Peoplesoft Demo/Dev/Test/Prod Instances
CSDM - Demo Install, No UWP changes, used for testing issues with Oracle
CSDV - Development
CSDX - Development (Previous Image)
CSTA - Test
CSQA - Quality Assurance
LSPD - Production/PASS
Phire
This is a third party tool built upon PeopleTools to migrate Peoplesoft objects from one instance to another. This tool has the ability to migrate many types of objects, run scripts, backup existing objects, and check for code conflicts. The developers have the ability to migrate another developers code to Test (CSTA). Only the Peoplesoft Admins have the ability to migrate code to Quality Assurance (CSQA) and PASS (LSPD).
Development is split into different cycles, defined in Phire, depending on the current Oracle image cycle:
- Normal Cycle: First, the developer will develop in CSDV, then request migration to CSTA for testing. A different developer is assigned to review the project for naming standards, missing objects, code/object comments, table/view builds, and any scripts that need to be run. Once reviewed, the project may be sent back to CSDV for rework or migrated to CSTA. Once migrated, the functional area will test various scenarios if issues are found then the project will be sent back to CSDV for additional development. Once testing has completed the project is then migrated to CSQA by one of the Peoplesoft Admins. The functional area will test again, verifying that the project moves correctly. Once the functional area has signed-off the project is marked for go-live during the next available outage window.
- Image Cycle: During an image upgrade, both CSDV and CSQA are refreshed as a copy of production. The image is then applied to CSDM, CSDV, and CSQA. The developer will develop in CSDV and request migration to CSQA The functional area will test their various scenarios and either be sent back to CSDV for additional development or marked as go-live with the image.
- Emergency Cycle: This cycle only used fixes that can't wait until the image goes live. The developer will develop in CSDX which is on the same image and peopletools patch as CSTA and PASS (LSPD). The fix is then migrated to CSTA, where the functional area will test and validate the fix before it is migrated to PASS during the next outage.
Outages
Outages occur most weeks on Friday at 5-6 p.m.. During an image upgrade, a longer window of 5-10 p.m. is used. If a Peopletools patch is also going to be applied the outage will be on Saturday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.. There are also no outages the Friday before classes begin, Friday of the last week of classes, Friday of final exam week, and Friday after grades are due. If an outage during these exceptions cannot be avoided, then a communication will be sent out to the functional users as well as the rest of campus.
Refreshes
The instances are refreshed as part of our image upgrade cycle. First CSDX is refreshed as a copy of CSDV. Then CSDV and CSQA are refreshed as a copy of PASS (LSPD), the image is then applied to both instances. After the image has been in PASS for a week without issue, CSTA will be refreshed as a copy of PASS.
Need help?
If you have questions, please contact the ITS Help Desk at 608.342.1400 or helpdesk@uwplatt.edu. You may also visit the Help Desk on the first floor of the Karrmann Library.