Summary
New ClinSpark versions are released several times a year. Customers are encouraged to update to each new release. This ensures the benefit of receiving all new enhancements and fixes, and also minimizes impact by ensuring that upgrades are each a relatively small jump.
Here is an overview of the upgrade process:
The ClinSpark release notes and this documentation site will provide information identifying new features and changes. This can support training of staff and validation activities.
To help our customers enter into a well coordinated and controlled upgrade cycle, we’ve outlined many of the common activities, expectations and responsibilities between customer and IQVIA teams. We suggest our customers review and consider these in their own upgrade plans, and raise questions to our support team where applicable.
Example Customer Validation Process Flow
Customers should be discussing ClinSpark upgrades on a semi-frequent basis with a project manager / account manager who they are in regular contact with. Suggestions and clarifications around upgrade topics may also come from the IQVIA support team via the service desk.
Temporary VAL Instances
We anticipate our customers' need to perform training and validation activities on a new release. To support this, customers can request via a service desk ticket a temporary VAL instance pair of the new release.
This VAL instance is expected to be a short lived instance. It will be a clone of the PROD pair, with the upgraded version (build) applied. As such, is it expected to be a full preview of what the users will actually see once they accept the upgrade into PROD.
More information about the creation of VAL environments is here: Creating VAL Environments
This diagram shows how the VAL instance pair fits from a timeline perspective:
The VAL instance will have some simple scrambling logic applied to the volunteer data to obscure PHI. More information about that process is noted here: Obfuscating Volunteer PII
Requesting VAL Instances
Customers request to begin the process through the service desk. In the ticket, please include the following information:
The version number and build to deploy to VAL instances
The dates for when validation activities will begin and end
Indicate if SSO is required to be configured in the VAL instance
Details for a lab test environment will be available for use in validation, if applicable
Please request the VAL instance pair only when there is an intent to devote resources to validation activities. Typically, VAL instances should be required only for a few weeks/months.
PROD Upgrade
Once validation has been completed by the customer, an upgrade to PROD Main/Test pair can be scheduled and coordinated. All PROD upgrades are coordinated through the service desk and with the assistance of an IQVIA PM.
Customers request to begin the upgrade process by submitting a service desk ticket. In the ticket please include the following information:
The version number and build to deploy to PROD (this usually matches the VAL version/build)
Time slots indicating dates/times on when the upgrade would be suitable to occur. If providing multiple, indicate a preferred time slot. Ideally, multiple time slots (including timezone) would be provided for consideration, so IQVIA PM can coordinate with available engineering resources. Example: Monday, July 1st, 9am - 10am CST; 2pm-4pm CST
Please ensure adequate warning is provided of the intended upgrade; minimum three weeks notice is preferred.
Upgrades typically involve some downtime, usually a matter of minutes. The expected downtime and window size will be discussed and agreed upon with the customer during the scheduling via the service desk ticket.
It is a best practice to schedule an upgrade cycle on a day when there is minimal Data Collection activity, to minimize the risk of impact. This would be a suitable ‘quiet’ time in the clinic.
At the agreed upon time the upgrade itself proceeds as follows:
