[SIMS] Spring 2012 release

[PhilNeal]

Dear Colleagues,
We have decided to suspend the SIMS spring 2012 release following the discovery of two faults that are likely to affect schools. We aim to make a new version available by close of play Friday 16^th March.

The first issue affects state schools in England and Wales. There is a possibility that the incorrect “Fileset”, used in validation of the census, will be loaded. This occurs if SIMS was upgraded in the following circumstances:

• ISO image has been used;
• SOLUS2 has been used by a non-SIMS user account;
• SOLUS3 has been used.

For those schools that have already taken and upgraded to the SIMS 2011 Autumn release, you can ensure that you are on the latest Filesets for the Spring Statutory Returns that you will be running by upgrading the Filesets from within the SIMS software.

The second issue affects all schools in that when in an Assessment Marksheet a user clicks on a recently entered assessment result and then presses delete, the pupil row is deleted from the Marksheet rather than just the result. This is “cosmetic” and the row re-appears when the marksheet is closed and re-opened. However this is an issue likely to affect end users, if only by accident.

I very much regret that the need to re-issue SIMS has occurred again and apologise for the convenience that this issue will cause. Please feel free to email me (Phil.Neal@Capita.CO.UK) if you want to discuss this further.

[matt40k]

I think I must be missing something, does this mean any schools set to upgrade will have the authorization revoked and will fail? The reason I ask is, umm, why are you removing it?

The first issue affects state schools in England and Wales. There is a possibility that the incorrect “Fileset”, used in validation of the census, will be loaded. This occurs if SIMS was upgraded in the following circumstances:

• ISO image has been used;
• SOLUS2 has been used by a non-SIMS user account;
• SOLUS3 has been used.

Point 2 has always been the case, the filesets can't not be import if you run the upgrade as 'SA', as you need to use a SIMS user to be able to import into SIMS DocStorage (DMS).

Point 3 we were aware off and have raised with the SOLUS3 team about support of importing fileset, we're not too fussed because of point 2, we, like others either have a script that imports it after running solus, or we import it manually - it's part of our standard documentation for most LAs.

The second issue affects all schools in that when in an Assessment Marksheet a user clicks on a recently entered assessment result and then presses delete, the pupil row is deleted from the Marksheet rather than just the result. This is “cosmetic” and the row re-appears when the marksheet is closed and re-opened. However this is an issue likely to affect end users, if only by accident.

Yup, it was brought up here - http://www.edugeek.net/forums/mis-systems/91026-spring-2012-release-4.html#post800237 - Hannah posted it on SupportNet on the 2nd March. Sounds like an little application fix, not a re-release.

[vikpaw]

Thanks @PhilNeal - much appreciate the prompt action and prefer a re-release than thought of fall back to Autumn or long wait for Summer.
Not sure about the filesets issues, but i suspect @matt40k - not all LAs / establishments are as well prepared as you are.

[PhilNeal]

Vik - you are right about Matt's state of preparedness.

[Heebeejeebee]

... so how's the second issue fixed for those schools already on Sprng 2012?

Patch? Wait for Summer?

HBJB

[vikpaw]

... so how's the second issue fixed for those schools already on Sprng 2012?

Patch? Wait for Summer?

HBJB

It's sorted in the re-release on Friday.

EDIT: At least that's how i read it. If it's being re-released, i hope it's going to be fixed not delayed until Summer.

[Rawns]

Place bets for a version 2/3/4?

[SouthCoastSaint]

We have a small number (29) of machines that we have not managed to deploy yet (Solus 3 has been deploying since Thursday am, and we still have some machines outstanding). Now we find we are unable to do this as the upgrade has been withdrawn. IT Technician is looking for a workaround as the teachers affected can't use Sims at mo.

[Achandler]

This is the second release ina row that has been pulled. Autumn 2011 was pulled to due to some issues, now Spring 2012. Can't wait till Summer 2012!

I wonder why so many people refuse to upgrade SIMS until they absolutely have to.

[fiza]

I think I must be missing something, does this mean any schools set to upgrade will have the authorization revoked and will fail? The reason I ask is, umm, why are you removing it?

[/LIST]

Point 2 has always been the case, the filesets can't not be import if you run the upgrade as 'SA', as you need to use a SIMS user to be able to import into SIMS DocStorage (DMS).

Point 3 we were aware off and have raised with the SOLUS3 team about support of importing fileset, we're not too fussed because of point 2, we, like others either have a script that imports it after running solus, or we import it manually - it's part of our standard documentation for most LAs.



Yup, it was brought up here - [/COLOR]http://www.edugeek.net/forums/mis-systems/91026-spring-2012-release-4.html#post800237 - Hannah posted it on SupportNet on the 2nd March. Sounds like an little application fix, not a re-release.

Should we NOT be running upgrades using the SA account? I was always told to use SA to run SOLUS2 and install the upgrades. Instructions here http://www.capitaess.co.uk/home/ESS_...ngMain2012.pdf mention the SA account specifically.
Some clarification would really be appreciated.

[RichardDennett]

I still have not found a way around this yet.

[Sivadam]

I still have not found a way around this yet.

Snap!

Phil,

I can usually see the reason for withdrawing a Release.

However! There should have been consideration for those that had already taken this release! No thought appears to have been given as to the effect on those of us in this position.

We have finally begun to get SOLUS3 working as a result of deploying the Update on Friday and thanks to work by Ellis from the SupportDesk, who spent several hours with us yesterday in a remote session to sort out problems with our Workstations. Now I find that several laptops and number of workstations have not upgraded for a variety of reasons. We now have no way of fixing these this week because of the withdrawal of the Upgrade. Unfortunately, many of the laptops that need attention are those of the LT and they now have an 'incompatible database'.

Had the problems with SIMS been major then I could understand a total withdrawal, but they are so minor that this should not have been done! We often have to download and Import the Filesets for various reasons - they are often upgraded after releases anyway and so this was not an issue! And the error in AM7 is almost non-existent.
These SIMS issues pale into insignificance compared to the issues we now have re. SOLUS3 and SIMS Upgrades.

I just hope we do not get our expected Ofsted Inspection before this is resolved!

(Response sent by Email and posted on SupportNet)

[SouthCoastSaint]

Mike - agree totally. (Richard above is our IT expert here). Why on earth can't they put a huge warning not to take the release if you have not already done so, but leave it available in Solus 3 for those in our position?!

[Sivadam]

Sally,
I have posted on SupportNet how you get the Fileset - it's very simple!

[vikpaw]

Due to the nature of how SIMS clients interact / update from the server, would it be useful if once an update is applied on the server and set for deployment it continues regardless, unless you intervene? So an update being revoked, doesn't stop the clients carrying on?

At least SLG schools can still get access to SIMS via web. Incidentally, has anyone with SLG tested the assessment error there? I doubt it replicates.