Aleph Reindexing Project

Project to reindex Aleph Production, using revised indexing specifications. FCLA has been working with TSPC and the Authorities Subcommittee to revise the current specifications. FCLA has also been working on the best process for handling the reindexing with minimal downtime in PRODuction Aleph. Reindexing started for the first production library, FIU, 1/23/09, and ended 5/17/09 with the redo of the FIU01 indexes.

Step	FAMU	FAU	FGCU	FIU	FSU	NCF	UCF	UF	UNF	USF	UWF
Process begun	3/6/09	4/24/09	2/23/09	1/23/09; fiu01 redo 5/6/09	2/9/09	5/4/09	4/1/09	4/13/09	2/4/09; nfu01 headings redo 2/18/09	3/2/09	4/3/09
Indexing finished on PXPROD	3/19/09	5/9/09	3/4/09	2/4/09; redo 5/15/09	2/25/09	5/8/09	4/13/09	5/1/09	2/12/09; redo 2/26/09	3/19/09	4/16/09
New indexes in PROD	3/22/09	5/10/09	3/5/09	2/8/09; redo 5/17/09	3/1/09	5/10/09	4/19/09	5/3/09	2/15/09; redo 3/1/09	3/22/09	4/19/09
Library signoff	3/23/09	5/11/09	3/6/09	2/9/09; redo 5/18/09	3/3/09	5/12/09	4/20/09	5/4/09	2/16/09; redo 3/2/09	3/23/09	4/21/09
REPT updated	3/24/09	5/12/09	3/7/09	2/11/09; redo 5/19/09	3/4/09	5/12/09	4/21/09	5/5/09	2/17/09; redo 3/4/09	3/24/09	4/22/09

Here's an outline of the process. I hope it addresses a lot of your questions and concerns. Let me know if you still have questions or if something's unclear.

Mary Ann, FCLA

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REINDEXING YOUR PRODUCTION ALEPH

IMPACT ON YOUR LIBRARY
Do not run large data loads (over 15K records), large global changes (over 15K records) or other large data maintenance projects during the 2-3 weeks of reindexing. (see section B) It is ok to run regular monthly loads such as Serial Solutions and Marcive even if they're over 15K records.

PROD will be unavailable during the Sunday morning maintenance window when the rebuilt indexes are copied back to PROD. There's an outside chance the downtime will extend beyond the window. (see section C)

REPT will be unavailable, and ARROW will be unavailable or out-of-date, for 2-3 days after indexes are copied back to PROD. (see section E)

REINDEXING DETAILS
PRELIMINARY: (optional) Phone call between library and FCLA to go over the process

A. DAY 1 UNTIL SUNDAY 2-3 WEEKS LATER (2 weeks for small and mid-size libraries, 3 weeks for FSU, UF, USF)

FCLA
- copies your Aleph from PROD to PXPROD (the reindexing server); no downtime required on PROD
- kicks off a special process in PROD to capture system numbers of all bibs that go through indexing during the reindexing (the "delta" indexing)
- turns off communications between LCA10 on TEST and your bib library on PROD; this is so weekly update loads in LCA10 don't update your headings links in PROD, which would generate lots of indexing
- freezes LCA10 (test) authority reports for your library
- runs indexing jobs on PXPROD using new Aleph index tables; headings are linked to the new LCA10 and MSH12 that are on PROD
- reviews indexes for problems as the jobs complete

B. DAY 1 UNTIL REPT IS SYNC'ED WITH PROD

LIBRARY
- runs normal data loads and data maintenance
- saves any large data creation, global changes, and other update projects until after the new indexes are copied back to PROD and REPT is sync'ed with PROD (see section E); it's OK to run regular monthly loads such as Serials Solutions and Marcive
- runs ARROW authority reports that haven't been processed yet and saves them for later use as needed; the authority reports for the old indexes will go away after new indexes are copied to PROD

C. LAST DAY (SUNDAY)
Installing the new indexes on PROD requires your Aleph to be down on PROD. We plan to do this within the normal 6am-10am Sunday morning maintenance window. If something unexpected occurs and downtime extends past the maintenance window, we'll be ready to implement our downtime procedures. This means Mango and Aleph OPAC will be switched to the backup copy of Aleph with patron empowerment turned off; the library may decide to go onto offline circ.

FCLA
- copies new indexes from PXPROD to PROD
- checks new indexes on PROD
- copies new Aleph index tables to PROD
- turns on communications between the LCA10 and MSH12 on PROD and your bib library
- moves the "delta" indexing to the regular indexing queue

New indexes are available on PROD as soon as your Aleph comes back up.

New records added during the reindexing may be missing from the indexes on Sunday until the records from the "delta" indexing are processed.

D. MONDAY AFTER THE INDEX COPY TO PROD

LIBRARY
- checks the new indexes for problems (arrangements may be made to do the checking on Sunday; contact FCLA if interested)
- reports in RT any problems as they're found
- signs off on the new indexes by mid-afternoon
FCLA
- investigates problems as they're reported
- after library sign off, starts the process to sync REPT with PROD; REPT is unavailable until this is finished, possibly 2-3 days; how long it takes depends on volume of changes)

E. TUESDAY OR WEDNESDAY

FCLA
- finishes sync'ing REPT with PROD
- brings REPT back up
LIBRARY
- resumes normal activity after REPT is back up; ok to run large jobs

F. WEDNESDAY AND LATER

FCLA
- refreshes TEST from PROD on library request
- after the refresh, points TEST to LCA10 and MSH12 on PROD
- adds library to ARROW authority reports for LCA10 on PROD
LIBRARY
- reports to FCLA any problems found with the new indexes