In part one, we examined routine tasks scheduled for different times. In this post we’re going to look at special events and the checklists associated with them.
The basic procedure for installing an OpenEdge update or service pack is as follows:
For the update/service pack installation on UNIX/Linux, we prefer to stage the new installation in an entirely new directory and use soft links (ln -s command) in the various scripts used to start OpenEdge processes. In this case, step 4 would be to change the symbolic link to point to the new installation. This usually provides for an easy rollback to the previous version, though you should always test the rollback beforehand. Sorry Windows users: I am not aware of an equivalent solution.
One last thing: if you are staging a new $DLC directory, remember to copy any modified properties files in $DLC/properties from the old install directory to the new one.
Most importantly, we strongly suggest that you have a written and tested update and rollback plan. Chance favours the prepared mind.
Before installing a new release or update of OpenEdge, check the following:
If you have a commercial ProTop subscription, you can use the Automated Health Check and view the results in the ProTop Web Portal.
Some tasks are often left aside because we are too busy fighting fires and working on urgent tasks (it seems like everything is urgent, doesn’t it !?!)
These items are important and they are fun to do! Try and carve out a few hours per month to run benchmarks and test new ideas.
Are you a seasoned OpenEdge DBA? A newbie? Or maybe you are an OpenEdge programmer who gets to play DBA from time-to-time. How does your list compare to ours? Let us know in the comments.
Good Question! And that’s why you should come back for part 3 in a few weeks!