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Why the Latest and Greatest is Important: Upgrading IBM TRIRIGA

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There are many recognized reasons why platform upgrades are important. While the process may seem time consuming and risky – in fact, the risks, time and costs associated with not upgrading or an unplanned upgrade are significantly higher. And why take the risk on something that your business needs to function?

This is especially true when it comes to IBM TRIRGA Platform upgrades. In fact, experience has shown that the risk of upgrading platforms less than a year old is actually very low – and can be accomplished in about a third of the time when compared to companies who let themselves fall behind.

As I’ve mentioned in an earlier post, I’ve spent fourteen of the last sixteen years of my career working at TRIRIGA developing the platform from its inception, including my last stint as VP of Platform and Performance at IBM TRIRIGA.  Based on this experience, I’d like to share some key benefits clients experience when they keep their platform current. Also important is ensuring a seamless upgrade process – so I’ll discuss the key stages companies should undertake to ensure a smooth transition – and also some things to keep in mind before and during an upgrade.

 

Why the latest is usually the best

When you upgrade to the latest IBM TRIRIGA platform, you not only avoid the risk to security patches and support that staying on older versions of the platform presents, but you also benefit from the recent applications advancements and usability, not to mention improved system performance.

In order to take advantage of new application releases, IBM TRIRIGA requires a mandatory minimum platform number. As an example – in order to take advantage of the most recent release 10.4.2 – which includes various enhancements for loading data, working with lease accounting and transaction management, and globalization – you must be on the latest platform, 3.4.2.   Why is this important? Well take for example new FASB lease requirements. Without the latest platform and the latest application, you won’t be able to take advantage of functionality that will support compliance with changing rules and requirements.

Finally, by upgrading to the latest platform, you will ensure your system maintains the compatibility of third party components, such as Databases, Middleware, OS levels, etc.

 

How to get there from here

It’s not uncommon for people to balk at the idea of an upgrade, and express concern about the time and resources involved.  But in actual fact, organizations that invest properly in a solid upgrade or implementation approach are minimizing risk and are more likely to experience long-term success. To make the upgrade as smooth as possible, it’s best to follow a well-developed and proven process.

Based on years of experience, and lessons learned working with many clients, we have established six key steps to a successful platform upgrade:

  1. Mobilize, Analyze and Freeze Production Process – during this initial stage, the groundwork is set. A project plan is developed and finalized, an assessment of core processes in conducted and issue escalation and resolution process is established.
  2. Upgrade Test Environment – In this stage, system dependencies are upgraded to match the support matrix and IBM TRIRIGA is upgraded on all servers and database. Integrations are configured.
  3. Test Cases/Execute Test/Review-Fix – During this crucial stage, major functionality is tested, functional test scripts are executed and any issues are resolved and fixed. Additionally user acceptance testing is conducted.
  4. Upgrade Production – Key steps during this stage include upgrading system dependencies to match support matrix, upgrading IBM TRIRIGA on all servers and database and setting IBM application configuration settings based on hardware and new platform.
  5. Upgrade other Environments – This stage includes database backup from production, application of database to lower environments and upgrading IBM TRIRIGA in lower environments.
  6. Monitor – Last, but certainly not least, the final stage involves troubleshooting any issues and monitoring and make recommendations on Platform configurations based on logs and performance.

 

What to look out for and how to ensure success

 If you haven’t upgraded your platform in several years, you can expect significant performance benefits when you do. In order to make sure you get all the benefits from the upgrade, here are some things to keep in mind.

  • Review the compatibility matrix with a special focus on client side compatibility.
  • As many new changes and updates have been done around CBA (Connector for Business Applications), testing these areas is critical to the success of the upgrade.
  • Leveraging test scripts and user guides from the previous projects can significantly shorten and drive success to and upgrade project.

Key to a platform upgrade is choosing a partner that has the experience and the expertise to make the process as painless as possible. With a combined 240 years of IBM TRIRIGA experience, TMC’s team can help you compare capabilities with existing functionality and total cost of ownership to determine the best strategy and a successful execution.

The post Why the Latest and Greatest is Important: Upgrading IBM TRIRIGA appeared first on Tango Management Consulting.


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