Author: Eric Vasbinder

As of this stage in your Transformation to the cloud, you and the Trimble Viewpoint team have created your cloud environment, uploaded a test copy of your on-premise data, and validated the functioning of most third party integrations.

Now that these steps have been completed, you are ready for the actual Go Live!  

In case you are interested, here is a listing of all of the stages that should have been completed by the time you have reached this stage.  They are shown below at a high level, including where we are at now: 

PROGRESS SUMMARY

• Stage 1:  Welcome and Planning - COMPLETE

• Stage 2:  Initial Cloud Footprint - COMPLETE

• Stage 3:  Integration Framework (Vista TLS and/or IPSEC VPN or Spectrum Whitelisted IPs) - COMPLETE

• Stage 4:  Initial Data Upload - COMPLETE

• Stage 5:  Training, Testing, and Integration Setup - COMPLETE

• Stage 6:  Go-Live! - IN PROGRESS

• Stage 7:  Post Go-Live Wrap Up and Handoff - PENDING

See below for a detailed timeline and topics:

Are You Ready to Transform?

Ensure that you have satisfactory answers to the following questions:

1. Have you completed the entire Transformation Testing Plan and submitted your results to your transformation Project Manager?  Included but not limited to the following:

   1. All Custom Reports (Crystal, SSRS, XLSX, etc.)

   2. All Daily, Weekly, and Monthly Tasks walked through and verified

   3. All Integrations (e.g. Spreadsheet Server, MSI Data, InEight, etc.) coordinated with vendors to re-point to new cloud server over the TLS Database Endpoint (TLS VPN) or IPSEC VPN?

2. Go-Live Decision Gate Meeting Held and Approval Reached for all Parties?

3. Have you communicated your impending go-live date, including downtime, with all concerned parties, including, but not limited to Accounting (payroll, AP, etc), Finance, Project Operations, and IT?

Cloud Go Live Timing and Steps

The following is the detailed timeline and steps needed to execute the cloud go-live process.  Please note the assignment of the tasks.

Go Live Process Start - T-2 Days to Full Go Live

1.  CUSTOMER - NOTIFY YOUR USERS

1.1  One hour prior to on-premise service shutdown:  Send reminder announcement to your end users

• Announcement should note that Vista and all associated components, including but not limited to SSRS reports, Crystal Reports, integrations to Vista, and Keystyle (HFF) will be going down, along with expected return to service time, and new URL locations for these services.

1.2  Ten min Prior to on-premise Service Shutdown:  Send final reminder to end users

2.  CUSTOMER - SHUTDOWN ALL WEB AND VISTA SERVICES

2.1.  On-Premise Service Shutdown Start: 

2.1.1. Disable Keystyle (HFF) IIS Web Site

1. 1. 1. Log in to server where Keystyle (HFF) is located

      2. Open Internet Information Services (IIS) Manager

      3. Browse to Web Sites and open web site list.

      4. Find Keystyle / HFF's web site

      5. Turn it off on the right hand side options panel.

2.1.2. Service Shutdown:  Disable Vista Services

1. Open the Services control panel item.

2. Find the Viewpoint / Vista services (should be about 4-5 of them)

3. Turn each of them off and disable them in settings, then click Apply and OK for each

   1. Disabling ensures they do not accidentally start up again if the server is rebooted.

3.  CUSTOMER - SWITCH ALL ASSOCIATED ON-PREMISE DATABASES TO RESTRICTED USER MODE

3.1.  Five min Post Service Shutdown:  Switch Vista's 1-2 databases to Restricted user mode

NOTE:  Any connections to databases after these steps are performed will require a user with DBO, DB Creator, or SA privileges.  Please ensure that your user account that you will use for the forthcoming backup processes has these privileges, such as your SQL admin account or "sa".

3.1.1. Switch viewpoint records database to Restricted user mode.

1. Right click on the database in question, select Properties in the context menu.

2. In the Database Properties dialog box, select the Options page.

3. From the Restrict Access option (scroll down to see it), select Restricted.

4. NOTE:  If other users are connected to the database, an Open Connections message will appear. To change the property and close all other connections, select Yes.

NOTE:  If you do not see Restricted User mode as an option, please select single user mode instead.  This will accomplish nearly the same task.

3.1.2.  Switch VPAttachments database to Restricted user mode (IF NEEDED).

1. 1. 5. 1. NOTE:  If your organization is storing attachments either in the standard Vista records database or in the file system as file system attachments, this step is not needed.

3.2.  Five min Post Service Shutdown:  Switch the Keystyle (KDS-HRIM) database to restricted user mode

NOTE:  This is only needed if the Keystyle product is installed and in use in your organization.

4.  CUSTOMER - BACK UP ALL DATABASES

4.1.  Ten min Post Service Shutdown:  Back up all databases

4.1.1.  Back up the viewpoint records database

1. Right-click on the database in question, select Tasks, then select "Back Up".

2.  Click the "Backup Options" page on the left-hand side of the backup database window that appears.

3.  On the right hand side click the drop down under "Set Backup Compression" to have "Compress Backup" selected

• We want to enforce backup compression to save time during the Final Data Upload.

4.  Click the "General" options setting on the left-hand side list to return to the main backup options page.

5.  Click "Remove" on the location setting to the right.  This will ensure that you are only backing up this database backup to the correct location.

6.  Click "Add" then browse to the correct location where you know that you have enough storage space to house this backup.

7.  Click OK to begin the backup

4.1.2.  Back up the VPAttachments Database

• USE THE SAME PROCESS STEPS AS ABOVE

• Note: this step is only needed in the event that attachments are stored in the VP attachments database.

NOTE:  This Database may be quite large and the backup process may take multiple hours to complete.  Please budget enough time for this backup to complete and for the backup to upload during the next stage of the process.

4.1.3.  Back up the Keystyle Database (KDS-HRIM)

• USE THE SAME PROCESS STEPS AS ABOVE

• Note: this step is only needed if the Keystyle (HFF) product is in use on-premise

NOTE:  Once a .BAK file back has been completely saved by SSMS, you may proceed with the next stage of uploading those backups to the cloud.

5.  CUSTOMER - BEGIN FINAL DATA UPLOAD (FDU) TO AZURE BLOB STORAGE CONTAINER

NOTE:  This step assumes that you still have a copy of the Azure blob connection string from "Stage 4:  Initial Data Upload" or that you still have access to the copy of Azure Storage Explorer that was used to upload data in Stage 4 and that the Viewpoint cloud storage container is still present.

CRITICAL NOTE:  ALL GO LIVE UPLOADS MUST START NO LATER THAN 4PM PACIFIC TIME ON THE DAY OF UPLOAD TO ENSURE ALL DATA IS RECIEVED IN TIME FOR HAND OFF TO OVERNIGHT TEAM

NOTE:  If you would like a more detailed, screenshot-based, walkthrough of these steps to upload data, please see Part 3 of the following cloud FAQ article:  Uploading Data Into The Cloud with Azure Storage Explorer 

5.1   Create a connection by choosing a new Azure Storage Container, then selecting "Connection String" as the method.

5.2.  Paste the connection string given to you by Viewpoint in the connection string field.

5.3.  Open and select the Viewpoint Storage Container

5.2.  Create a new folder in the Storage blob, called, "transformfinal".

NOTE:  Do not use special characters, spaces, or upper case characters in the folder names, as Azure will generate an error if you attempt do so.

5.3.  Drag the completed .BAK file SQL database backups from the backup location to the newly created folder, "transformfinal"

5.4. (OPTIONAL):  IF you have changed any custom Crystal Reports, SSRS Reports, or Create and Send templates between the Stage 4 Initial Data Upload and now, please upload those changed reports into the same Azure storage container folder, "transformfinal"

NOTE:  WE HIGHLY RECOMMEND NOT CHANGING ANY CUSTOM REPORTS ON PREMISE AFTER THE INITIAL UPLOAD UNTIL GO LIVE - LET'S KEEP THE GO LIVE AS SIMPLE AS POSSIBLE

5.4.  The uploads will begin.  Please monitor upload progress.

6.  CUSTOMER and VIEWPOINT - HOLD 10 MIN UPLOAD VERIFICATION WEBEX MEETING

     6.1.  Viewpoint and customer will hold a 5-10 min WebEx to jointly validate that all the necessary go-live files were selected and that the upload is either done already, or in progress correctly.

