Understanding deployment to runtime servers
Deployment is how you transfer all the configuration you have defined in the design environment to the runtime server groups. Deployment is grouped by interactive channel. When you deploy an interactive channel, you are sending all the data associated with an interactive channel to the selected runtime server group. This is why, when you are creating interactive channels, you must define the production runtime servers and the non-production (testing) runtime servers.
The first deployment contains the following data:
*
All interactive flowcharts associated with the interactive channel that have been marked for deployment.
This includes the smart segments.
*
All interaction strategies associated with the interactive channel that have been marked for deployment.
This includes the treatment rules, which also include offers.
*
All events, zones, and interaction points defined in the interactive channel.
*
Other required data not specific to interactive channels including audience level definitions, built-in learning configuration, offer attribute definitions, custom macro definitions, contact and response history mapping information, and campaign start and end dates.
On all subsequent deployments of the interactive channel, Interact sends the following to the selected runtime server.
*
All data associated with the interactive channel including interaction points and events.
*
All edited interactive flowcharts and interaction strategies associated with the interactive channel that have been marked for deployment.
*
The last deployed version of all interactive flowcharts and interaction strategies contained in previous deployments which are not marked for undeployment.
*
All other required data not specific to interactive channels.
If an interactive flowchart or interaction strategy is marked for undeployment, Interact disables all data and references to the undeployed flowcharts and strategies from the runtime server.
*
Once you deploy an interactive channel to a Interact runtime server, the runtime server is now associated with that particular design environment, including the Campaign partition. If you attempt to re-use the same runtime server by associating it with a new design environment, deployment will fail. This scenario may occur if you have a staging Campaign installation and a production Campaign installation.
Deployment is a four step process.
1.
Configure and mark all interactive flowcharts associated with an interactive channel for deployment.
2.
Configure and mark all strategy tabs associated with an interactive channel for deployment.
3.
Configure the events and interaction points tab of the interactive channel.
4.
Deploy the data from the interactive channel deployment tab.
When you mark an interactive flowchart or interaction strategy for deployment or undeployment, it remains marked and locked against editing until you deploy to a production server. The following table shows the marked for deployment status of an interaction strategy as you take actions in the design environment.
Step
Marked status
Action in design environment
1
Marked for deployment and locked for edit.
Mark an interaction strategy for deployment.
2
Marked for deployment and locked for edit
Deploy elsewhere to a staging server group.
Testing on the staging server shows that your treatment rules need changes.
3
Available for edit
Cancel the deployment request for the interaction strategy to make your changes.
4
Marked for deployment and locked for edit
After you make your changes to the interaction strategy, mark it for deployment again.
5
Marked for deployment and locked for edit
Deploy elsewhere to a staging server group again.
Testing with your revised treatment rules is successful and you determine the interactive channel is ready for production.
6
Available for edit
Deploy to the production server group.
When to deploy
You should deploy your interactive channel when you make changes to any of the following data.
*
Interactive flowcharts
*
Interactive channels
*
Interaction strategies
*
audience level definitions
*
built-in learning configuration
*
offer attribute definitions
*
custom macro definitions
*
contact and response history mapping information
*
campaign start and end dates
*
retiring offers
If you make changes to any of the other required data not specific to interactive channels, you must redeploy all the interactive channels associated with the server group for the changes to take effect.
Understanding runtime servers
Deployment and delete
About deployment versioning
To deploy to a runtime server group
To undeploy
To view the deployment tab
Copyright IBM Corporation 2013. All Rights Reserved.