Easily refresh test environments; additional distribution and auditing options included. 

The latest release of powerful, yet affordable Midrange Dynamics Change Management includes several new built-in capabilities that are on the wish lists of IBM i operations, QA, and development teams.  

Selectively Refresh Data for Test Environments

MDCMS 7.1.1 presents immediate benefits for staff members who are tasked with refreshing test environments.  

The MDCMS tool to copy production data to test environments is very simple to set up. You’re in control of what files are updated since you can choose what you want to retrieve and when. Simply specify which libraries you want to copy files from and the libraries you want to copy files to. By default, all files are included, but you can select any that you wish to exclude.  

In addition, the tool manages multiple member files and automatically extends the maximum record count or member count if needed. This ensures that the maximum number of records and members allowed in a test environment is large enough to handle those coming from production. You can schedule the refresh to run as a batch job, and since the setup information is in a template, it can be saved for reuse.  

The MDCMS tool also generates a log that you can receive via email, review, and forward to the QA manager to notify him or her that the refresh was successful and that an environment is ready for testing to begin.

“With MDCMS, test environment refreshes are quick and consistent for the team members involved,” says Midrange Dynamics Managing Director Michael Morgan. “Best of all, MDCMS users have this helpful tool available to them for no added cost in Version 7.1.1.”  

Automatically Determine the Lowest Target Release

Thanks to another innovation in MDCMS Version 7.1.1, you can now use a wildcard value to determine the target release for program compiles. Simply define the distribution queues for the application. At runtime MDCMS examines the distribution queues across all levels on the local system and automatically determines the lowest target release—a convenient feature for developers.  

Versatile Distribution Options

New distribution queue methods available in MDCMS Version 7.1.1enable you to distribute changes manually when the target system is not directly accessible or when it does not have MDCMS installed. You can build save files and distribute them with or without MDCMS information, depending on the need of the recipient/target system. This presents an interesting option for software vendors that send out patches to their customers.  

Extras for Auditors

With MDCMS Version 7.1.1, MD Mail maintains a database log of all emails that are sent from within MDCMS, a very useful tracking and audit feature which is exclusive to MDCMS change management. The log can be searched and listed online or exported/emailed as DDS, Excel, or PDF files.

Contact an MDCMS representative in your region to learn more about these useful new capabilities and other enhancements in the latest version of MDCMS.  

About MDCMS

MDCMS IBM i change management and its MDOpen Open Systems plug-in can be used with any Eclipse-based platform, and they are compatible with Rational Developer for i. MDCMS handles deployment in mixed server environments with ease. With its single database, all source and objects are in one place regardless of how many types of servers are involved. Upgrading to a new release of MDCMS is accomplished with a single click.

MDCMS includes MDXREF to cross-reference entire applications and MDSEC to secure all functions in MDCMS against unauthorized access. MDWorkflow, an extension of MDCMS, is a Web-based application for managing projects, tasks, and enforced workflow. It facilitates collaboration and ensures a documented software development process across your organization. Companies around the globe are successfully using MDCMS, MDOpen, and MDWorkflow to manage, audit, and distribute updates for third-party software packages and in-house applications. MDCMS is certified Sarbanes-Oxley (SOX) compliant.