THE ISSUE...

Setting up work environments is the first step to implementing software configuration management. Work environments help you structure project life cycles by providing different validation steps. In combination with formalized test phases, this ensures application reliability--even during periods of intense change.
Multiplying environments means minimizing component transfers between the environments. It also means organizing rigorous environment management so that they do not degenerate into anarchy and then obsolescence.

The ARCAD Solution...

ARCAD-Skipper will help you automate the entire software component change cycle through all your servers.
Everyone involved in the revision effort can forget about the components’ physical location. These ‘logistics’ are taken over by the product once and for all. Users then manipulate a logical view based on their responsibilities in the change process.

Operating principles

The following environment types are managed in ARCAD:

• Development environments (by developer in a multi-platform context)
• Possible environments to receive new software versions
• An integration environment
• One or more test, validation, or qualification environments
• A reference environment. By definition, this environment is unique and contains all the components as they appear in production
• Environments for production after deployment

You can define up to 26 different test environments for a single application.

An environment may contain all or part of an application’s components.

Environment security...

In ARCAD, environments are protected in a logical manner. For example, if any user profile tries to modify source from the reference environment, the modification will be intercepted and the user will receive an error message.
This system makes it easy to enforce the change protocols that have been established.

ARCAD adaptability...

A configuration management tool must be adaptable to different configuration plans, including architectures hosted on different types of servers. This is the major strength of the ARCAD products, We can meet your needs from the most simple to the most sophisticated architectures. For example, you can choose to authorize direct transfers to test without using a test environment. Test environments can be located on the same machine, or on a different one. Depending on the size of your team, the need for a hierarchical organization will vary. Each client has their own standards and special configuration needs, and ARCAD can handle them all.

This issue has been resolved in ARCAD with an internal macro language. All transfers to test and production, as well as distribution and installation on remote machines, are defined as macro commands. Standard sets of macros are provided with the product and can be adapted to any user’s needs.
Technically, this macro language is related to the CL language for the System i. It uses ANT scripts for other platforms.
The macros have properties that are perfectly adapted to automating transfers to test and production, such as automatic recovery and message logging functions.

Analyzing Existing Applications...

ARCAD comes with a standard system to analyze your existing applications. Managing several environments in one application on the same system requires having no qualified names in your applications. For those unfamiliar with this concept, qualified names occur when you have hard coded library names in your components. These are generally found in CL programs, but sometimes also appear in program or file source.

ARCAD lets you locate the references for these qualified names so they can be deleted. All you will need to do is launch a project to adapt your code if you have any.