Plans for Upgrade

Tom Russell at SciQuest 21-Nov-13 18:34 and correcpondence between us

1. Yes we can start the upgrade work on 7 January. 

 Would you please help us verify two key assumptions?:

1.1.   We are upgrading the existing test and production environment in place, and not creating new installations

• Ewan confirmed that this is correct

1.2.  The current test environment is operational (you can currently log in and perform key functions)

•  to be answered by Procurement /Chemistry

In addition, here are some requests on the overall schedule:

2.1.  ERM 7 allows maintenance of People information to be distributed to labs.  This capability is highly configurable as to who is permitted to do what.  Would you be available for a call during the week of December 16 to review the available information and capabilities and let us know what you want to enable labs to maintain?  The configuration can be adjusted, but it will help to have a good baseline for starting test.

• to be answered by Procurement /Chemistry

2.2.   On Monday 6 January, we do not need to start the upgrade, but it would be most helpful to schedule time for our technical manager to get into the environment and make sure everything is operational for starting the upgrade on Tuesday,

• Ewan will be available on the 6th Jan to support your technical manager verifying everything is in place, before the upgrade process starts.
• to be co-ordinated between Ewan and SciQuest Technical contact.
• who is the SciQuest technical contact?

2.3.  We are anticipating the upgrade could take up to four days, through Friday 9 January.  During those 4 days, we would request that Ewan make arrangements so that it would be possible to be available until 3pm US / 8pm UK time.  In practice, we'll have a goal to accomplish for each day, and once we reach that goal we won't require Ewan to be around any further that day.

• Ewan will support the upgrade of TEST for 4 days that week Tuesday 7 to Friday 10th Jan and Ewan will make arrangements to be available until 2:55pm (USA time)  / 7:55pm (UK time).

2.4.  The 3-week test period pushes go-live out into February, where we will begin to run into some travel commitments from our technical resources.  This is a risk we would like to avoid for go-live.  Therefore we'd request the Purchasing and Chemistry testing overlap so that they can both fit into the same two-week window.

• We have agreed with Procurement and  Chemistry to run the Testing concurrently between the 13-27th Jan.

                This will leave  28-31st Jan for LIVE deployment

I will follow up with another email on your other questions in

                1.1, 1.2, and 2.1

Would you please help us verify two key assumptions?:

1.1.   We are upgrading the existing test and production environment in place, and not creating new installations

1.2.  The current test environment is operational (you can currently log in and perform key functions)

In addition, here are some requests on the overall schedule:

2.1.  ERM 7 allows maintenance of People information to be distributed to labs.  This capability is highly configurable as to who is permitted to do what.  Would you be available for a call during the week of December 16 to review the available information and capabilities and let us know what you want to enable labs to maintain?  The configuration can be adjusted, but it will help to have a good baseline for starting test.

Risks have added include - detail below in Summary

                -              What happens if testing requires longer?

                                                If User Acceptance Testing takes longer and is not signed off because of bug/fix needed/ issue/problem etc

                                                                Is there anything you can do or accommodate?

 How long should be allowed for the LIVE upgrade (I have provided 4 days 28-31Jan)?

                -              This assumes the LIVE upgrade takes place immediately after Acceptance Testing is signed off.

I will also get back to you with the items I have not covered in this email Thanks

Summary from Tom 26-Nov-13

Ewan - Thanks very much for making the arrangements to be available off hours.  We'll keep you posted on progress to try to minimize the time you need to be on call.

 Thanks also for consolidating the testing schedule with Chemistry and procurement.

 If the UAT testing can't proceed for a significant period of time due to a critical issue in the configuration that prevents executing required scenarios, then our PM will work with you to revise the schedule to get the testing time required.

 If there is an issue with the software or configuration that prevents go-live, we'll need to assess that situation if it arises, as the resolution path and timeline would vary depending on what the issue is.    Having said that, this is not a new build - it's currently running in production for multiple sites of several different ERM clients - so that risk should not be high.

4 days for the live upgrade is on the safe side.   You should plan, though, that production will be down for at least a day for the upgrade.  The PM will work with you on the schedule specifics.

I'll be on holiday now until Monday.  I will check email periodically, so if you need a reply urgently, let me know, but otherwise we'll be back in touch on Monday.