[sims] SIMS.NET Solus 3 Change Request - Please Vote!!

[martinleggott]

Hi Everyone

All schools that use Solus 3 for deploying SIMS workstation updates - please review and vote for the change I have requested.

 

It will useful for all solus 3 admins, so please login to Supportnet and view the following url:

 

http://support.capitaes.co.uk/ChangeRequest/DetailChangeRequest.aspx?id=%C3%97%C3%A0%C3%91%C3%9D%C3%A8%C3%A8%C3%94%C3%9F%C3%A2%C3%9E%C3%98%C3%A0

 

or search for change request number: 1212-1156615

 

we are the end users so should get our feedback noticed for product improvement, as we all know what a great product SIMS is!! **Laughs**

[synaesthesia]

is it a button which does it all for you without the unnecessary hype and pomp requiring a degree in deciphering bovine excrement?

[Cache]

Not exactly what your after but would achieve it for you.

 

If you go into Reports within Solus 3, you can pull up a report which will tell you the SIMS Workstation version. It can get screwed up if your deployment messes up somehow as happened to us during the main summer deployment.

[martinleggott]

Oh yeah - so it does!!

After being on the phone to capita Support they told me the only way to view all workstations version is to click on the agents part, select a computer and view the agent details. Was advised to put in a change request.

 

Didnt even tell me you could do it within the reports - although I did have a quick browse before I was only select Update Deployment, and not Deployed Environment - thanks!

 

I think SIMS should follow the saying - If it ain't broke, dont fix it - as they always seem to release half-written software!! Too many fingers in one pie!! lol

 

Not exactly what your after but would achieve it for you.

 

If you go into Reports within Solus 3, you can pull up a report which will tell you the SIMS Workstation version. It can get screwed up if your deployment messes up somehow as happened to us during the main summer deployment.

[Cache]

No problem, we've had various issues with different parts of SIMS recently where Capita say it isn't possible or doesn't do something (I was arguing on the phone for 20 minutes over something last week which I knew it did but they insisted it didn't, still isn't fixed yet though)

[martinleggott]

We have an issue whereby offline clients that have the solus 3 agent on do not detect a new update is required when they come online. So when i do the update, it only updates those workstations which are currently online.

 

I then have to manually deploy the update from the server when the offline clients come online.

 

Capita's response "This will be fixed in the next version of solus release due in february" - Really?! I'll wait to see that happen! Do they not test these things?! As a VB/SQL Programmer in previous years I like to put my 2 cents worth across to them! lol

 

 

No problem, we've had various issues with different parts of SIMS recently where Capita say it isn't possible or doesn't do something (I was arguing on the phone for 20 minutes over something last week which I knew it did but they insisted it didn't, still isn't fixed yet though)

[Cache]

See our's do (or did) do that for SIMS and Solus updates, but didn't for Discover updates. It's just not instant (which is a pain and causes problems). Maybe mine just does weird things which Capita fixes and then it stops mine....

 

Change Request 1206-1111593, while not mine, I would like to see implemented.

 

People leaving SIMS open despite being told there's an update is my major problem normally.

Edited December 5, 2012 by Cache

[martinleggott]

Solus 3 is not suited for our school - staff expect to boot up, login, and go straight into SIMS for morning registration - they liked how the update RAN when they double clicked SIMS and then could just login as normal.

 

With the agent, if the update hasnt ran (or fails) its the good old incompatible database and they are stuck until I set the update to install remotely! Why can't they let you use an older version of SIMS when its updated - even if its just 1 version behind - surely every version still pulls data from the same tables!! lol.

 

Never Mind...we have to live with Capita's ways of life!

 

 

See our's do (or did) do that for SIMS and Solus updates, but didn't for Discover updates. It's just not instant (which is a pain and causes problems). Maybe mine just does weird things which Capita fixes and then it stops mine....

 

Change Request 1206-1111593, while not mine, I would like to see implemented.

 

People leaving SIMS open despite being told there's an update is my major problem normally.

[PhilNeal]

Running an application against a database that is not in step is just far too risky there would be data corruption.

 

SOLUS 3 is designed specifically to allow teachers to boot and go straight into SIMS having downloaded the upgrade in the background i.e. no waiting around.

[winng]

Running an application against a database that is not in step is just far too risky there would be data corruption.

 

SOLUS 3 is designed specifically to allow teachers to boot and go straight into SIMS having downloaded the upgrade in the background i.e. no waiting around.

 

That may have been how it was designed but in reality it just doesn't work like that and we get all the flack because Teacher's, etc. can't access SIMS until numerous attempts to push out the update finally reach the end user's machine!

[vikpaw]

+2 on both CRs.

[jwonnacott]

I've cobbled together a bit of SQL to list all stations that have not yet got their update.

