| # PMC recipient procedure This chapter describes the PMC recipient procedures. This chapter contains the following sections: Setup To install updates Miscellaneous topics Setup PMC recipient is fully configured by the Infor Installation Wizard during the installation of the base Infor products such as Infor LN and Infor Enterprise Server. This section describes this setup and how to make changes to the setup. The setup consists of the following sections: Procedure Infor Installation Wizard and PMC Parameters Generation and use of update VRCs VRC combinations To create a test environment FTP for downloading software updates Procedure This section shows the recipient setup procedure steps in a flowchart. The following sections provide a detailed explanation of the procedure. Recipient Setup procedure Infor Installation Wizard and PMC The PMC Tool has a seamless integration with the Infor Installation Wizard. If you install updates by means of the Infor Installation Wizard, the wizard activates the PMC Tool in the background. You can use both the PMC Tool and the Infor Installation Wizard to install updates in an existing environment. However, both tools serve their own specific goal in the update installation process: The Infor Installation Wizard is primarily intended to do the following: Install the initial master media Install Feature Packs The PMC Tool is primarily intended to do the following: Install individual solutions Install collections Install patches You can also install individual solutions, collections, and patches by means of the Infor Installation Wizard. However, this has the following drawbacks: The installation process is more labor intensive (more mouse clicks) You can miss essential information during the installation process. The so-called pre installation and post installation instructions are not presented in an active way. The Infor Installation Wizard installs all solutions present in the staging area and/or server. You cannot select a subset of solutions from the available solutions. For these reasons, to install individual solutions, collections and patches, be sure to use the PMC Tool directly. On the other hand, you can install Feature Packs directly by means of the PMC Tool. This has the drawback that you must also perform a number of additional steps manually after you install the Feature Pack. These steps include running the Convert to Runtime Data Dictionary (ttadv5215m000), Compile Labels (ttadv1243m000) and Create Tables (ttaad4230m000) sessions. If you use the Infor Installation Wizard, all required steps are executed automatically in the installation process. In addition, the Infor Installation Wizard offers some extra features that can be very useful during installation of Feature Packs, such as the automatic creation of new VRC structures and creation of Package Combinations in which the Feature Pack can be installed. You cannot however perform the initial installation of initial master media by means of the PMC Tool. To perform this installation, you must use the Infor Installation Wizard. During installation of the master media, the Infor Installation Wizard initializes the PMC Tool in such a way that the environment is immediately ready for installing updates. You can also initialize the PMC Tool manually by means of the PMC Tool itself. This initialization process is described in the following sections. The following sections describe which steps are performed automatically when you use the Infor Installation Wizard. Parameters The very first step in the Recipient setup procedure is to define the PMC parameters. The following parameter groups are available: Recipient The PMC recipient part of the PMC module uses these parameters and these parameters must be filled. The parameters are paths on the operating system, on which the solution dumps will be stored. Distributor Even if you do not use the PMC distributor part of the PMC module, you must fill the parameters of this group for technical reasons. For details refer to the Parameters (ttpmc0100s000) session. Note Because parameter definition is a one-time step, you must be aware of the impact if you change the parameters afterwards. If you change the operating system paths, you must move the directories and files according to the new path specifications. Hint If you have more than one ERP environment running, for example, a Production and a Test environment, you can share the solution dump directories on the ERP environments, which reduces disk-space consumption. Generation and use of update VRCs PMC uses update VRCs. The software of an initial standard master product is installed in a root VRC that is predefined by the software supplier. The update VRC is created on top of this root VRC. Feature Packs and individual solutions that you download from the Infor Support Web site http://www.infor.com/inforxtreme are also installed in this update VRC. The update VRCs are created automatically during the installation of the master product. You can use the Generate Update VRC structure (ttpmc2240s000) session to generate these update VRCs. In addition,you can define update VRCs by means of the Update VRC's (ttpmc2140m000) session. In general, the VRC structure for standard Infor LN resembles the following figure: B61_a is the VRC that contains the baseline, which is the very first shipment of Infor LN 6.1. From this point on, Individual solutions and Servic Packs are installed in the B61U_a_stnd VRC. For the Infor Enterprise Server (packages tt, tl, tm, da and nt) no new update VRCs are created and used. After a fresh installation of Infor LN, the following update VRCs are present in PMC: The heading of the first column in