Re: In BPCS Version 8 is there a easy way to setup a TEST

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Genyphyr,

In a message dated 2/7/02 10:55:06 AM Eastern Standard Time, novakg@ssax.com
writes:


> From my reading of it, the post didn't ask how to load 2 versions of BPCS on
> his PC - he said wants to go from a test to a live environment in the same
> version.

That wasn't how _I_ read it, given that the requester already has a previous
version of BPCS installed, but perhaps you are correct.  Generally, if you're
already running BPCS, you know how to set up a GUI test environment.

> <<snip>>

> We at SSA GT are quite familiar with how to set up multiple environments on
> this product and any of our products, considering that we do that
> internally
> every day on many systems, Unix, NT and AS/400. And in the installation
> instructions (if you read them) it quite clearly explains how to set up a
> test environment.

Beg to differ here.  Had we followed the 6.1.02MM installation instructions
"to the letter", we would have disabled the client function on our
"development box" for 6.1.01.  I must admit that the instructions for 6.1.02
were better than usual, but they were still rather ambiguous in spots.
>
> Just put in the new workstations settings for the test environment and away
> you go. No need to have 2 icons. You can save the environment settings the
> same way we do at SSA GT - use the 'Server Name' field to point to the name
> of the environment which the settings will access. (Note that as long as
> the
> IP address is correct, the server name field does NOT have to be a server
> name at all!)

Agreed.

> <<snip>>

> Client/Server V6 or V8  is no mystery to anyone at SSA GT, but it may be
> somewhat unfamiliar to many of the consultants out there who's main
> clientele with BPCS happen to be the BPCS CD and older releases.

Madam, it is difficult for me not to take personal offense at that statement.
 In fact, I have.  I have not worked on a pre-5x version of BPCS since 1994,
when I helped to _teach_ SSA personnel at the Madison facility how to _use_
ADK while participating in the prototype of COM.  If you would like me to
forward you offline a scan of my Presidential Towers health club membership
from that era, I would be more than glad to do so.  I teach SSA personnel to
this day, as often your company does not feel that your "experts" require
training.  In fact, I'll be teaching one of them how to install Client Access
next week.  I would say more; however, I'm constrained by the guidelines of
my own list.  Let's just say that you need to be more informed about whom you
cast aspersions prior to casting them.
>
> I would like to point out, that it is also not any one at SSA GT's JOB to
> reply to postings here. If we do, it is out of concern or courtesy for the
> people on this list. Don't attempt to use this as a substitute for HELPLINE
> because a lot of the information your read here can be wrong, or specific
> to
> one release (not yours). It's like any other mailing list - 'caveat
> emptor'.
> The SSA GT Support Center should be contacted when questions like this
> arise, for the best and most specific answer to your release and situation.

Apparently,  the poster wasn't getting what he _needed_ out of Helpline (not
an unusual occurrence for new releases), which is why he posted here.
Helpline, when they know what they're talking about, has been quite useful to
me as a consultant on behalf of a client.  I have personally stated on many
occasions that this list is no substitute for Helpline, and encouraged
entities to maintain their software subscriptions, call Helpline, and to
check OGS and the BPCS-L archives prior to posting to BPCS-L.  In that order.
 Support Center _WAS_ contacted, and they were as unresponsive as was SSA/GT
on BPCS-L.

Perhaps it isn't your JOB to monitor this list, but you just lost a
multinational V8 account because your sales personnel are incompetent in the
area of my client's headquarters, and you didn't reply to this list.  I would
_THINK_ that SSA/GT would want _MORE_ V8 clients, rather than discouraging
them by being unable to provide anything other than silence for a question of
this nature.
>
> We know that there is a limitation in that you cannot load 2 different
> VERSIONS of BPCS on the same PC. That is why we document this limitation in
> our instructions. Perhaps if a client would request this via E BMR and use
> their SSA GT representative to make a business case for creating new
> software to allow 2 versions to be loaded at once,  it could be worked on
> for a future delivery. But that has to be done through official SSA GT
> channels and not via BPCS-L.

And just how many clients need to do this?  Since the advent of the GUI
portion, I've had five Fortune 500 companies and a myriad of others request
this functionality to no avail.  Do _ALL_ BPCS clients, including those on
4.05CD, need to request this before it happens?  Poor release quality is not
difficult to comprehend when you realize that "side by side" testing cannot
occur on the same client...

MNSHO,

Dean Asmussen
Enterprise Systems Consulting, Inc.
Fuquay-Varina, NC  USA
E-mail:  DAsmussen@aol.com

"The majority of men meet with failure because of their lack of persistence
in creating new plans to replace those which fail." -- Napoleon Hill