Test Database

Hi Stuart

I think most, if not all, of us work from Test databases that are just copies of Live.

I've occasionally tossed around the idea of writing a script that would strip (for example) old performance data out of the db when Test is refreshed from Live, mostly to save some space, since ours is begining to get a bit awkwardly large, but the work required to do that, and then to prove that what's been stripped out doesn't materially affect the system doesn't seem justified. (What if the size of T_PERF becomes a critical performance issue for your code, and you've been developing against a shrunken table? What if your script has inadvertently introduced referential integrity issues?... and so on...)

We run three test environments, and since we work in a consortium context, we have five independent org websites, each with its own development team, plus a variety of people doing custom work, pointing their dev at one or other environment. The size of the db doesn't seem to introduce any problems for developers, and I don't know that I can see much advantage in providing any of those in a cut-down version, to justify the resource commitment (and potential for confusion).

Ken

I realize this is an old thread.  Has anyone in Tessitura Land created scripts to anonymize your test data?  We need to be able to face our test/qa server out toward the public for testing.  We want it to contain the same amount of data our LIVE server contains, but we wouldn't want to expose any info about our patrons in so doing.  Wondering if anyone else has worked on this issue. 

I realize this is an old thread.  Has anyone in Tessitura Land created scripts to anonymize your test data?  We need to be able to face our test/qa server out toward the public for testing.  We want it to contain the same amount of data our LIVE server contains, but we wouldn't want to expose any info about our patrons in so doing.  Wondering if anyone else has worked on this issue. 

Hi Karen,

We've not done what you are suggesting, but could you use some security to minimize the data which is visible to the web? User Groups/Control Groups/Constituencies?

We have a bunch of records which all use the Theatre address and a series of Mr Dev Test, Mrs Finance Test etc. Could you leave your customer name but change the address to your Theatre? A name without an address, email or phone is effectively anonymous.

Debbie

Hi Karen,

We do that.  We refresh our dev database about once a month, so  I have a script that we run after bringing over our Production database to Dev that does the following and keeps us PCI compliant:

1. Anonymizes the constituent records;
2. Removes all constituent emails and logins, except my own and the guest account login (otherwise we create our own in dev if we need them);
3. Removes all Production audit data;
4. Removes all Production web session data;
5. Updates the IP addresses in T_DEFAULTS to the test servers;
6. Updates the title bar text to indicate it's the test environment when you're in the client;
7. Updates the pointers on any custom tabs we have;
8. Clears out all CSI's (as that also can contain PII information);
9. Fixes the database logins so that people with accounts in test can log in;
10. Compacts and takes a backup of the database;

I can also specify a "cleanse level" so that I can keep some data that would normally be removed if I need to use it for testing.  The highest level clears out even more data.

I can send it to you if you're interested in checking it out.

Kevin.

Hi Kevin - we automate our production to test refreshes and do many of these things, but we do not do #1. I'd be interested in a copy of your script as well if possible. Thanks!