RE: Source Code management - Migrating packages

[<lgoodbar@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Source control is less about technology and more about proper controls
and discipline. 
* No more "five-minute changes". This is a good thing. Each change
should have ramifications (i.e. tested).
* Do you have a test environment (either via library lists or separate
LPARS/systems), so you can test changes independently from production?
Have a process to "refresh" your test environment, or make it known it
is not an exact representation of production data.
* You should have a "change control form" with the intended
change/scope, and signatures for testing and approval into production.
We perform a monthly review of new objects created in our production
environment, and tie them back to a change request in the SCM or
document the exception. 
* Make sure you get a source compare utility. (We use Aldon, but the
other packages should have similar capability.) I make it a habit to run
a compare from the QA environment versus production, so we can capture
which lines of source code were changed. 
* You do get versioning. The SCM should have all previous Production
versions available for browsing. We are a small shop, so the need for
concurrent checkouts is minimal. Your SCM should provide a conflict
resolution process. 
* You get a single point for browsing and managing your source code,
rather than the 5 copies of source in different libraries. Be prepared
to scrutinize each of the 5 versions to determine which one is the
"true" source for your production objects.
* Management (not just IT but organizational) should buy into the
process (again, no quick fixes) and understand the need for testing and
sign-offs.

These are my experiences as a company adhering to our procedures
developed for SOX. If you are privately held, you can do what you want.
:)

HTH,
Loyd

-----Original Message-----
From: midrange-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:midrange-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of fbocch2595@xxxxxxx
Sent: Wednesday, May 27, 2009 12:13 PM
To: midrange-l@xxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: Re: Source Code management - Migrating packages

Hi, my company has never used source code management software and/or a
change management system but wants to do so this year.? 

How many vendors are there in this space...on the AS400 and if anyone
wants to share?pro's and con's that'd b/appreciated...or things to watch
out for.??? 

Thanks, Frank