Transcript Managing Your Lawson System MSPs and CTPs

Managing Your Lawson
System
MSPs and CTPs
Ron Wright
netASPx Corp.
CTP Definition
Lawson’s Definition:
"Critical Transfer Packages ( CTP's )" are
individual "high priority" fixes that are
available to download immediately without
waiting for the scheduled Maintenance
Service Package.
• Many CTPs released every week
MSP Definition
Lawson’s Definition:
"Maintenance Service Packages ( MSP's )"
consist of scheduled, periodic groupings of
individual, critical fixes. Each new Transfer
Package is built upon the previous one, so all
fixes are included in the newest available
CTP.
• Released every 2-3 months
• NOT installed like a collection of CTPs!
MSP: When and How Often
netASPx applies all MSPs
• Give MSPs time for critical problems to be
resolved (1 month)
• Review CTPs released within 2 weeks of an
MSP for applicability
• Watch Topica mailing lists for impressions
(http://www.topica.com/lists/Lawson_SysAdmin)
MSP: Experiences
• Call volume increases for a short duration after
• Issues are often serious in nature
• Number of issues and severity closely related to
the amount and quality of the testing performed!
• Develop test plans with end user involvement.
• Test processes and programs, not just programs
CTP: When and How Often
• Other than those reviewed after an MSP,
CTPs are applied only upon an issue
• CTPs are more problematic than MSPs
• netASPx has applied over 100 unique CTPs
since August, 2002
Application Maintenance
Toolset
Suite of utilities for installing applications and
applying MSPs and CTPs
• Downloaded from support.lawson.com
(Transfer Packages)
• Includes lasetup, appmetaload,
patchcompile, and the metadata load and
dump programs
lasetup initial
• Used for a new installation or point release
• Rolls
$LAWDIR/<prodline>/Admin/install.log
• Overwrites source files without backup
• Performs sysloads
lasetup staged (MSP)
• Files staged to designated location then compared
to program code in productline
• Programs found to be more recent than code in the
MSP are replaced, but logged in the install.log as
“Reverted”
• All files to be replaced are backup up to
$LAWDIR/<pl>/backup/<version>_MSP#
• GEN database information for programs NOT
backed up.
• CTPs that were “Reverted” must be reapplied
Backing out an MSP
Preparation:
• Complete data backup (expsysdb)
• Backup of LADBDIR and LAWDIR
Optional prep step:
• sysdump <pl> (more options for recovery)
Backing out an MSP (cont)
Procedure:
1. Backup data (if unsure of backup or potential
exists that updated data may need to be
retrieved)
2. Drop tables (bldxxxddl –UDq <pl>)
3. Restore LADBDIR and LAWDIR
4. Startladb
5. bldxxxddl –Uq <pl>
6. Restore data (impexp)
7. startlaw
lasetup patch (CTP)
• Files to be replaced are compared for more
recent versions. More recent versions are
not replaced.
• Replaced files and GEN information to be
updated is backed up to
$LAWDIR/<pl>/backup/<patch #>
• GEN data not updated yet
appmetaload (CTP)
• Applies changes to the GEN database
related to a program or library
• Information related to workfiles, messages,
etc. loaded for you. No more manual entry,,
except…
• Database changes (dbdef) not handled
patchcompile (CTP)
• Determines all programs related to the patch
that must be recompiled and submits them.
• Optionally creates a script to submit all
compiles.
Backing out a CTP
• No prep required
1. Copy program files from
$LAWDIR/<pl>/backup/<patch #> back to
appropriate location
2. Go through “meta” directories (ex. Metagl) and
run appropriate metaload<ext> program for each
file found. ( ex. metaloadmsg <pl> AP20.msg )
3. If manual database changes were done, those
must be reversed manually. (dbdef, blddbdict,
dbreorg)
4. Recompile productline or rerun patchcompile
Under the Covers
Version comparison:
• Version compared using the first line in every
program file. This line has:
<program> <version> <Perl sum32 for file>
• Any change to the file changes the chksum value.
If chksum doesn’t match the header, version
ignored and program overwritten in all
circumstances.
• A Perl programmer could easily write Perl to
regenerate the chksum value
Under the Covers (cont)
• Metaload series of programs do not do a merge
within the GEN database. Deletes within GEN are
performed on a backout.
• Be careful if you run the metadump programs.
They do not write to stdout. Overwrite files in the
current directory.
• Metadump files fairly easy to read. Contain
“prefix” of GEN tables to be updated. Confirm
prefix by running dmpdict GEN <table>. Look
for index (ie. PGMSET1 - PGM is prefix)
Handling Program Modifications
• Use the UNIX diff utility to see changes. (works
on NT too with MKS Toolkit or others)
diff $LAWDIR/dev8/backup/12345/apsrc/AP20PD
$LAWDIR/dev8/apsrc/AP20PD
• diff can also create a merged version of two programs for
you:
diff –D12345 $LAWDIR/dev8/backup/12345/apsrc/AP20PD
$LAWDIR/dev8/apsrc/NA20PD
(merged program will not compile until edited)
Questions
[email protected]
303-499-2338