Application Maintenance – Tips and Tricks for

Keeping Your Application Current

October 8, 2004 @ 9:30 AMUSM Regional PeopleSoft Conference

Cumberland, Maryland

Session Overview

This session will cover the following areas: Tips and tricks for searching customer

connection for patches and fixes Tips and tricks for applying patches and

fixes Developing a maintenance schedule for

applying patches and fixes (Financials and HR/SA)

Introduction to Change Assistant (new to PeopleTools 8.44 or higher)

Searching Customer Connection

How to Find What I’m Looking For?1. Login to customer connection2. Select Updates and Fixes3. Select Apply to Release4. Under Apply to Release

1. Enter the following information:1. Product Line (ex. – Student

Administration)2. Product (ex. – Academic Advisement)3. Release (ex. - 8 SP1)4. Last Posted (ex. > 08/01/2004)

5. Click Search

Searching Customer Connection

Searching Customer Connection

Searching Customer Connection

Is there a way to search for patches for the entire product????

Searching Customer Connection

Yes, there is!Remove the &pr=AA from the URL and

press Enter

Searching Customer Connection

New results:

Documenting Patches and Fixes

Applying Patches and Fixes – HR/SA/CR

Before you begin Create the ps_home directory structure on your

C: drive Example – C:\TEMP\PATCHES

Create a copy of the installation document and spreadsheet provided by PS with each patch

Applying Patches and Fixes – HR/SA/CR

1. Apply the first patch to DMO and/or SYS2. Copy the source files from the patch to

your PS_HOME directory under c:\temp\patches

3. Update your custom installation document4. After applying the first patch to the

database: Select File, Save Project As Enter the name of your new custom patch

project (ex. – CSU063004)

Applying Patches and Fixes – HR/SA/CR

Applying Patches and Fixes – HR/SA/CR

1. Apply the next patch to the database2. Again, copy the source files from the

patch to your PS_HOME directory under c:\temp\patches

3. Update your custom installation document4. After applying the second patch, open the

custom project (CSU063004) Merge the second patch into your custom

project File, Merge Projects Enter the patch name and click Insert

5. Repeat steps 2 - 4 for each subsequent patch

Applying Patches and Fixes – HR/SA/CR

Applying Patches and Fixes – HR/SA/CR

After you have installed all the patches and fixes, copy your PS_HOME from the C drive to your file, app, and batch (process scheduler) server for the database you just updated

Compile ALL COBOL programs Compile INAS programs

Applying Patches and Fixes - Financials

PeopleSoft provides Maintenance Packs to keep your system current!

What is a Maintenance Pack?A maintenance pack is a quarterly update provided by PeopleSoft that includes all updates and fixes delivered during a specified timeframe for the entire product line.

Note: Maintenance Packs can only be used if you’ve been patching the entire product!

Maintenance Schedules

Regs Release Schedule

Regs 1 – November

Regs 2 – January Regs 3 – April Regs 4 – June

Tax Updates A – January B – April C – June D – August E – November F & G? -

December

HR/SA/CR

Base maintenance schedule around Financial Aid Regs Releases and Tax Updates

Maintenance Schedules

Financials / Supply Chain Management

Base on delivery dates of maintenance packs:

April July October January

Change Assistant - Overview

Delivered with PeopleTools 8.44 and above Works in conjunction with the EMF

(Environmental Management Framework) Hub

Replaces Upgrade Assistant in PeopleTools 8.46

What is it? From PeopleTools 8.45 PeopleBooks

Single tool for administrators designed to automate the process of installing software patches, updates, and upgrades

Note: Information provided from Change Assistant is only reliable for the most recent PS applications (such as Financials 8.8)

Summary

Patches and Fixes - Tips Download and document patches and fixes

on a “regular” basis Recompile ALL COBOL programs Recompile ALL INAS (FA) programs Run ALL STORExx.DMS scripts Patch the entire application (not just the

licensed modules) Plan for at least one PeopleTools upgrade

per year For SA/HR – upgrade usually required for

Regs release for the next aid year Develop a maintenance schedule

STAY CURRENT!

Questions?

Chris Kennedy Senior Technical Consultant The Cedar Group chris.kennedy@thecedargroup.com