The Software Assurance service was created in order to ensure the necessary level of security and update for all customers who have adopted a Siav solution.
Software Assurance guarantees the availability of the new software releases, the access to the specific documentation of the product and the availability of the required license for the test installation.
New Software Releases
The upgrade and maintenance policy of Siav products is based on the scheduled release of a series of update packages identifiable as:
- First level releases (Major Release)
- Second level releases (Minor Release)
- Maintenance releases
- Patch/Hot Fix
These software packages are designed to provide the necessary consistency to the amendments introduced by the inclusion of new application functionalities or for the correction of the reported and verified software anomalies, in addition to the necessary systemistic and regulatory changes.
Upgrading a system through a Major Release normally requires a major intervention by the technical staff and training courses for users might be required.
Minor Releases occur during regulatory changes or with the introduction of new features that do not involve significant technical/functional impacts. The system upgrade is facilitated by automated procedures (Setup) with the minimal intervention from technical staff (typically managed remotely).
The maintenance releases occur at regular frequency (typically every 2-3 weeks) and include improvements and corrections of the anomalies found on the product. The system upgrade is done with the same Minor Release mode.
Patch/Hot Fix
Hot Fix are small changes, typically required to solve a few anomaly in the use of the product, and that requires immediate action.
This kind of interventions can take place online, or ask a quick downtime to allow the product upgrade. Normally these are activities that are carried out via remote access or that are made directly by the customer, if properly prepared, with the possible support of Siav.
The submission request for the updates must be done by contacting Siav Help Desk.
User license to arrange the Test System
Support and maintenance activities normally provide more or less significant changes to the production environment, creating in certain cases of temporary delay.
The variability of the system base and of the interactions with the IT context of the customer’s systems may sometimes also contribute to the onset of serious anomalies that are very difficult to detect during the pre-release testing phases.
Acting directly on the production environment so appears a not recommended and risky choice, especially for significant updates related to the working of the entire system in case of particularly complex and sensitive situations.
For this reason, within the Siav Software Assurance service, a specific user license is provided that allows you to prepare an adequate test environment that can be used both by the technical customer personnel and by Siav support. Any significant update operation, modification or tuning will be tested in a test environment, in order to check the proper functioning of the system and to estimate the timing of delay to be provided for the production environment.
In the case of Application Management subscription, the Siav support service, if particularly critical and delicate solutions are found, the preparation of the test environment may be required as a prerequisite to the particularly serious anomalies resolution activities as well as for the migration and/or upgrades of the systems.