Deployment Stages

Deployment stages are optional. However, if a failure occurs during the update process, the process is halted. Stages allow you to deploy an update in stages, such as to a test group first, then to your managed devices. E‑mail notifications can let you know when each stage has completed.

Understanding Staging

You can do the following with stages:

Set it up for different devices or groups, such as for a test group, specific devices or device groups, or all managed devices in the zone.
Modify an existing stage’s membership.
Change the order in which the stages run.
Rename and delete stages.
Specify the default timeout for a stage. If that time is reached, the update process quits and a message is sent that it failed on that stage.
Specify the reboot behavior when devices complete the update: prompt a reboot, force a reboot, or suppress rebooting.
Sort the stage information by using any of its panel’s columns.
Specify how the update process is to advance through the stages:
- Automatically, with or without notification
- One stage at a time with notification when each stage is completed
- Bypass the configured stages and immediately apply the update to all devices

Following are some of the reasons for creating deployment stages:

Testing the system update on certain devices before deploying it to your production environment
Grouping your Primary Servers:
- You can include all servers in one stage so they can be updated at the same time.
  
  or
- You can group your servers in several stages so that the update process isn’t too intensive for the Primary Server being used to perform the updates.
You can group the workstations in several stages so that the update process isn’t too intensive for the Primary Server being used to perform the updates.

Any managed devices that are not a member of a stage are automatically updated after the last deployment stage has been processed.

You cannot configure stages when they are currently in use.

Deployment Stages Panel Details

The following table explains the column information. For some columns, you can sort the listed information by clicking a column heading. Click it again to reverse the sorting order.

Column Heading	Explanation
Ordinal	Displays the order in which the stages are run. You can rearrange the staging order by using the Move Up and Move Down options. The first stage listed always displays ordinal 1, the second, ordinal 2, and so on. Therefore, you do not need to include a sequence number in your stage names.
Stage Name	Name of the stage, which you specify when creating the stage by using the Action > Add Stage option. Make this name descriptive enough to indicate its purpose.
Stage Members	This column contains the View/Modify Members option, which opens the Modify Stage Members dialog box that lists all of the members of the stage. Stage membership can include individual devices and groups that contain devices.
Staging Behavior	Displays the current behavior for each stage, which you can change by using the Action > Modify Staging Behavior option.
Reboot Behavior	Displays the reboot behavior of devices after the update is deployed. Some updates do not require a device to be rebooted after they have been deployed to a device. However, if a reboot is required to complete the update process, the deployment is not completed until the device is rebooted. The following explains how each option works: Prompt User to Reboot When Update Finishes Applying (Default): After the update has been applied, a request to reboot is immediately given. If the user initially rejects rebooting, the user is periodically requested to reboot the device, which continues until the device is rebooted. Do Not Reboot Device: The device does not reboot; however, the user is periodically requested to reboot the device, which continues until the device is rebooted. Force Device to Reboot: After the update has been applied, if a reboot is required by the update, the device is automatically rebooted without user intervention.
Stage Timeout	Displays the stage timeout, listed in minutes, which you can change using the Action > Modify Stage Timeout option. The default is 3 days, 3 hours, and 3 minutes, which is the global timeout value that can be changed in Stage Timeout Settings. Changing the value here only changes it for the selected deployment stage. When the timeout value is reached, the stage’s deployment stops and an e-mail message is sent, if e-mail notification is configured. You can cancel the deployment, or you can clear the error to restart the stage and reset the timeout. Or, you can ignore all pending devices to trigger a stage progression (either automatic, or wait for administrator action based on the setting).