the table, Pack., refers to the package to determine the VRC structure. VRC combinations In PMC you use a VRC combination to control co-requisite dependencies between solutions of various base VRCs. Update VRCs that must be updated simultaneously, for example, an update VRC for standard Infor LN and an update VRC for a localization, must be grouped in a VRC combination by the VRC Combinations (ttpmc2150m000) session and the Update VRC's (ttpmc2140m000) session. The following figure shows a VRC structure, including a localization: The following shows the possible Update VRCs in LN when applying a localization. The heading of the first column in the table, Pack., refers to the package to determine the VRC structure. To create a test environment Best practise is to test the software updates in a test environment before you implement the updates in your live environment. To test the software updates, create the update VRCs and the VRC combination for your test environment. Note For the Infor Enterprise Server (Tools), no update VRC is created. Therefore, you cannot create an update VRC for testing purposes. To test the Infor Enterprise Server software updates before installation in your live environment, you require a separate installation of LN. Create the update VRC for a test environment parallel to the VRCs in your live environment. The following figure provides an example: The update VRCs that are grouped in a VRC combination, for example, B61U_a_stnd and B61U_a_loca will be updated simultaneously. The B61T_a_stnd and the B61T_a_loca are updated in the same way. These VRCs represent a test environment. Note If you do not have a localization and/or extension installed, you do not need a VRC combination. The only update VRC you need for your test environment is B61T_a_stnd. To create a PMC test environment, take the following steps: Start the Generate Update VRC structure (ttpmc2240s000) session and complete the following fields: Always fill the Package to Determine VRC Structure field with the package tf. Do not use any other packages, such as cp. You can choose any customer VRC extension for the Update Customer field. Note that the Update Customer fields are the five fields on the far right in the VRC Information group box. Infor recommends that you use stnd for standard VRCs and the same value as the base VRC customer code for localizations and extensions. If you do not have a localization installed, leave the Localizations fields blank. Fill the VRC Combination field and a description. This step is not required if you do not have a localization installed. The Customization Type field can contain any character, but the character T is recommended for a test. Select the Create Update VRCs check box. Clear the Change Derivation of Other VRCs check box to specify that you do not want to derive the current VRCs from the new update VRC. Clear the Update Package Combinations check box to specify that you do not want to change the VRCs in package combinations. If you do not yet have a package combination that contains the new VRC structure, you must create a package combination. Use the Package Combinations (ttaad1520m000) and Packages by Package Combination (ttaad1121m000) sessions to set up a package combination. Start the Create Runtime Data Dictionary (ttadv5210m000) session. Enter the information in the dialog box. Click Create Runtime for all package combinations in the range of updated package combinations, you selected in the Generate Update VRC structure (ttpmc2240s000) session. Select all the options: Domains Tables Check before create runt. Reconfigure tables Sessions Print Errors FTP to download software updates If the dumps of the solutions you want to install are located on an FTP server, you can use the Multilevel Download tool to download the dumps. In this case, you must generate an FTP script, which must contain the server, user, and so on, to be used for downloading. You can use the Generate ftp script (ttpmc2211s000) session to generate the required FTP script. The name of the generated FTP script is ftpbaan and is stored in the $BSE/lib directory on the ERP server. The Download, Scan and Connect Solution (Multi-Level) (ttpmc2210s000) session uses the generated FTP script to make the connection to the FTP server and to download the solution dumps. To install updates This section describes the procedures for the recipient of updates to manage the PMC administration. The procedure consists of the following sections: Procedure steps Download updates Scan updates Connect update to update VRC Check to install Install Check to uninstall Uninstall Procedure steps This section illustrates the procedure steps to install software updates by means of PMC in a flowchart. The following sections provide a detailed explanation of the procedure. Install Update Procedure Download updates To download updates you can use the Download, Scan and Connect Solution (Multi-Level) (ttpmc2210s000) session. The session automatically scans the downloaded solutions, and connects the solutions to the specified update VRC. The purpose of scanning the solutions is to make the solutions known to the system, and to identify installation conditions. After the solutions are scanned, you might find that the solutions cannot be installed unless other solutions are downloaded and installed as well. In that case, the session also downloads, scans and connects these solutions. This step is repeated, until all required solutions are downloaded, scanned, and connected. If the related solutions are already present on your system, but connected to another VRC, the solutions are not downloaded again, but are only connected to the specified update