

How are you handling user testing before deployment to the production environment?

The Release package manager reads and writes to our task management system. It get the status of tasks and only lets tasks with a pass status to be released. It also updates the tasks with release comments and status updates.

I can't go into it too much though, sorry.

quote:

Originally posted by Audrey Aulenti-Gray:
How are you handling user testing before deployment to the production environment?

Application are deployed to a QA environment where it go thru a UAT process. One Approved that same package is then deployed to PROD. My concern is if there is an issue that was not found in QA after it was approved and deployed to production which has to be rolled back. While we have not had the situation we must be prepared for it.

As you mentioned the Change Management package can be used as a backup, many customers use this idea.

Also, many customers with files/applications in the content folder within the repository use the underlying DBMS to take the snapshot in time before deployment. This can then be used to rollback to if the need arises.

Thank your for participating in the Focal Point Forum,
Tamra Colangelo
Focal Point Moderator
Information Builders

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Tamra,