Moving Definitions Between Environments

The following options are provided for allowing data to be shared between different environments.

Exporting and Importing Definitions

Export

Users can export accessible definitions to a file for sharing with another user or environment, if they have the Export Definitions security right. The exported file can then be imported into the same environment or another environment by anyone with the Import Definitions security right and access to the file.

Once the file is exported, it can be viewed by anyone with access.

File Export operations are available in authoring for agents, definitions, roles, schemas, and users.

See Exporting Definitions.

Import

Definitions can be imported into a scheduler either by importing definitions contained in an exported file, or by connecting directly to another scheduler.

Import directly from another scheduler is available for agents, roles, schemas, and users. Definition import will be provided in a future release.

See Importing Definitions.

Secure Promote

Secure Promote is an extension of the export / import functionality but requires additional security. Export files do not need to be saved to disk and manually moved between environments. Using HTTPS, scheduler to scheduler communication is established to further secure the data and restrict access, allowing the definitions to be securely imported, untouched and unseen.

Secure Promote provides the ability for end users or developers to create a package containing definitions that have changed for some application so that an AEO administrator can easily import, validate, apply, and monitor the package in a test or production environment.

Using Secure Promote, much of the paperwork typically required to move definitions between source and target environments can be eliminated or greatly reduced as much of the packaging and initial validation is pushed to the developer. Developers become responsible for including the appropriate items and instructions in the package and can validate the package both locally and remotely if sufficient security is granted. The administrator can also validate the package in the context of the target environment, and make modifications to the package, such as remapping agents, as indicated by package instructions. The package of definitions cannot be submitted for import if there are missing references or other integrity errors.