7.  VIEWPOINT - SEND OUT GO LIVE UPDATE EMAIL THREAD

7.1.  Send out the go-live email update thread, copying the customer and all appropriate parties.

8.  CUSTOMER - RESPOND TO GO LIVE UPDATE EMAIL THREAD WHEN UPLOAD COMPLETE

8.1.  When all uploads to Azure are showing as complete in Azure Storage Explorer, please respond to the go-live update email thread letting us know the upload is complete.

8.1.1.  This is so that Viewpoint engineering can begin the restoration process in a timely fashion.

CRITICAL NOTE

As per our factory model for cloud transformations, you will NOT receive additional process updates after we have been notified of upload completion, until such time as the Hand Off / Go Live Ready email message is sent to you.  

If your Final Data Upload occurs Monday through Thursday, your Hand Off Go Live Ready Email will likely be sent the by the evening of the following day.  However, if your go live Final Data Upload is on a Friday, you may receive no additional, proactive communications until your Hand Off Go Live Ready Email is sent on the following Monday.  

Please rest assured that your go live is in progress and we will reach out to you if any issues or roadblocks occur.   In addition, we will of course respond as soon as possible to any questions or ad hoc requests for status updates.

Go Live Process Restore and Test - T-1.5 Days to Full Go Live

1.  VIEWPOINT - RESTORE CUSTOMER DATABASES AND TEST

2.  VIEWPOINT (OPTIONAL IF DATAXCHANGE / RYVIT IS IN USE ON-PREMISE ALREADY) - INSTALL AND CONFIGURE RYVIT AGENT

2.1.  Viewpoint Transformations team to coordinate with Viewpoint DataXchange / Ryvit team to install the Ryvit agent on the customer's "D2" box.

2.2.  Viewpoint Team:  Add Activation code during install.

2.3.  Viewpoint Transformations Team:  Coordinate with Ryvit team to configure agent to point to customer's data instance in the DataXchange / Ryvit cloud.

3.  VIEWPOINT - SEND GO LIVE READY EMAIL

3.1  This will be the go live ready / complete email to the customer to ensure that the customer can begin their final acceptance testing.

3.2  This will be the next communication you receive from our team and will likely be received the next day when the IDU occurs on Monday through Thursday, or on the following Monday if the IDU occurs on a Friday evening.  

Go Live Process Customer Acceptance Test - T-1 Day to Full Go Live

1. CUSTOMER - PERFORM FINAL ACCEPTANCE TEST

1.1.  Test Logging In, a few Reports, and a few small batch jobs.

2.  CUSTOMER - MIGRATE USERS INTO TRIMBLE ID / VIEWPOINT ID SSO

If all of your users have yet to be fully migrated into Trimble ID / Viewpoint ID SSO, please take this opportunity to perform this task.  Please follow the instructions at this Cloud FAQ article to migrate / uplift your users into Trimble ID / Viewpoint ID SSO:  Creating and Managing Trimble ID SSO Users After Initial Setup 

IMPORTANT:  Please push users into our Viewpoint/Trimble ID SSO in large batches.  Performing the option serially, for one user at a time, could seriously impact database performance due to user table renaming conflicts.

3.  Customer - Recreate Previously Created SQL Cloud Service Accounts (Optional)

3.1.  When you perform the Final Data Upload from on-premise, the Vista database on-premise will be lacking the SQL service accounts that you may have created previously to allow access to Vista by third-party products (steps in this FAQ:  Creating SQL Accounts .  To allow for access again, you'll need to re-create these accounts in Vista after the Final Data Upload, following the steps listed in the FAQ article.  Please NOTE:  when Vista asks to create a SQL account, please click "cancel" as that part of the account still exists in the cloud if you have already created it prior to go-live.

3.2  NOTE:   If you did not create SQL Service accounts in the cloud for access by third party applications, please disregard this step.

