Approaches to Using Change Management
This section describes a high-level workflow of how
the two CM approaches can be applied to the various stages of first
moving from WebFOCUS 7 to WebFOCUS 8, and then moving resources
between WebFOCUS 8 environments.
The two approaches are:
- Move
content only
- Move content and
security resources
x
With this approach:
- The expectation is
that the security framework in DEV is different from QA or PROD. WebFOCUS
8 environments serve different purposes and most likely have different security
frameworks and users. QA and PROD are usually mirrored and have
different security resources and external group mapping definitions
from DEV. For instance, in an LDAP configuration, users in DEV,
QA, and PROD may be defined in different LDAP servers.
- The CM strategy is
to create the security framework using Resource Templates in the higher
environment (QA, as an example) and import only content from DEV
to QA on top of the existing security framework. Using the same
CM strategy, create the security framework using Resource Templates
in the PROD environment and import only content from QA to PROD,
on top of the existing security framework.
- Content imported
to the higher WebFOCUS 8 environment will inherit security policies of
the existing security framework.
- The CM strategy will
be applied for the initial migration to WebFOCUS 8. Then, as the WebFOCUS
8 environments become operational, the CM strategy will be applied
for changed or newly developed code and security resources from
DEV to QA and then to PROD.
Considerations
When creating a CM export package:
- The
parent and top-level folders must pre-exist in the WebFOCUS 8 environment.
Use the Check With Subtree option to export the subfolders
and resources.
- Do
not select the With Rules option when creating export packages.
When the content from the exported package is imported into the
higher WebFOCUS 8 environment, the content will inherit the security
rules.
- CM export scenarios
should be created with the Retain Handles option selected,
if the content you are exporting includes either ReportCaster content
or WebFOCUS content migrated from WebFOCUS Release 7.x.
- Select the With
Private Content option if the requirement is to export unpublished content
and My Content, which, while not visible, does get exported when
With Private Content is selected.
- Review the Main properties,
Server properties, and Advanced properties of the Domain folders
to ensure that the assigned server nodes, Application Directory
paths, and the properties of the BI Portal Easy Selector feature
are correct for the higher WebFOCUS 8 environments. These are not
security rules and, therefore, not controlled by the With Rules
option. Property options will be preserved in the exported package
and imported into the higher WebFOCUS 8 environment.
-
Main Properties. As
an example, if the Do not show on User's List option is selected, when
the exported package is imported into the QA environment, this will
remain selected.
-
Server Properties. As
an example, if a Server node and/or Application Path are assigned
values, when the exported package is imported into the higher WebFOCUS 8
environment, those properties will be preserved. As a best practice,
use the same server node names in all environments to avoid having
to reassign values in each environment.
-
Advanced Properties. As
an example, if the container defaults for Height and Width were
changed in DEV, when the exported package is imported into QA, the
changed values will be preserved.
xMoving Content and Security Resources
With this approach:
- The expectation is
that the security framework is identical between all WebFOCUS 8 environments.
- The CM strategy is
to first export both content and the security framework using Resource
Templates in the lower environment (DEV as an example) and then
import both content and the security framework from DEV to QA. Using
the same CM strategy, import both content and the security framework
from QA to PROD.
- The CM strategy will
be applied for the initial migration to WebFOCUS 8. Then, as the WebFOCUS
8 environments becomes operational, the CM strategy will be applied
for changed or newly developed code and security resources from
DEV to QA and then to PROD.
Considerations
When creating a CM export package:
- The parent and top-level
folders must pre-exist in the WebFOCUS 8 environment. Use the Check
With Subtree option to export the subfolders and resources.
- Select the With
Rules option when creating export packages so all security rules
and the subject of those rules including roles, groups, and users
will be exported. This means that the security rules of the lower
WebFOCUS 8 environment will be imported to the higher WebFOCUS 8
environments.
Note: If there are security rules on lower-level
folders, the rules are not exported. To export those rules, first,
you need to select the lower-level folders with the Rules Only option
and then select the parent folder.
- External group mappings
on exported WebFOCUS groups will be unconditionally preserved and
imported into the higher WebFOCUS 8 environments. Currently, the
CM export UI does not allow you to control whether it should be
exported. In the higher WebFOCUS 8 environments, the external group
mappings will have to be reviewed and adjusted accordingly.
- CM export scenarios
should be created with the Retain Handles option selected,
if the content you are exporting includes either ReportCaster content
or WebFOCUS content migrated from WebFOCUS Release 7.x.
- Select the With
Private Content option if the requirement is to export unpublished content
and MyContent, which, while not visible, does get exported when
With Private Content is selected.
- Review the Main properties,
Server properties, and Advanced properties of the Domain folders
to ensure that the assigned server nodes, Application Directory
paths, and the properties of the BI Portal Easy Selector feature
are correct for the higher WebFOCUS 8 environments. These are not
security rules and, therefore, are not controlled by the With Rules
option. Property options will be preserved in the exported package
and imported into the higher WebFOCUS 8 environment.
-
Main Properties. As
an example, if the Do not show on User's List option is selected, when
the exported package is imported into the QA environment, this will
remain selected.
-
Server Properties. As
an example, if a Server node and/or Application Path are assigned
values, when the exported package is imported into the QA environment, those
values will be preserved in QA. As a best practice, use the same
server node names in all environments to avoid having to reassign
values in each environment.
-
Advanced Properties. As
an example, if the container defaults for Height and Width were
changed in DEV, when the exported package is imported into QA, the
changed values will be preserved.