2Overview of Siebel Application Deployment Manager
Overview of Siebel Application Deployment Manager
This chapter provides overview information about Siebel Application Deployment Manager (ADM). It includes the following topics:
About Siebel Application Deployment Manager
Siebel Application Deployment Manager (ADM) is a feature that helps you to migrate enterprise customization data (Lists of Values, responsibilities, assignment rules, and so on) from one Siebel application environment to another. For example, you can use ADM to move customization data from a development environment to a testing environment.
ADM is designed to provide a single deployment tool that covers various areas within the Siebel application. The objective is to reduce the potential manual setup and deployment work and provide as much automation as possible to decrease the error rate.
The bulk of the administrative tasks to migrate data using ADM are performed at the Application Deployment Manager screen in the Siebel application GUI. These tasks are intended for those with Siebel administrator responsibility. The ADM set-up process in the ADM GUI creates a template in which one data type can be migrated on a regular basis, if required. The fundamental structure of this template is the deployment project. The deployment project consists of one or more data types that can be migrated.
The process of migrating customizations using ADM involves configuration, GUI set-up, and deployment. Configuration setup is necessary in Siebel Tools to enable ADM support for additional business objects within the Siebel application; GUI setup in the Siebel application is necessary to prepare for the ADM deployment execution; and the ADM deployment process of migrating customizations can be run from the application GUI or the Server Manager command-line.
About Siebel ADM Data Types
Siebel Application Deployment Manager (ADM) data types represent the customized entities that require migration to new environments. For example, an assignment rule, a List of Values, application responsibilities, or Web templates represent the type of configurations that you make in one environment that must be migrated to another environment.
Some data types are hierarchical and contain more than one object, such as where the parent object is dependent on one or more child objects. For example, the Workflow Policy data type also migrates associated child Workflow Actions.
The packaging and deployment of ADM data types are dependent on their category. Individual data types sometimes have other specific configurations, limitations, or dependencies on other ADM data types. For full details and a listing of all supported ADM data types, see Siebel ADM Supported Data Types. For more information about packaging and deploying different ADM data types, see Migrating Customizations Using Siebel ADM.
Categories of Siebel ADM Data Types
This topic is part of About Siebel ADM Data Types.
In the current release, the following general category of ADM data type is supported:
ADM Database Types. Siebel run-time customizations residing in the Siebel database, for example, a Product Line or Assignment Rule.
About ADM Data Type Relationships
This topic is part of About Siebel ADM Data Types.
Creating Application Deployment Manager (ADM) data type relationships is only necessary if certain data types must be deployed before other types. Creating this relationship makes sure that related data types are deployed as a single transaction to the target system. If any of the related data types are not applied correctly, then all related data types are not migrated to the target system.
ADM data type relationships are relationships between data types; that is, there are also relationships between different entities internally within data types. These relationships are defined within the Integration Object for a data type. For descriptions on creating or removing data type relationships, see Creating ADM Data Type Relationships.
Example of an ADM Data Type Relationship
This topic is part of About Siebel ADM Data Types.
An example of an ADM data type relationship is as follows: a List of Values (LOV) with a State Model configured on that LOV. Therefore, the LOV must be governed by a State Model.
To set up this relationship in ADM, add the LOV data type as a child record to the State Model data type.
When this relationship is set up, the records of the LOV (LOV Type record and LOV value records) are inserted into the database first followed by the State Model records. If there is an error in moving either the State Model or the LOV records, then both are not allowed to exist separately on the target system. If the State Model encounters a database error, then the previously inserted LOV records are removed (rolled back) so that the errors are corrected and the session can be retried.
About the Siebel ADM Client Environments
The Siebel Application Deployment Manager (ADM) client environments include a command-line interface program and GUI applications that you use to create and manage a deployment of application customizations between environments. Other traditional Siebel application interfaces are also available to assist with ADM deployments. The ADM client environments are:
Siebel ADM screen. The Siebel ADM screen (Application Deployment Manager screen in the Siebel Web Client) assists in the creation of ADM deployment units for any database data types that make up an ADM package. You can also use this screen to deploy ADM database types. For more information about this interface, see About the ADM Screen.
Siebel Server Manager (srvrmgr) command-line interface. This command-line interface administers the Siebel Server. You can also use this interface to deploy ADM database data types.
For more information about:Deploying ADM database types, see Deploying ADM Sessions to a File Using the Command-Line Interface.
Using the Siebel Server command-line interface, see Siebel System Administration Guide.
About the ADM Screen
This topic is part of About the Siebel ADM Client Environments.
The Application Deployment Manager (ADM) GUI consists of a screen and views from the Siebel application site map. The screen name is Application Deployment Manager, and from this screen you create deployment units consisting only of ADM database data types.
Deployment units form the ADM package used to deploy application customizations. For more information about creating ADM database type deployment units using the ADM GUI, see Migrating Customizations Using Siebel ADM.
The ADM GUI also facilitates the deployment of ADM database types. For more information about this deployment option, see Deploying an ADM Session or Export File.
About Migrating Customizations Using Siebel ADM
This topic includes the following information:
About the Siebel ADM Source and Target Environments
This topic is part of About Migrating Customizations Using Siebel ADM.
