Configuration Packs

The SimpleOne system allows exporting and importing configuration packs to keep unrelated instances synchronized.

Concept

In brief, the VCS configuration pack conception can be defined as an ability to transfer data from one instance to another, in an automatic or semi-automatic way. It is intended for application version control. Configuration packs help to automate transfer data and configurations from one instance to another, lessen the manual effort. The key point is configurations transfer, for not to reiterate it more and more on every instance, you can just import a configuration pack. So, this technology really is to make it easy and automate a migration update from one instance to another.

Application configurations are stored in configuration packs which are represented as a .SOP file containing a set of the application version records. In an OOB supply, the SimpleOne platform contains only the Simple application, but administrators (users with the admin role) can create their own Applications if needed.

Initially, the configuration pack should be assembled on the source instance (the instance containing source data) within the local pack related to the specific application. After that, the local pack can be exported to the configuration pack as a .SOP file.

Using configuration packs allows deploying this configuration on other instances, or, if needed, rollback versions of the specified record or some local pack as a whole to the previous state.

Technically, the configuration pack is the set of the saved records of the VCS Record (sys_vcs_record) table. Every record of this table contains JSON formatted changes and other attributes described below.

{"value": "Report Item", "policy": "Open", "sys_id": 159653803414986194, "column_id": 156941403909472422, "record_id": 159653803414985080, "language_id": 156628684306541141, "application_id": 155931135900000002, "sys_created_at": "2020-08-04 10:47:14", "sys_created_by": 155931135900000001, "sys_updated_at": "2020-08-04 10:47:14", "sys_updated_by": 155931135900000001}

The configuration pack transfer between instances can be also called "import". On the picture below, you can find the cross-instance configuration versions import flow:

Record versions

After any transaction (create/update/delete) for the versioned table object, the record is created in the VCS Record (sys_vcs_record) table corresponding to the object state after the transaction. The record version contains the information described below.

VCS Record form fields

Local packs

Technically, a local pack is a record in the VCS Local Pack (sys_vcs_local_pack) table related to versions of the related records in a VCS Record (sys_vcs_record) table. Every single version is an atomic state of versioned tables (those ones which have the is_VCS_enabled attribute turned ON). All record versions in the local pack are displayed on a related list on a local pack form.

To create a local pack, please complete the steps below:

1. Navigate to Configuration Pack → Local Packs.
2. Click New and fill in the fields.
3. Click Save or Save and Exit to apply changes.

VCS Local Pack form fields

Version restoring

A non-actual version (the is_current attribute value is equal to FALSE) can be restored if needed. To perform this, please complete the steps below:

1. Navigate to Configuration Pack → Records.
2. Find the record to be recovered. You can use list search for search criteria narrowing, or a Condition Builder.
3. Click on a desirable record to navigate into it.
4. Click Restore Version.

After that, a new VCS record is created in the current local pack; the Restored by field value of this record is equal to the ID of the version used for restoring.

Default local pack

Default local pack is a local pack named "Default 1" created automatically after creating a new application. It is not recommended to use this local pack to store versions for the purpose of further import to other instances; create separate packs for these tasks.

If a version has been created in a default local pack erroneously, then you can move it to the required local pack. For this, please complete the steps below:

1. Navigate to Configuration Pack → Records.
2. Find the record to recover. You can use list search for search criteria narrowing, or a Condition Builder.
3. Click on a desirable record to navigate into it.
4. Click the magnifier icon on the left of the Local Pack field and choose the required local pack.
5. Click Save or Save and Exit to apply changes.

Local Pack Exporting

After you are done with record versions collection within the task implementing, you need to export the changes for further import to other instances. For this, please complete the steps below:

1. Navigate to Configuration Pack → Local Packs.
2. Find the local pack to export. You can use list search for search criteria narrowing, or a Condition Builder.
3. Click on a desirable local pack to navigate into it.
4. Change the state value to Completed.
5. Click Export Local Pack link.

As a result, 

Merging Local Packs

Two local packs can be merged in one if necessary. For this, please complete the steps below:

1. Navigate to Configuration Packs → Local Packs.
2. Choose local packs you need to merge selecting the appropriate checkboxes and click the Merge button;
3. Fill in the name and description of the consequent local pack.
4. Wait until local packs are merged;
5. As a result, a new local pack is created referenced with the last versions of the VCS Record (sys_vcs_record) for every record;
6. Resulting local pack transits into the In Progress state.
7. The original local packs are removed;
8. If any versions were referenced to original local packs and didn't get into the resulting one, then this reference is reset.

Local Pack Importing

To deliver an exported local pack on a target instance, the import procedure should proceed. What is implemented within this procedure:

• The transactions stored in configuration pack (a local pack that was exported) are applied on a target instance.
• A local pack copy created on a target instance.

To import a local pack, please complete the steps below:

1. Navigate to Configuration Pack → Retrieved Packs.
2. Click New to create a new configuration pack and fill in the fields.
3. Attach previously exported .SOP file to this configuration pack.
4. Click Save or Save and Exit to apply changes.

VCS retrieved pack form fields