I was employed as the Kmart Y2K Configuration Manager, but the scope of my duties was expanded to include project coordination of the Repair phase of the project. The project has four phases - Repair, Replace, Retire, and Vendor.
I controlled the procedure and migration of source code into the project test environments and controlled the release of software to production, after the necessary sign-off certificates were received.
I coordinated the Repair phase of the project and allocated work to the Repair Analysts and Programmers through the use of the TOMS System.
Five major issues needed to be resolved separately:
How to institute Change Management discipline back into the company to safeguard the integrity of the software source code baseline.
How to build a workable process to manage the Repair, Replace, Retire, and Vendor Mgmt. phases of the project.
How to ensure that source code modified by the project team would remain Y2K compliant after being returned to production.
How to ensure that new mainframe programs are Y2K compliant.
How to satisfy the CML Audit department that correct procedure was being followed.
As
part of the Coles
Myer Limited (CML) group of companies, Kmart
Australia provides low-cost sale items via retail outlets throughout
Australia, also having a number of subsidiary companies.
Source
code migration is controlled via ChangeMan version manager (IBM mainframe
platform) and PVCS version manager (OS/2 platform).
The
ChangeMan system has been reconfigured and is used for parallel development of
systems. ChangeMan also has a
toolset used in Concurrent Development Facility (CDF) which allows for the
merging of multiple versions of the same source code.
MicroFocus
Revolve is used as the parser/analyser used in scanning COBOL code for
non-Y2K compliant source code.
Problem
reporting is performed using InfoMan (mainframe) for reporting production
problems only, and the LAN-based PVCS Tracker is used to report on issues, new
software requirements, and testing software problems.
Automated
regression testing was achieved using CompuWare’s mainframe test tool.
Software
system changes are recorded in MS Word documents.
There is no direct link between requirement changes and software
versions. MicroFocus Revolve
was used to identify and record the necessary changes.
Change
Control processes already existed for the mainframe ChangeMan version control
system but had some process weaknesses (which I addressed).
At
this time adequate Change Control processes do not exist for the LAN PVCS
version control system.
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Managed and coordinated activities between the Repair, Replace, Retire, and Vendor phases. |
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Managed and coordinated analysis and testing personnel (12). |
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Provided a Change process, Release Management process, and sign-off process for code migration to the System Test environment. |
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Provided a software interface (TOMS) for traceability of the Y2K process covering 23 software systems/platforms. |
| Created an internal Configuration Plan document for senior management. |
| Created Change Management processes for the migration of source code to be converted. |
| Requested changes to the mainframe ChangeMan version control system, including the Change Control process; changes were applied. |
| Identified and recorded configurable software items for 15 major language interfaces, 21 types of components used within the languages, a total of 45,600 source components. |
| Installed and implemented the TOMS system into Myer Grace Bros (MGB) and Coles Supermarkets. |
Note: The TOMS system has been endorsed by Mr. David Runci of the CML internal Audit group
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Created the Tracking Of Millenium Software (TOMS) system data entry and reporting software system to: |
Track and report on all functional system-level activities for the project to satisfy the needs of the immediate management. This includes tracking of status at both the system and individual component (program, copybook etc) level.
Provide traceability and accountability of modified software components to satisfy the Coles Myer Limited (CML) Audit department.
Provide identification and recording of all source components to satisfy Configuration software requirements. (This includes 15 major language interfaces, some of which are used by the other major Brands (Myer Grace Bros (MGB), Coles, Corporate, Target), and 21 types of components used within the languages. There are currently 45,600 source components being managed by the TOMS system.)
Provide a mechanism for releasing and tracking software packages from testing to production.
Provide a mechanism to detect changes to Y2K compliant code (after being made Y2K compliant and returned back to mainframe production)
Detect any new programs being added to any of the mainframe production systems, and subsequently analyse the new program for Y2K compliance.
Track and report on work allocated to programmers.
Track and report on System Test at both the system and testing levels, identifying all test scripts for each system, and provide an automated interface to the AmiPro word processor (from within MS Access) to read or update the existing test scripts.
Allow all Kmart Y2K team members to use the system for analysis and enquiry.
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Created an MS Access system to catalogue MS Office file types for easy retrieval from the LAN. |
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Created an MS Access system for cross referencing of all application source code for impact analysis purposes |