Processing Packages in Foreground › Backing Out Package Outputs

Backing Out Package Outputs

If you discover a problem after executing a package, or if the execution failed, you can undo the effects of the execution using package backout (backout processing). For example, assume that your package executed successfully, but you know or suspect that the execution caused problems elsewhere in the system. You can undo the execution and return the outputs of the package to the state they were in before being executed. After you use backout processing to back out the outputs, if you decide that you want to return the outputs to the executed state, you can use package backin (backin processing) to undo the backout processing.

Package backout returns package outputs to their prior state. Package backin reinstates the outputs. Backout and backin processing can be used to back out and back in the following outputs:

• All output members and USS files (produced through the ENUSSUTL processor) of a specific package, that is the entire package.
• All the output members and files of a single action within a specific package, without backing out the entire package. However, if there are multiple actions within the package that produce the same output member and file, the package is not eligible for Element Action Backout. This option is particularly helpful if your site uses large packages to move many elements through the lifecycle.

You can only back out packages that are defined with the option Enable Backout. The Enable Backout option creates backout members for the element outputs that are created or modified by the execution of the CA Endevor SCM actions, that is the processors associated with those actions. This creation of backout members and USS backout files lets you back out a package, restoring all output members (load modules, listings, and objects), and USS files of the package to their state before the execution of the package.

When you execute a backout, make sure that the processors do not use the IEBCOPY utility. Processors whose output you want to back out can use the BSTCOPY utility. For more information about BSTCOPY, see the Extended Processors Guide.

Backout processing affects CA Endevor SCM output libraries, not base and delta libraries. If reverse delta format is being used, the base library member is not backed out. Also any outputs that are written to CA Endevor SCM libraries, such as listings, are not backed out.

Note: When you use the Package Ship facility, the Ship Asis feature determines whether the backout and backin status of a package has any effect on what gets shipped. When enabled, Ship Asis lets you ship outputs and backout members (and HFS files, or both) according to the backout status of the package. If not enabled, outputs from the time the package was executed are shipped regardless of the package’s backout status. With this feature enabled, during the execution of a package backout and backin action (including element action backout and backin), the user will receive messages in the package log. These messages list all the destinations to which the package was shipped before this backout or backin action. The purpose of these messages is to alert the user that they may need to reship the package, because the backout or backin action has changed the package outputs.