Go Live Process Vista Client Setup - T-1 Day to Full Go Live

1. CUSTOMER - UNINSTALL THE OLD VISTA CLIENT AND REINSTALL NEW CLIENT

NOTE:  This step is necessary if Crystal reports has been updated from the version that you are running on premise to the version that is running in our cloud, if any associated windows dependencies have changed such as the.net version.  Or if you are migrating from one platform architecture to another (e.g. 32-bit to 64-bit).

1.1.  Sometimes it will be necessary to fully uninstall and reinstall the Vista client, along with any appropriate dependencies.  These dependencies could include a new version of Crystal reports and possibly Windows libraries such as the.net framework.

1.1.1.  The uninstallation process should include fully uninstalling the Vista client, as well as any Crystal reports libraries from the old version of Vista.

1.2.  Once fully uninstalled, you may use the instructions at the following cloud FAQ article to install the client:  How do I obtain and install the Vista VRL Rich Client? 

1.2.1.  Alternatively, there are silent installer switches that will enable you to utilize tools such as GPO policies, AD login scripts, to automatically uninstall and then reinstall the appropriate Vista client version.  See here for more details:  Automated Installs and Removal of Vista Client 

2. CUSTOMER - PROVISION THE CLIENT FOR END USERS (OPTIONAL)

2.1.  You may use this opportunity to pre-populate the server field for the new VRL cloud Vista server.  Here is a Vista Cloud FAQ article that will provide more details on this topic:  Pre-Configuring the Vista VRL Rich Client 

Go Live Process Final Integration Setup - T-1 Day to Full Go Live

1. CUSTOMER - RE-POINT ALL REMAINING INTEGRATIONS TO VISTA IN THE CLOUD

NOTE:  Some integrations to third-party applications, such as MSI Data's Service Pro, Cosential, and a few others cannot be repointed to the cloud until after the on premise environment has been shut down.

1.1.  Any integrations that could not be pointed to Vista In the cloud prior to go live, should be repointed at this time to Vista in the cloud

1.1.1.  You will use your primary connection mechanism for third-party applications.  In many cases this will be the TLS Database Endpoint (TLS VPN), but may also be the IPSEC VPN tunnel method, depending on the integration in question.

1.1.1.1.  If the TLS Database Endpoint (TLS VPN), you will update the third party application to use the DNS name provided to you by Viewpoint.

1.1.1.2.  If the IPSEC VPN tunnel is to be used, you will use the private IP address of the Vista database server.

Go Live Process SSO Setup - T-1 Day to Full Go Live (OPTIONAL)

NOTE:  Some customers prefer to wait until 2 to 3 weeks after the go live process has completed prior to activating SSO in our cloud.  This is to keep the amount of activity encountered during the go live weekend to a minimum.

• If you would like to activate Azure AD SSO in our cloud at this time, please follow the instructions at this location:  Can we use Single Sign On (SSO) with our local AD or Okta? 

Go Live Process End User Hand Off - T-0 Go Live!

1.  CUSTOMER - NOTIFY END USERS OF ENVIRONMENT READINESS

1.1.  At this point in time, you should send your end-users a notification that their new cloud environment is ready.  Please include links to HFF and any other web-based tools as needed.

1.1.1.  Please make sure that your notification includes a reference to the fact that the Vista client will likely need to shut down and restart itself several times during the automatic update process during first login

2.  Support Process After Go-Live

Please note that after go-live, especially during the go-live weekend, support requests for non-critical items should be submitted through the online support portal as tickets.

NOTE:  CRITICAL ENVIRONMENT OR PROCESS DOWN ISSUES SHOULD BE CALLED IN VIA OUR SUPPORT PHONE NUMBER TO ENSURE A PROMPT RESPONSE

SPECIAL NOTE ON VISTA VERSIONS AT GO LIVE

You will be taken live into the cloud using the version of Vista in which you have been testing prior to go-live.  See the following stage 7 Post go-live Handoff for more information on how to get upgraded to the current version of Vista and the recommended plan to get there.

Now that your go live process has been completed, we will proceed to the seventh and final stage of the process, "Post Go Live Wrap Up and Handoff"