General Usage Best Practices › Retrieve Beta Packages

Retrieve Beta Packages

You can use CA CSM to retrieve beta packages (for example, test PTFs or unpublished PTFs) from an FTP site that is protected by a user ID and password. You can then install, maintain, and deploy the beta packages.

If you retrieve beta packages for the products that you do not have listed in your software catalog, add an entry for the product to your product list first.

Follow these steps:

1. Navigate to the Products tree on the Products tab, and select the beta product. Copy the text for this product so that you have it on the clipboard.
2. Click Add Product, in the Actions section in the left pane.

   The Add Product dialog appears.

3. Paste the contents of the clipboard in the Product field, enter the new beta release and gen level, and click OK.

   Note: For beta projects, the gen level is an arbitrary notation that reflects whatever is appropriate for the beta process, such as Beta1, Beta2 or RC1. Using a nomenclature similar to this helps ensure that they are not confused with the GA version of the product.

   CA CSM starts a task to add the new information.

4. When the task completes, click Refresh.

   The Product List displays the new release and gen level for this beta product.

After you add an entry for the tested product or if you already have an entry for the product, you can retrieve installation packages.

Follow these steps:

1. In the catalog tree, navigate to the gen level of the tested product, right-click, and select Add External Package.

   The Add External Package dialog appears.

2. Select the FTP File option button.

   You are prompted to specify the package details.

3. Specify the host FTP server, port, and path, which the CA Technologies beta program manager provided you with.

   Note: This path is typically the root directory, a forward slash (/).

4. Enter the package name.

   CA CSM searches for the package name. If none are found, an asterisk (*) is appended to the package name. If no packages are found again, then an error message appears.

   Note: To retrieve multiple pax files, enter an asterisk (*) for part or all of the package name.

5. Enter the FTP user ID and password, which the CA Technologies beta program manager also provided you with, and click OK.

   CA CSM starts a task to retrieve the packages in that directory.

6. When the task completes, click Refresh on the Products page.

   The new packages for that gen level appear on the Products page, and they are now downloaded and ready for processing.

Later on, after initial beta testing has begun and problems have been reported, you can retrieve PTFs to the beta product.

Follow these steps:

1. Select the beta release that was previously added, right-click, and select Add External Maintenance.

   The Add External Maintenance dialog appears.

2. Select the FTP File option button.

   You are prompted to specify the package details.

3. Enter the following information, and click OK:
   • The host FTP server and port, such as supportftp.ca.com and 21
   • The FTP path name, such as /outgoing/

     Note: The path must start with a forward slash (/).

   • A maintenance name, such as RO01111.bin
   • The FTP user ID and password

   The CA Technologies beta program manager provided this information.

   CA CSM starts a task to retrieve the solution in that directory.

4. When the task completes, click Refresh.

   The Software Catalog displays the new maintenance, and it is now downloaded and ready for processing.

Business Value:

Using this best practice can help save you time when you are downloading, installing, and testing CA Technologies beta products.

Additional Considerations:

The difference between maintenance and installation is that maintenance retrieves one solution at a time, while the installation retrieves all of the product packages simultaneously.

More Information:

For more information, see the online help.