Preparing the server

This section contains an outline that can help to prepare your organization for the Content Manager OnDemand environment and perform a pilot roll out of the system.

To prepare you system:
  • Use the OnDemand Administrator client to create a storage set to set up cache and archive storage nodes.
  • Work with a single department or group of end-users. Send a memo to the users to explain how Content Manager OnDemand affects their daily work.
  • Develop an end-user training course or ask your IBM® representative about training for Content Manager OnDemand.
  • Establish a support plan for the users. The plan should include the names and phone numbers of persons to contact for assistance and a list of troubleshooting tips.
  • Develop a set of evaluation and completion criteria that you can use to compare against the actual performance of the system.
  • Choose a report or set of reports for an initial migration to Content Manager OnDemand. Obtain hardcopy of the reports.
  • Review the reports and determine the type of indexing required. Then select the fields from the reports for index, filter, and display fields.
  • Review the selections with the users. Verify that the index, search, and display fields allow the users to retrieve the data that they need.
  • Determine the viewing requirements of your users.
  • Identify the type of data contained in the report and determine how you create the index data.
  • If you plan to store AFP documents in the system, identify the resources used by the report. Resources are reusable objects found on pages of a report, such as overlays and page segments. Overlays contain constant data that is merged with variable report data during printing and viewing. Page segments are graphics and images that appear on pages of a report file, such as a company logo. Resources can be used by different applications in Content Manager OnDemand. If you plan to index the input data on a z/OS® system, the resources can be gathered into a resource group file. If you plan to index the input data on an Content Manager OnDemand server, you must either transmit the resource group file to the server or provide access to the resource group file by using some other method such as the Network File System (NFS).
  • If you plan to use ACIF or the PDF Indexer to index the report, decide where to index reports: on System z or a Content Manager OnDemand server. Determine how to transmit report and index data from the System z to the Content Manager OnDemand server. It is recommended that you use Download for z/OS to transmit data from the JES spool to file systems on Content Manager OnDemand servers. See PSF for z/OS: Download for z/OS for details about installing, configuring, and using Download for z/OS.
  • Configure cache storage (magnetic storage devices) and archive storage (optical and tape storage devices) on the Content Manager OnDemand servers. Define and configure archive storage devices to Tivoli® Storage Manager. Define storage management policies to Tivoli Storage Manager to support the reports that you plan to store on the system.
  • Use the OnDemand Administrator client to create the application groups and applications required to support your reports.
  • Use the OnDemand Administrator client to define the folders that users open to access data stored on the system.
  • Use the OnDemand Administrator client to define users and groups to Content Manager OnDemand.
  • Index the reports.
  • Load the report, resources, and index data into the application group.
  • Begin end-user testing. Survey the users about initial testing and index, search, and display fields.
  • Collect additional information from users, report suppliers, production scheduling, and capacity planning. For example:
    • The frequency with which a report is generated and must be loaded into the system
    • The number of pages in a report
    • The number of indexed items, such as statements, contained in a report
    • The access frequency and patterns of your users
    • The length of time until a version of a report is out of date; the length of time that you need to maintain a report on the system
    • The number of copies of a report that must be maintained on the system
  • Use the OnDemand Administrator client to update Content Manager OnDemand with the information that you collect.
  • Survey users about their satisfaction with Content Manager OnDemand. Compare the performance of the system with the evaluation and completion criteria that you established. Prepare a list of issues to resolve.
  • Update your company's vital records list to include the hardware and software required by the Content Manager OnDemand system. Update your company's operations and recovery manuals with information required to operate, support, and backup the Content Manager OnDemand system.