3. Maintenance Policies and Procedures › 3.2 User Maintenance Procedures › 3.2.3 Change Control Test Database

3.2.3 Change Control Test Database

CA MICS database units can be defined as a particular
processing type, where the type of database unit describes
the function and structure of the unit itself.

A UNIT database unit is a production database unit that
performs update and reporting cycles on a regular basis.  The
PRIMARY database is a UNIT database which also performs some
functions for complex-level data sets.  A SPECIAL database
unit is used for special, one-time analyses of selected input
sources, especially in backloading.

The TEST database unit has all the facilities of a UNIT
database.  Its specific design target is to provide the
facilities needed to test modifications to CA MICS before the
modification is put into production.

It is absolutely necessary that user modifications be tested
in a TEST database unit.  Any modification can be an
unsuspected liability to CA MICS database integrity.
Conscientious use of the TEST database in testing user
modifications, as described in this manual, can yield
reliable modifications that produce the intended results with
minimal production database vulnerability.