Testing connectivity between Banner test and EMS test environments

Owned by Denise Kidd
Jul 10, 2023
9 min read

2022 Testing

The following reflects the steps and outcomes of 2022 data migration testing.

All expected outcomes occurred (I can compare in the future using the same tests in Banner/EMS Prod).

EMS -TEST:  All ROOM changes made from EMS-Test (for active sections) updated automatically to Banner-Test.
Banner Test: All room, time, status changes made from Banner Test updated in EMS-Test after clicking “Sync” in EMS-Test.

 

I logged into EMS - Test using the VMware Horizon Client app (not through the web).

(Note: While Michael Murphy seems to be able to be logged into both EMS Test and EMS Prod via the app, I can only seem to be in one or the other – maybe because Test and Prod use different passwords for me, but not for him.)

Clicking EMS - Test will still log me into EMS - Prod automatically if it was the last version I was in; I have to click File > Change Databases.)

Confirmed database is Test:

 

 

 

I checked the EMS-Test terms to find one that had been published to Banner. A term is confirmed as published if the Published button is now grayed out.

I selected 201430.

Michael feels that EMS (Test and Prod) is not set up for EMS-to-Banner auto-updates on changes to any data field except for Rooms. Rooms changed in EMS should automatically update in Banner, for published terms.

(But we can change these same data fields in Banner, then click “Sync” in EMS and the changes will be effected.)

 

Test 1

From EMS-Test, move ENGL 1010-08 (CRN 35760) from GI 127 to GI 126A, and see if Banner updates automatically:

 

From the Academic Book view, double-click the blue block for ENGL 1010-08.

In the pop-up Navigator window with more details, click Tools > Wizard > Change Rooms > Next.

 

Select Specific Room > GI 126A > uncheck Hide Old Bookings/Canceled Bookings > Select All (meeting days) > Finish.

 

Confirm the Results all say “Change Successful.” Close.

 

View the update back in the Navigator window.

 

Click Refresh in the Academic Book.
ENGL 1010-08 has moved from GI 127 to GI 126A

 

Confirm that this EMS - Test update was made automatically in Banner Test.

 

Go to Banner Test > SSASECT > Meeting Times and Instructor tab > Meeting Location and Credits sub-tab >
(Building and) Room data field(s). They have been updated to the new room!

 

Test 2

using all the same steps from above:

In EMS, move PHIL 6150-01 (CRN 80060) from NH 14 to NH 15.

In the same way, trying changing the time from old time 6:30pm-9:00pm to new time 7:30pm-10:00pm.

 

 

Both changes were successful in EMS-Test:

 

 

 

The room change was successful in automatically updating to Banner.

 

The time change was unsuccessful (but based on earlier notes, was not expected to be successful).

 

Test 3

In EMS, change status of MATH 7150-01 (CRN 80226) from Academic Confirmed to Academic Canceled, and unassign room.

 

First, in EMS-Test I changed the status from Academic Canceled to Academic Confirmed (which doesn’t automatically unassign the room BUT it does stop the class from displaying in the room from the Academic Book, though that might be changeable with an EMS setting.)

This status change was not made automatically in Banner-Test.

 

 

 

So, next, from EMS-Test, I changed the room from GI 400D to “TBD” (a not-real room for “homeless” classes since you can’t seem to unassign a room from EMS once one is assigned). The change was successful in EMS-Test…

 

… but did NOT automatically update in Banner Test!

 

Test 4

From EMS-Test I changed this class’s status back to Academic Confirmed, then changed the room from GI 400D to GI 325:

 

NOW Banner updated the room automatically!

 

Test 5

In Banner Test, I updated the same CRN 80226’s room from GI 325 back to GI 400D. This did not automatically update in EMS-Test as expected (even after clicking Refresh), but DID update after clicking Sync for the Term, and then processing the update:

 

Test 6

In EMS-Test I changed the 80266 class above from status Academic Confirmed to Canceled (not Academic Canceled). I left it in GI 400D. Banner did not update the status automatically, as expected. I synced EMS to be sure, but Banner did not update the status then either. In the sync, EMS did ask in the updates to be processed, to revert the room back to its Banner location (maybe because of the canceled status?).I processed these updates.

 

Then back in Banner, I changed the room back from GI 325 to GI 400A (and the time to 2:00pm-2:50pm or there would be a conflict!).

This did not happen automatically in EMS, but I synced EMS and was notified that this course had a different Banner room (and a status change) to fetch into EMS.

So I processed, and the time, room, and status changes made in Banner were processed successfully in EMS:

Test 7

Banner-Test apparently did not remove a currently-assigned room when the new room assigned in EMS-Test does not exist in Banner-Test, even for an active class.

I changed the status of 80226 back to Academic Confirmed, and then changed the room from GI 400A to TBD.

 

TBD does not exist in Banner. Banner did not change its currently-assigned room of GI 400A.

Noting also that I did this last test at 3:39pm, when Banner Test was scheduled to be down at 3:30pm on 10/3/22.

 

An EMS Sync would restore the Banner room to EMS:

2023 Testing

The following reflects the steps and outcomes of 7/5/2023 data migration testing.

Preconditions:

Modify a course and then modify it back …

(from EMS or from Banner?)

… there is a view that EMS uses to interact with Banner.

(Can more info be provided about this view? There are “Views” in EMS, which group spaces in a list; I don’t think that’s the reference here?)

Testing notes for 2023 below, based on a similar request in 2022 (those results are at the beginning of this document):

All expected outcomes occurred (I can compare in the future using the same tests in Banner/EMS Prod).

EMS -TEST:  All CLASSROOM assignment changes made from EMS-Test (for active class sections) updated automatically to Banner-Test.
Banner Test: All room, time, status changes made from Banner Test updated in EMS-Test after clicking “Sync” in EMS-Test.

 

I logged into EMS - Test using the VMware Horizon Client app (not through the web).

 

Confirmed database is Test:

 

 

 

I checked the EMS-Test terms to find one that had been published to Banner. A term is confirmed as published if the Published button is now grayed out.

I selected 202330.

Michael felt that EMS (Test and Prod) is not set up for EMS-to-Banner auto-updates on changes to any data field except for Rooms. Rooms changed in EMS should automatically update in Banner, for published terms.

(But we can change these same data fields in Banner, then click “Sync” in EMS and the changes will be effected.)

 

Test protocol

From EMS-Test, move ENGL 1010-08 (CRN 35760) from MA 102 to GI 126, and see if Banner updates automatically

 

From the Academic Book view, double-click the blue block for ENGL 1010-08.

In the pop-up Navigator window with more details, click Tools > Wizard > Change Rooms > Next.

 

Select Specific Room > GI 126 > uncheck Hide Old Bookings/Canceled Bookings > Select All (meeting days) > Finish.

 

ERROR…

 

… but change Successful:

 

View the update back in the Navigator window.

 

Click Refresh in the Academic Book.
ENGL 1010-08 has moved from GI MA 102 to GI 126:

 

Confirm that this EMS - Test update was made automatically in Banner Test.

Go to Banner Test > SSASECT > Meeting Times and Instructor tab > Meeting Location and Credits sub-tab >
(Building and) Room data field(s). They have NOT been updated to the new room (probably based on error above):