Deployment Stages Tasks

To configure deployment stages, perform the tasks in the following table:

Task	Steps	Additional Details
Creating a deployment stage	In the Deployment Stages panel, click Action > Add Stage. In the Add Stage dialog box, specify a stage name, then click OK.	A newly created stage does not have any members. You must modify the stage’s membership to add them. Use the stage names to help you to understand the stage’s purpose. You cannot add a stage while a deployment is in process.
Modifying a stage’s membership	In the Deployment Stages panel, click View/Modify Members to display the Members dialog box. In the Members dialog box, click Add. Browse for and select the devices or device groups, then click OK to place them into the Members dialog box listing. To remove a member, select the check box for that member and click Remove. Click OK when you have finished configuring the stage’s membership.	These are the devices that will be updated when the stage starts. You can add individual devices or device groups, or any combination of them. Keep in mind that you can have both servers and workstations in the same deployment stage, or in different stages, or that you can split your servers and workstations into multiple deployment stages for each type. IMPORTANT:You should update your Primary Servers before updating your managed workstations.
Modifying the deployment stage timeout	Select the check box for a stage, click Action > Modify Stage Timeout. Do one of the following: Specify the timeout value, then click OK. The default timeout is 3 days, 0 hours, and 0 minutes. This change in timeout value only applies to the selected stage. Select the Use Global Stage Timeout Setting for All Stages check box to specify using the global timeout value (default of 3 days, 0 hours, and 0 minutes). The global stage timeout value can be established in the System Update Download Settings page.	If you specify a timeout value for this stage, set its value to be long enough to accommodate updating all of the devices in the stage. When the timeout value is reached, the stage’s deployment stops and an e-mail message is sent, if e-mail notification is configured. You can cancel the deployment, or you can clear the error to restart the stage and reset the timeout. Or, you can ignore all pending devices to trigger a stage progression (either automatic, or wait for administrator action based on the setting).
Bypassing staging	To bypass a stage, see the steps in the Deploying System Updates panel help.	This bypasses the use of stages for the next system update that you deploy.
Modifying a stage’s behavior	Select the check boxes for any stage listed in the Deployment Stages list, then click Action > Modify Staging Behavior. In the Choose the Stage Behavior dialog box, select one of the following options: Advance Through Stages Automatically Advance Through Stages Automatically with Notification Advance to Next Stage Manually and Notify When Complete Click OK.	The default stage behavior is to automatically advance through the configured stages. You can change this default behavior. If you change the staging behavior for one stage, the change becomes effective for all stages. Advance Through Stages Automatically: As soon as one stage has completed its updates, the next stage starts. This is the default behavior (its check box is enabled). After the last stage has completed, all applicable devices that are not members of a stage are then processed. Advance Through Stages Automatically with Notification: Starts the first stage, sends an e-mail notification when it has completed, then automatically starts the next stage, and so on. A notification method must be set up on the System Update Download Settings page in the E-mail Notification section. Advance to Next Stage Manually and Notify When Complete: Use this method to provide the user intervention in between the stages, such as reviewing the results of an update to a test group. This option automatically starts the first stage. After any stage has completed, e-mail notification is sent, then the update waits for you to manually start the next stage. A notification method must be set up on the System Update Download Settings page in the E-mail Notification section.
Modifying the deployment reboot behavior	Select the check boxes for one or more stages, then click Action > Modify Reboot Behavior. In the Modify Reboot Behavior dialog box, select one of the following options: Prompt User to Reboot When Update Finishes Applying Do Not Reboot Device Force Device to Reboot Click OK.	Some updates do not require a device to be rebooted after they have been deployed to a device. However, if a reboot is required to complete the update process, the deployment is not completed until the device is rebooted. The following explains how each option works: Prompt User to Reboot When Update Finishes Applying (Default): After the update has been applied, a request to reboot is immediately given. If the user initially rejects rebooting, the user is periodically requested to reboot the device, which continues until the device is rebooted. Do Not Reboot Device: The device does not reboot; however, the user is periodically requested to reboot the device, which continues until the device is rebooted. Force Device to Reboot: After the update has been applied, if a reboot is required by the update, the device is automatically rebooted without user intervention.
Modifying the order in which stages start	Click the check box for the deployment stage to be moved. Click either Move Up or Move Down as many times as necessary to rearrange the staging order. Repeat these steps for each stage as necessary.	All updates that use stages deploy to the devices that are members of the stages in the currently listed order.
Renaming a deployment stage	Click the check box for the deployment stage to be renamed, then click Rename. In the Rename Stage dialog box, specify a new stage name, then click OK.	Stage names can help you to understand the stage’s purpose.
Deleting a deployment stage	Click the check box for one or more of the deployment stages to be deleted. Click Delete.	Deleted stages cannot be recovered.