VRC. You can also download solutions manually, in which case you must also complete the following steps in this section. These steps are integrated in the Download, Scan and Connect Solution (Multi-Level) (ttpmc2210s000) session, and can be skipped if you downloaded the solutions using this session. Note You can only use this session can only be used for downloading if the solution dumps are published on the FTP server defined in the Generate ftp script (ttpmc2211s000) session. Scan updates After solutions are downloaded to the system, the first step to make the solutions available to the PMC registry is to scan the solution files by means of the Scan Solution/Patch File (ttpmc2200s000) session. The solutions receive the status Available in the update VRC for which the scan is carried out. Scanned files can contain Feature Packs, patches, collections, or individual solutions. All the relevant PMC data is stored in the PMC registry. Connect update to update VRC Use the Connect Solutions/Patches to VRC (ttpmc2201s000) session to make the solutions available in other update VRCs. You can disconnect the solutions by means of the Disconnect Solutions/Patches from VRC (ttpmc2202s000) session. Check to install All the following functionality is controlled by the Process Solutions (ttpmc2101m000) session and the Process Patches (ttpmc2102m000) session. The solutions with the status Available that are connected to the update VRCs must be checked by means of the Check Solution/Patch to Install (ttpmc2203s000) session. The related solutions are checked as well. The solutions, including the related solutions, which must be installed receive the status To Install. Optionally, detailed information is given on customized components and components that exist in non-supported languages. Install You can install the solutions with status To Install, by means of the Install Solution/Patch (ttpmc2205s000) session. If the PMC registry was changed after the solution received the To Install status, the solution must be checked again before the solution can be installed. The related solutions are installed as well. After the solutions are installed, the status of the solutions is Installed. Check to uninstall All the following functionality is controlled by the Process Solutions (ttpmc2101m000) session, the Process Patches (ttpmc2102m000) session and the Installation runs (ttpmc2503m000) session. If a solution must be uninstalled, for example, because the solution was a bad fix, use the Check Solution/Patch to Uninstall (ttpmc2206s000) session. The solution status and the status of related solutions becomes To Uninstall. Note You can use Check to uninstall from the Installation runs (ttpmc2503m000) session if you want to uninstall all solutions that were installed together in one run, for example, a solution including all prerequisite solutions or solutions of a collection that were installed in a range. Uninstall Run the Uninstall Solution/Patch (ttpmc2208s000) session to set the status of the solution, including the related solutions, back to 'Available'. Note If during installation or uninstallation the process is stopped, for example, due to a system crash, process kill, and so on, the solution that was being processed at that point still has the status Installing or Uninstalling. With the next start of a processing session from the Process Solutions (ttpmc2101m000) session, PMC recognizes this situation and starts the stopped process again for the interrupted solution. If a sequence of solutions was to be installed or uninstalled, you must restart the process for the remaining solutions. Miscellaneous topics This section describes the following topics: Update policy Opening a patch PMC cleanup Removing an update VRC Update policy This section describes a procedure to install, test and make a new Feature Pack operational in your live environment. The procedure minimizes the impact in terms of system downtime for the operational environment. Scenario Suppose you have installed the master product in VRC B61_a and Feature Pack 1, including a number of individual solutions, on top of Feature Pack 1 in update VRC B61U_a_stnd. This update VRC is linked to package combination b61au. Customizations are available in the B61U_a_cus VRC that is linked to the b61cus package combination. Various operational companies are linked to package combination b61cus. You now want to install Feature Pack 2. However, you first want to explore the new Feature Pack in a separate environment without disturbing the operational business. Two methods are available to explore the new Feature Pack in a test environment: Method 1 Switch companies between VRC branches. Method 2 Have a permanent separate test VRC branch. The following table describes both methods in detail . Steps 1 through 7 in both methods are identical. The following is the recommended update procedure for Feature Packs:
Procedure for both methods
1 | Install Feature Pack 2 in the new Update VRC, for example, B61U_a_std2. The new update VRC must be derived from the master product VRC B61_a. In addition, create a new package combination, for example, b61au2. If you install the Feature Pack using the Infor Installation Wizard, you can have the Infor Installation Wizard create the new update VRC and package combination automatically. The PMC tool guarantees that all individual solutions that were installed on top of Feature Pack 1 in the B61U_a_stnd VRC will also be installed in the B61U_a_std2 VRC, if these solutions are not already included in Feature Pack 2. Therefore, from a maintenance perspective, the B61U_a_stnd and B61U_a_std2 VRCs will be synchronous after installation of Feature Pack 2.