No doubt an SQLer will find it amusing (and hopefully improve it) but for what it's worth here it is.

Just replace the package name in two places.

 

SELECT 
[agent].[name] AS [name],
[package].[description] AS [description2]
FROM           (SELECT DISTINCT * FROM [solus3].[agent_package_site] WHERE success =0) AS [aps]
INNER JOIN [solus3].[agent_package] AS [ap] ON [aps].[agent_package_id] = [ap].[agent_package_id]
LEFT OUTER JOIN [solus3].[distributed_deployment_plan] AS [dpp] ON [aps].[distributed_deployment_plan_guid] = [dpp].[distributed_deployment_plan_guid]
LEFT OUTER JOIN [solus3].[agent_package] AS [ap1] ON [aps].[agent_package_id] = [ap1].[agent_package_id]
LEFT OUTER JOIN [solus3].[target] ON [ap1].[target_guid] = [target].[target_guid]
LEFT OUTER JOIN [solus3].[agent] ON [ap1].[agent_guid] = [agent].[agent_guid]
LEFT OUTER JOIN [solus3].[target] AS [target1] ON [ap1].[target_guid] = [target1].[target_guid]
LEFT OUTER JOIN [solus3].[recompiled_package] AS [rp] ON [ap1].[recompiled_package_guid] = [rp].[recompiled_package_guid]
LEFT OUTER JOIN [solus3].[recompiled_package] AS [rp1] ON [ap1].[recompiled_package_guid] = [rp1].[recompiled_package_guid]
LEFT OUTER JOIN [solus3].[package] ON [rp1].[package_guid] = [package].[package_guid]
WHERE [package].[description] LIKE 'SIMS 2012 Autumn%' AND agent.name NOT LIKE '%removed%'
EXCEPT 
SELECT 
[agent].[name] AS [name],
[package].[description] AS [description2]
FROM           (SELECT * FROM [solus3].[agent_package_site] WHERE success =1) AS [aps]
INNER JOIN [solus3].[agent_package] AS [ap] ON [aps].[agent_package_id] = [ap].[agent_package_id]
LEFT OUTER JOIN [solus3].[distributed_deployment_plan] AS [dpp] ON [aps].[distributed_deployment_plan_guid] = [dpp].[distributed_deployment_plan_guid]
LEFT OUTER JOIN [solus3].[agent_package] AS [ap1] ON [aps].[agent_package_id] = [ap1].[agent_package_id]
LEFT OUTER JOIN [solus3].[target] ON [ap1].[target_guid] = [target].[target_guid]
LEFT OUTER JOIN [solus3].[agent] ON [ap1].[agent_guid] = [agent].[agent_guid]
LEFT OUTER JOIN [solus3].[target] AS [target1] ON [ap1].[target_guid] = [target1].[target_guid]
LEFT OUTER JOIN [solus3].[recompiled_package] AS [rp] ON [ap1].[recompiled_package_guid] = [rp].[recompiled_package_guid]
LEFT OUTER JOIN [solus3].[recompiled_package] AS [rp1] ON [ap1].[recompiled_package_guid] = [rp1].[recompiled_package_guid]
LEFT OUTER JOIN [solus3].[package] ON [rp1].[package_guid] = [package].[package_guid]
WHERE [package].[description] LIKE 'SIMS 2012 Autumn%' AND agent.name NOT LIKE '%removed%'
ORDER BY [agent].[name] ASC

 

Just bung it in a query in SQL Server Management Studio.

 

Hope it helps someone.

 

James

[FragglePete]

Running an application against a database that is not in step is just far too risky there would be data corruption.

 

SOLUS 3 is designed specifically to allow teachers to boot and go straight into SIMS having downloaded the upgrade in the background i.e. no waiting around.

 

Well, it doesn't work does it. And today, my morning will be wasted dealing with teachers and machines that haven't updated.

 

Ran the Autumn update, and largely it went ok. But, even me asking teachers to quit SIMS and leave their machines on there was a handful that didn't.

 

As a result, they come in this morning, log on, start SIMS and get this incompatible database error, phone me up and get all shouty.

 

I have to then do a redeploy to try and get the machines running, but even this takes time. Time wasted and as a result, a handful of teachers will miss the legally obliged requirement to register first thing.

 

Why oh why can't it be like how it was; the teacher starts SIMS and a check is performed, if not the latest version, it processes the upgrade? Stupid, stupid, stupid.

 

Pete

[synaesthesia]

The idea is certainly right - if there's a particular problem with your update then surely get in touch with Capita support.

Teachers not coming out of SIMS will always be a problem though. I often just copy a working and updated SIMS folder from a working machine to ones that failed. If anyone wants to get shouty, I will not hesitate in pointing out their failure after several warnings.