Overview
Background
The Timetabling service is delivered via a number of applications and interfaces, some of which are delivered by our third party supplier (Scientia Ltd). Scientia release upgrades to the core applications each year. The current service is based on Enterprise Foundation (EF) v3.12.
This project has been initiated to carry out essential upgrades and changes to the Timetabling hardware and software stack, so that the service can continue to be supported during 18/19.
One of the main drivers is a bug fix in EF which was delivered in EF v3.13 for a write back locking issue.
Rather than upgrade in situ, this project will repeat the upgrade plan and approach used in TTU010. A suite of parallel environments will be built which will replace the existing v3.12 DEV, TEST, LIVE and MOD (the new modelling environment created by TTU013 in 2017) environments. The opportunity will be taken when building the parallel environments to upgrade to the latest supported versions as defined in the Scientia hardware and software requirements. Any end of life components identified in USG008 will also be upgraded.
EF v3.14 was released in April 2018 and it is expected that this is the version which will be upgraded to from v3.12. The preference is to upgrade to the latest version possible. However, there is the alternative option to upgrade to v3.13 which still contains the write back locking fix.
Scope
The scope will be limited to those activities identified as required to upgrade EF to v3.14 on the latest supported versions of hardware and software possible. The following will be included in this:
- Upgrade DEV, TEST, LIVE and MOD environments to Scientia Enterprise Timetabler to ET v3.14
- Upgrade to any newer versions possible from review of latest supported versions
- Upgrade Puppet automation tools to new version that is supported by ITI
- Check that the post login plugin integration - UoE modified version of C# code as provided by Scientia as part of original implementation project is still supportable and on supported platform
- UAT and regression testing of all incoming and outgoing data feeds and BI Suite reporting and Calsync to Office 365 calendar
Not in the scope of this project:
- 19/20 roll forward will be initiated in the same time period. Early SDB and Web Apps work will need to be closely aligned or brought in to this project depending on progress.
- Any change to the disaster recovery or resilience solutions or service levels for the Timetabling service.
- Disaster recovery testing
- Changes to the Timetabling service as part of support and which have not been logged with the project and applied over the period of the project will not be delivered by this project.
Objectives and Deliverables
|
No |
Description |
Teams | Priority | Notes |
| Stage 1 - Analysis / Design | ||||
|
O1 |
Ensure that the upgrade is fit for purpose, checking that changes to applications or infrastructure including downstream systems are not negatively impacted | |||
| D1 | Review the Scientia hardware and software requirements and amend the existing build document as required | IS Apps | M | Identify all latest supported versions |
|
D2 |
Review the release notes for v3.14 and amend the existing build document as required |
IS APPS | M | |
| D3 | Agreed method of change control to operate for all environments during duration of this project | IS APPS/TTU | M | Aim is to restrict configuration changes in 3.12 environments to essential change only - so that these can be recorded and applied to 3.14 |
|
D4 |
DEV build |
IS APPS | M | Include any upgrades to latest supported versions |
| D5 | Puppet upgrade | IS APPS | M | |
| D6 | Working version of the post login plugin integration | IS APPS | M | Check UoE modified version of C# code still works and is still supportable |
| D7 | On DEV, carry out functional testing of the release and the critical fix for the system lock issue that has affected the LIVE service | TTU | M | |
| D8 | Make a recommendation whether or not to proceed or not with 3.14 in the TEST, LIVE and Modelling environments | IS APPS/TTU | M |
If there are issues with v3.14 which are deemed too high risk, v3.13 can alternatively be considered. If the lock issue isn't resolved and there are no other perceived benefits from the release, a decision can be taken to withdraw the upgrade at this time. |
| Stage 2 - Build / Integration / Acceptance | ||||
| O2 | Deliver the 3.14 software into each of the new environments ensuring that a consistent set of environments is left at the end of the project | |||
| D9 | Build the remaining three parallel environments, with Scientia 3.14 software installed (TEST, LIVE and MOD) | IS APPS | M | |
| D10 | Carry out functional testing on TEST and MOD | IS APPS/TTU | M | |
| D11 | Prepare test plan and carry out full UAT on new LIVE environment | TTU | M | Signoff to include interfaces |
| D12 | Agree load test scenarios and carry out load testing | IS APPS/TTU | M | |
| Stage 3 - Delivery | ||||
| O3 | Switchover from current LIVE, TEST, DEV and TRN environments to new 3.14 environments | |||
| D13 | Transfer data from current LIVE SDB into new 3.14 LIVE environment and switch production service to new 3.14 LIVE. | IS APPS | M | |
| D14 | Transfer data from current LIVE SDB into new 3.14 TEST environment and switch test service to new 3.14 TEST. | IS APPS | M | |
| D15 | Transfer data from current LIVE SDB into new 3.14 DEV environment and switch development service to new 3.14 DEV. | IS APPS | M | |
| D16 | Transfer data from current LIVE SDB into new 3.14 MOD environment and switch modelling service to new 3.14 MOD. | IS APPS | M | |
| O4 | Support users through the upgrade to v3.14 | |||
| D17 |
Prepare training material / communications as appropriate for any new features |
TTU | M | |
| D18 | Provide support over the period of deployment | IS APPS | M | |
| Stage 4 - Decommissioning | ||||
| O5 | Remove legacy servers | |||
| D19 | Decommission 3.12 LIVE, TEST, DEV and MOD environments | IS APPS | M | At appropriate point after LIVE switchover |
Benefits
The main benefit from carrying out the upgrade is the critical fix for the system lock issue that has affected the LIVE service.
Another key benefit of adopting the upgraded software is the continued support of the third party supplier. Typically when operating an older version of the software, bug fixes will not be released by Scientia for that version and any fixes will require upgrading to the latest version. So this upgrade will let UoE take advantage of any other fixes delivered in the new version.
There may be further benefits from the v3.14 upgrade which can be delivered. These will be confirmed once any new functionality in the v3.14 is assessed.
Success Criteria
The LIVE service is available to all Timetabling users on the new parallel environments which have been successfully upgraded to v3.14 and with the latest supported versions of all components.
Project Milestones
| Stage | Milestone | Due Date |
|---|---|---|
| Plan | End of Planning | 30-Aug-2018 |
| Design | Design Review | 30-Aug-2018 |
| Build | Build DEV | 21-Sep-2018 |
| Build | Functional Testing on DEV | 05-Oct-2018 |
| Build | Build DEV Sign off | 08-Oct-2018 |
| Build | Build TEST | 19-Oct-2018 |
| Build | Functional Testing on TEST | 26-Oct-2018 |
| Build | Build TEST Sign Off | 26-Oct-2018 |
| Build | Build LIVE | 26-Oct-2018 |
| Build | Build MOD | 26-Oct-2018 |
| Build | Functional Testing on MOD | 02-Nov-2018 |
| Accept | UAT and full regression testing on LIVE v3.14 | 09-Nov-2018 |
| Accept | Build LIVE Sign Off | 16-Nov-2018 |
| Accept | Acceptance Sign Off | 16-Nov-2018 |
| Deliver | Switch users to LIVE v3.14 infrastructure | 19-Nov-2018 |
| Deliver | DSOR | 07-Dec-2018 |
| Deliver | Decommission v3.12 environments | 25-Jan-2019 |
| Close | Closure | 31-Jan-2019 |