2 | Having companies linked to the b61au2 package combination enables you to investigate on runtime the behavior of the standard product without customizations. To achieve this, link one or more test companies to the new package combination b61au2. You can do this in various ways: Install the demo companies that are included in the SP2 medium. If you have existing test companies linked to the b61au package combination, you can relink these companies to the b61au2 package combination using the Change Package Combination by Company (ttaad1101m000) session. Copy an existing company linked to package combination b61au using the Copy Company Data (tccom0214m000) session. Next relink the newly copied company to the b61au2 package combination using the Change Package Combination by Company (ttaad1101m000) session.
3 | You can now explore the Feature Pack 2 that is installed in the B61U_a_std2 VRC.
4 | Create package VRCs B61U_a_cus2 and the related package combination b61cus2.
5 | Copy the contents of the B61U_a_cus VRC to the B61U_a_cus2 VRC using the Copy Software Components to New Package VRC (ttadv6265m000) session. Make the b61cus2 package combination runtime using the Create Runtime Data Dictionary session. Note that, at this point, the customizations are still not synchronized with Feature Pack 2.
6 | Copy one or more companies linked to package combination b61cus using the Copy Company Data (tccom0214m000) session. Next relink the newly copied company to the b61cus2 package combination using the Change Package Combination by Company (ttaad1101m000) session.
7 | After you explore the new Feature Pack, upgrade customizations in the B61U_a_cus2 VRC, and prepare your organization to use the new Feature Pack, verify whether additional solutions were installed in the B61U_a_stnd VRC after you performed Step 1. To perform this verification use the Compare Installed Solutions (ttpmc2405s000) session. Install the missing solutions in the B61U_a_std2 VRC as well. Synchronize the customizations again if required.
Method 1: Switch companies between VRC branches
8 | Transfer the operational companies from the b61cus to the b61cus2 package combination. To perform this transfer, use the Change Package Combination by Company (ttaad1101m000) session.
9 | After complete the previous steps, all operational companies and users will be linked to the b61au2 package combination. To install the subsequent Feature Pack 3, you must repeat the process, but now in the opposite direction: You install Feature Pack 3 in the B61U_a_stnd update VRC. Again, you can, of course, create an additional VRC branch for Feature Pack 3. However, this process requires more installation time and disk space. The test companies are relinked to the b61au package combination. Feature Pack 3 is explored and finally the operational companies are linked to the b61au package combination.
In theory you can apply the same mechanism for patches. However, one important difference applies. Patches are not cumulative. Installation of a patch requires that you at least have installed the preceding patch. Therefore, you cannot directly install Patch 2 in the B61U_a_std2 update VRC. You first must install Patch 1, followed by the installation of Patch 2. In the same way, you first must install Patch 2 in update VRC B61U_a_stnd before you can install Patch 3.
Method 2: Have a permanent separate test VRC branch
8 | Install Feature Pack 2 in the B61U_a_stnd VRC. Copy the contents of the B61U_a_cus2 VRC to the B61U_a_cus VRC using the Copy Software Components to New Package VRC (ttadv6265m000) session. Make the b61cus2 package combination runtime using the Create Runtime Data Dictionary session.
9 | To install the subsequent Feature Pack 3, repeat the process.
In principle you can apply the same procedure for patches when you use Method 2.
Advantages and disadvantages of both methods Method 2 has the disadvantage that you must install Feature Pack 2 twice. As a result the system downtime is greater if you use Method 2. The system downtime for Method 1 consists of the following elements: Time required to reconfigure the application database and relink the company and users. The system downtime for Method 2 consists of the following elements: Time required to install and make the Feature Pack runtime. Time required to reconfigure the application database. Open a patch Only in exceptional situations you can decide not to carry out a complete installation of a patch, but to install a selection of one or more of the indiviual solutions contained in the patch. Therefore, you can open a patch to select individual solutions. To open a patch, you will require a password. To obtain a password contact Infor Support. You can start the Open Patch (ttpmc2105s000) session from the appropriate menu of the Process Patches (ttpmc2102m000) session. Note You cannot open a Feature Pack. PMC cleanup Cleaning up PMC is useful for saving disk space. You can run the cleanup by means of the PMC Cleanup (ttpmc2220m000) session. This session can clean up three types of PMC data: Solution dumps Uninstall dumps PMC registry To remove an update VRC Removing an update VRC can be useful for saving disk space and for a clear VRC structure. You can remove an update VRC by means of the Delete Update VRC Structure (ttpmc2241s000) session. |