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ClinSpark Agent Upgrades

Owned by Steffan Stringer (Unlicensed)
Last updated: 19-Jul-2023Version comment
2 min read

This guidance is not intended to replace your organisations software testing and release processes and assumes you will follow your company’s procedures for the proper planning, execution and documentation of testing; for the use, cleaning, calibration, maintenance etc. of devices; and for the training of users.

Introduction

The following article provides from tips and guidance for users intending to upgrade to a new release of the ClinSpark Agent.

Test Environment

  1. Identify a test workstation where you can install the new version of the Agent and use this workstation for all Agent related testing

    1. Consider quarantining this workstation so that it is not inadvertently used in a production setting until the new Agent has been formally tested and released to production

  2. Select a ClinSpark environment to conduct testing

    1. If a dedicated validation environment (VAL) is not available, then PROD Test would be a safe and minimal-risk test environment that is very close to the PROD Main configuration state and on the same software release version

Existing device interfaces are unchanged

  1. Read the release notes and confirm there are no changes for your devices since the release of your current Agent used in production and the Agent you intend to upgrade to

    1. This should focus on the device interfaces that are mediated by the Agent (not all device interfaces are mediated by the Agent)

    2. There should be no need to test interfaces for devices that you do not use

    3. The goal of testing is to confirm that changes to the Agent for devices you do not use have not unintentionally and adversely affected the device interfaces that you do use

  2. Create a test study with a minimal set of existing forms from an approved library, that are known to work with your devices under test

  3. Conduct your testing confirming expected outcomes

Existing device interfaces are modified

  1. Read the release notes and build a picture of the accumulated changes since your current Agent used in production and the Agent you intend to upgrade to

  2. Conduct a risk assessment identifying changes and improvements that are related to the device interfaces that you use that are mediated by the Agent (not all device interfaces are mediated by the Agent)

    1. Focus only on device interfaces that you use

    2. The goal of testing is to confirm that new or changed functionality for existing devices behaves as expected and described

  3. Create a test study with a minimal set of modified forms for your devices under test

    1. Improved device interfaces may include updated Device Integration forms

  4. Conduct your testing confirming expected outcomes

  5. Ensure your user documentation (manual’s etc.) are updated where applicable

New device interfaces are added

  1. As above, but devices interfaces that you will be using for the first time will warrant additional attention to test the full range of measurements, assessments and observations within your anticipated use cases

  2. New device interfaces are expected to include new Device Integration forms

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