The Siebel Application Deployment Manager (ADM) source environment refers to the Siebel CRM environment where the application customizations originate. This environment can be, for example, a development or test environment. You use Siebel ADM to package application customizations in the source environment and to migrate them to the target environment. For example, you can use one source environment to create an ADM package that you want to migrate into multiple target environments.
ADM data types represent the different customizable entities in the source environment. For more information about ADM data types, see About Siebel ADM Data Types.
You begin the ADM deployment process by packaging ADM data types in the source environment. For information about this process, see Process of Creating a Siebel ADM Package.
The ADM target environment refers to the Siebel CRM environment to which the application customizations, previously created, are migrated from the source environment. This environment can be, for example, a test or production environment.
About the ADM Deployment Process
This topic is part of About Migrating Customizations Using Siebel ADM.
The Application Deployment Manager (ADM) deployment process represents the actual, physical update of the application customizations to the target environment, as well as the activation of these new customizations. The deployment process involves the creation of a deployment instance, called a deployment session, which migrates the previously created and validated deployment package.
The ADM deployment process deploys and activates the deployment package.
For more information and detailed procedures on the ADM deployment process, see Migrating Customizations Using Siebel ADM.
Options for Deploying Customizations Using Siebel ADM
The following options for deploying Siebel Application Deployment Manager (ADM) customizations are available for database data type customizations only. They represent the ADM deployment methods available in earlier releases of Siebel CRM (for example, in Siebel CRM version 7.8):
About Deploying Customizations Using the ADM GUI and HTTP
This topic is part of Options for Deploying Customizations Using Siebel ADM.
Deploying ADM customizations using the Siebel application ADM GUI is available to database types only. This deployment method requires both the source and target environment to be online and in communication using HTTP. You run this deployment from the source environment.
All ADM database types are available for migration using this method. However, the deployment is limited to just the copy operation of these run-time customizations. For more information about this deployment method, see Deploying an ADM Session or Export File.
About Deploying Customizations Using Export Files and the ADM GUI
This topic is part of Options for Deploying Customizations Using Siebel ADM.
Deploying ADM customizations using export files is available to certain database types only. This deployment method creates XML export files using the Siebel application ADM GUI. The XML files are exported from the source environment and imported into the target environment at the ADM GUI. For more information about this deployment method, see Deploying an ADM Session or Export File.
About Deploying Customizations Using the Server Manager Command-Line Interface
This topic is part of Options for Deploying Customizations Using Siebel ADM.
Deploying ADM customizations using the Server Manager (srvrmgr) command-line interface is available to certain database types only. This deployment method migrates export files created from the source environment, using the Siebel application ADM GUI, and migrates the export files using the Server Manager command-line interface and a preconfigured workflow process. For more information about this deployment method, see Deploying an ADM Session or Export File.
Recommendations for Migrating Data Using Siebel ADM
Review the following information as recommendations of best practice when migrating data customizations using ADM.
Do not set up a large number of data types. Keep the number of project items low to assist with error management. If the deployment scenario contains more than ten line items, then break up the project into separate projects. This action helps improve usability.
Maintain strong development guidelines, especially with naming conventions. Consistent development guidelines assist in the creation of deployment filters.
Make sure that seed data, included as part of an installation, is in place for both the source and target environments. Do not use ADM to migrate this type of data. For example, do not migrate standard, unchanged LOV data types, which are available as part of a regular Siebel installation.
ADM is best suited for a high-frequency and low-volume deployment scenario. It is highly recommended to set up a deployment filter on all items. Review Siebel Enterprise Integration Manager (Siebel EIM) as a more appropriate tool for transferring large data volumes. For information about Siebel EIM, see Siebel Enterprise Integration Manager Administration Guide.
Maintain a compatible database code page between the source and target environments. If in doubt, then contact Global Customer Support.
When creating additional data areas, validate the integration object structure first before using it with the ADM framework. Use a simple workflow process in the process simulator to validate the integration object. For information about workflow processes and the process simulator, see Siebel Business Process Framework: Workflow Guide.
When working with files for deployment, always use a network share name in the UNC format. On Windows, do not use drive letters. Remember that file name is specified for importing from the GUI but the directory name must be specified for exporting.
Note that the deployment occurs in an asynchronous mode and the Server Request Broker (SRBroker) and Server Request Processor (SRProc) component parameters affect how fast the requests are processed. By default, no adjustments are necessary.
Securing your Siebel CRM deployment using Transport Layer Security involves deploying certificates and configuring keystores and truststores on your server computers. You must also configure your Siebel deployment (using Siebel Management Console) to be able to use these security features. Configure each server computer as needed based on how you will use it along with other servers in your deployment. Such security considerations apply to ADM as well as to other Siebel CRM features.
For example, suppose that you want to use ADM to migrate data from a development environment (source) into another environment such as for QA or production (target). In order for ADM to be able to send requests from the source to the target, the truststore on the source must include the certificate authority (such as a commercial authority) that signed the certificate on the target. If that certificate authority is trusted, the source also trusts any valid certificate signed by that authority. See also Siebel Security Guide and Siebel Installation Guide for the operating system you are using.