Interim Fix Pack Changes

Content

Although the number of fix packs has changed, improvements are in place to make rapid adoption a more efficient and less painful process.
Clients sometimes face difficulties staying current with the latest fix packs and interim fix packs. The time and resources that are required to test them can be a formidable hurdle to staying current.
However, staying current reduces the likelihood of encountering problems that are already fixed. Also, when a new question or problem is raised with support, L2 and L3 are able to more efficiently identify problem behaviors, determine the root cause, and provide a solution when you have a more current environment.
A changed interim fix pack schedule, improvements to the Read Me documentation, the customization detection tool, and the availability of test plans and testing tools are intended to improve the process of keeping your environment current.

Interim Fix Pack Schedule Changes

For the 7.6 and 7.5 version streams, the former monthly schedule for the release of interim fix packs was one fully-QA-tested interim fix pack for the latest two fix pack levels and one limited-tested interim fix pack for the next four most recent fix pack levels, and fixes for older fix pack versions were available only by request.

The 7.5 and 7.6 interim fix pack schedule is now changed to one-fully-QA-tested interim fix pack for the latest fix pack level and one limited-tested interim fix pack for the next two most recent fix pack levels, and fixes for fix pack levels that are older than the three most current fix packs are available only by request.

With the goal of increasing rapid adaptation to fix packs and interim fix packs, process changes and tools are provided and improved to make the transitions easier.

Read Me Improvements

Changes were made to improve the Read Me documentation that is included with the interim fix packs.
The new format of the Read Me documentation can assist you in identifying changes, so you can focus your testing.

The Read Me now includes a List of APARs in an Excel-formatted document that has the following information:

■ APAR URL column that contains a link to the DCF document for that APAR

■ Behavior Changes column that describes any behavior changes for the fix

■ Database Changes column that describes any changes to the database

■ Manual Changes column that provides instructions or references for manual steps

■ Security Bulletin column that provides links to the applicable Security Bulletins

■ List of changed files

The following screenshot shows the list of APARS file:

Customization Detection Tool

The Customization Detection Tool provides a report that details the customizations for business objects, field classes, and services that were changed for the out-of-the-box system. This tool allows you to identify your changes by comparing differences to an out-of-the-box system.

You can compare the results before and after the update to make the process more efficient.

Testing by Using Selenium and Automated Scripts with 7.6

The Selenium automated testing tool is used to create new tests by using the Selenium Recorder. More recently, the Selenium framework that is used for Tivoli's process automation engine was made publicly available for automated testing. Build verification test scripts for Tivoli's process automation engine are also available with the Selenium download so that you can use the tests to ensure that the test scripts will run successfully in your unique environment when using your data.

The Selenium tool and the Selenium framework that is used for Tivoli's process automation engine are free and easy to install and set up. After your test plans are automated, you can experience improved testing and cost savings in both the time and resources. After a script is created, it becomes part of the testing library. These scripts are always part of your verification. This library of scripts can help ensure that any fixes that you received in the past will not be broken by the application of a new fix pack or interim fix pack.

The usage of Selenium includes the following benefits:

· Modularity and re-use: Frequently used functions can be re-used as call-outs. For example, the createNewAsset callout can be used whenever you need a new asset as part of a test. You do not have to re-record asset creation every time you need a new asset for a test.
· Flexibility:
o Scripts can create and use variables, perform assertions, use SQL to verify data in the database, manipulate dates, control wait times, perform nested 'if – then – else' and 'while' statements. The ability to use random variables ensures that a script can be run multiple times in the same environment without encountering a unique constraint error. Date, Date/Time and Time variables can be created for the current time, today, days from today, days before today, time from today, time before today.
o Scripts can be grouped by using keywords to execute different sets of the library depending on testing needs.
· Logging and Reporting: Robust logging and reports can potentially aid in cost savings for those in regulated industries. Reports include screenshots when error conditions are encountered. Additionally, the screenshot call-out can be placed anywhere in a script so that a visual of all steps in a test can be captured.