Staging an initial portal solution release

The initial solution release is staged from the integration to the staging and to the production system. Staging is the process of moving a portal solution release from one system to another system. This process is usually accompanied by the execution of well-defined test cases on each system.

The physical implementation of configuration staging through a series of systems does not really move these configurations between systems. This process is based on repeatable installations of a portal solution release onto multiple systems. For each installation, the portal solution release is extracted from the VCS for installation onto another system.

The following process is an example of a possible initial portal solution staging process. Derivations of this process are possible and expected. Its focus is on configuration and artifact management.

 

Staging System

Prerequisite:WebSphere Portal is successfully installed on the staging system. The initial portal solution release is available in the VCS.

  1. Portal Operator: Check out all artifacts, including administrative portlets, for the initial portal solution release from the VCS.

  2. Portal Operator: Install artifacts to the staging system. For portlet installation, use the XML configuration interface to export all portlets.

  3. Portal Operator: Check out descriptions of the global settings and configurations for the initial portal solution release from the VCS.

  4. Portal Operator: Apply the portal global settings and configurations to the staging system.

  5. Portal Operator: Check out all configurations for the initial portal solution release from the VCS.

  6. Portal Operator: Import configurations into the staging system using the XML configuration interface. Preserve the object IDs.

  7. Test Team: Perform system, load, and acceptance tests of the release on the staging system.

Result: The initial portal solution release is installed on the staging system and tested.

Alternative flow:

6. If administrator user IDs or group IDs are different on the staging system and the integration system, step 6 is replaced with steps 6.a to 6.c.

6.a. Portal Operator: Replace all user IDs and group IDs used on the integration system with the corresponding user and group IDs from the staging system in the portal solution configuration file.

6.b. Portal Operator: Deliver the resulting file into the VCS.

6.c. Portal Operator: Import the configurations into the staging system using the XML configuration interface. Preserve the object IDs.

 

Production System

Process:

Prerequisite: WebSphere Portal is successfully installed on the production system. The initial portal solution release is available in the VCS. The release successfully passed tests on the staging system.

  1. Portal Operator: Check out all artifacts, including administrative portlets for initial portal solution release from VCS.

  2. Portal Operator: Install artifacts to production system. (for portlet installation use the XML configuration interface export of all portlets).

  3. Portal Operator: Check out the description of global settings and configurations for the initial portal solution release from the VCS.

  4. Portal Operator: Apply the portal global settings and configurations to the production system.

  5. Portal Operator: Check out all configurations for the initial portal solution release from the VCS.

  6. Portal Operator: Import the configurations into the production system using the XML configuration interface. Preserve the object IDs.

  7. Portal Operator: Backup the production system (data base and file system).

  8. Test Team: Perform regression tests of the release on the production system.

  9. Portal User: Use the portal solution and customize the portal configuration, creating user data.

Result: The initial portal solution release is installed on the production system and tested.

Alternative flow:

6. If administrator user IDs or group IDs are different on the staging system and the integration system, step 6 is replaced with steps 6.a to 6.c.

6.a. Portal Operator: Replace all user IDs and group IDs used on the integration system with the corresponding user and group IDs from the staging system in the portal solution configuration file.

6.b. Portal Operator: Deliver the resulting file into the VCS.

6.c. Portal Operator: Import the configurations into the staging system using the XML configuration interface. Preserve the object IDs.

 

See also

 

WebSphere is a trademark of the IBM Corporation in the United States, other countries, or both.

 

IBM is a trademark of the IBM Corporation in the United States, other countries, or both.