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I'll See Your MU and Raise You an SP

by morps on 01-05-2009 03:54 PM

 As a matter of definition, I will consider a Service Pack (SP) to be package of bug fixes and/or performance improvements. No new features, just general clean-up. A Service Pack collects up all fixes, patches, etc since the last Service Pack or general availability release.

 

In the Sage MAS 500 business, we use Monthly Updates (MUs) as the vehicle for introducing bug fixes and once in a while a new feature or two.What we don't have right now are Service Packs.

 

What do you all think about us (re)introducing the notion of Service Packs? I'm curious to get your thoughts on frequency too (quarterly, bi-annually, etc). And if we did introduce Service Packs, what are your opinions about Monthly Updates. Are they still needed? Obviously, we'd release Hot Fixes as necessary between Service Packs.

 

The idea here is for us to provide our customers with a good stable reference point for making the leap to a new release. We know folks don't need every single MU, but we do recognize at least one customer needs at least one fix in each MU. Just trying to find a more effective way for us to deliver updates to all of you in a more effective manner.

 

Thanks in advance for your thoughts on this topic.

 

Comments
by Fry0423 Sage MAS Partner on 01-08-2009 08:17 AM
I would think quarterly would be enough, it can be difficult to keep up with an update every month.
by jnoll Sage MAS Partner on 01-10-2009 06:00 PM
Mike as noted over in the Community Forum a rolled up SP would be beneficial. The MU contains all of the prior MU releases, whereas the SP1 is only that SP and SP2 is only that SP. You must install SP1 to get SP2 rather than just install SP2 and get SP1 in that bundle. This is much easier for the install on both the Server and especially the client component.
by gshergill Sage MAS Partner on 06-11-2009 11:21 AM

a. Until some point in time, SP used to exist for MAS500, on an annual basis I believe and it would be nice to have the rolled up SP back. 

b. Secondly, it's good to have the month& year and the version no. appended to the online download links and filenames. 

c. What's missing now, IMHO; a SP/MU uninstall/roll-back feature for the client installation.    

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