Can someone
tell me what APAR and CMVC stand for?
I've worked out that PMR means Problem Management Record (which I assume is
what you 'open' when logging a call with Tivoli), but I'm a bit confused
over the other two, what they mean and when they're used.
Are there any others that I've missed that I'm bound to come across?
Contributed By: Ren Maddox, Svetoslav Lozanov
- APAR - An APAR (Authorized Program Analysis Report) is a term used
in IBM for a description of a problem with an IBM program that is formally
tracked until a solution is provided. An APAR is created or 'opened' after a
customer (or sometimes IBM itself) discovers a problem that IBM determines is
due to a bug in its code/ documents via a PMR. The APAR is given a unique
number for tracking and a target date for solution. When the support group
that maintains the code solves the problem, it develops a Program Temporary
Fix (PTF) that, when applied, will
solve the problem for the customers that may be affected. The PTF will 'close'
the APAR.
- PTF - Program Temporary Fix (see above); 'Patch' is the Tivoli term
for it but it's moving into PTF now and for example what Tivoli calls
371-TMF-FP03 is actually PTF U484305
- e-fix - Emergency fix; if you cannot possibly wait for a PTP/Patch
to be released you can get an e-fix
- CMVC - Configuration Management and Version Control (came from here
I think). The full definition goes like this:
CMVC integrates four facets of the software development process in a
distributed development environment to facilitate project-wide coordination of
development activities across all phases of the product development life
cycle:
- Configuration Management - the process of identifying, managing and
controlling software modules as they change over time.
- Version Control - the storage of multiple versions of a single file
along with information about each version.
- Change Control - centralizes the storage of files and controls changes
to files through the process of checking files in and out.
- Problem Tracking - the process of effectively tracking all reported
defects and proposed design changes through to their resolution and
implementation.
A CMVC defect is opened corresponding to each APAR and additionally for
internally discovered problems. CMVC is used both to track these defects and to
track the code changes used to fix the defects.
- PMR - Is a Problem Management Record and is how calls are logged
with IBM. If you have a problem (ITIL people would like to call those
issues, as they may really not be problems) and you call IBM (this includes
other IBM companies like Tivoli or Lotus), you get a PMR number (maybe it
should be IMR), i.e. and an issue record is opened.
If Support confirms that this is not a 'How-To' question but a real bug
in the code, they would open an APAR and will subscribe your PMR to that APAR.
If development finds a bug during the internal test cycles they log it into
the CMVC system and track it internally. When you get a PTF/Patch you will see
which APARs and CMVCs are fixed.
- Enhancement Request - not sure if anyone abbreviates it but you can
request one if you think you have a problem, call IBM, they open a PMR, this
PMR may result in an APAR (reproduced; it doesn't work that way, so probably a
bug) but development confirms that it works as designed at that code level and
they don't have any plans to change/enhance it in the next release.
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