GuardIEn automates the implementation of changed objects into a target environment, including the updating of the executable system.
The steps required to implement a system will vary between organisations. Typical steps include:
GuardIEn executes the steps using a series of linked background tasks. It executes each step, checks the results and if the step was successful, automatically moves on to the next step. This allows the update to be performed overnight without any intervention. Contrast this with a manual process whereby each step has to be performed individually, probably split over several days to allow for example the completion of one step before defining and executing the next step.
The figure below provides an example of how the GuardIEn system updating process can automate some typical steps in a production update. It can first update the test libraries. Once the testing is complete, the objects are migrated to a controlled acceptance model. The acceptance model can be secured so that only GuardIEn has access to it, signified in the figure below by the brick wall. The code is then regenerated and installed into acceptance to guarantee that the model is synchronised with the source and object code. Once acceptance testing is complete, the changes can be implemented into production, either by GuardIEn or by existing production updating routines invoked by GuardIEn. This is followed by a migrate to the production model to synchronise the production model with the production code
The GuardIEn production updating system and the Construction Assistant offer support for installing the generated code on the encyclopaedia server or a remote server. For remote installation, the code is generated on a CSE and installed on a separate machine. Many different configurations are supported, for example from an NT or UNIX CSE, code can be installed on MVS, UNIX, NT or Windows 95/98.
The CA Gen MVS Host Encyclopaedia (HE) can only directly generate code for an MVS target. Customers who are using an MVS encyclopaedia for non MVS targets (for example Windows clients or UNIX servers) cannot generate the code directly from the HE and have to use workstation generation.
The GuardIEn Host Encyclopaedia Cross Generation (HE-XGen) module enables the use of a CSE as a 'background server' to automate the generation and install process for non-MVS target systems. The generations will be performed on the CSE using a shadow copy of the model on the HE.