Page Comparison

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• • 5.5.0 Release
  • 5.5.1 Release
  • 5.5.2 Release
  • 6.0.0 Release (March 31, 2017 - See pre-Release Notes Summary here.)
  •  Technical Updates:
    • Shibboleth Upgrade to v3.1

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Releases & Annual Update Schedule

CCCApply Annual Update & Supplemental Release Cycles

 
CCCApply refers to all applications in the suite: Standard, BOG & IA

Release / Update Cycle(s)

Since 2001, OpenCCCApply releases, including the CCCApply Annual Update release, have been carefully scheduled around low and peak-volume enrollment times through the academic year. Traditionally colleges prepare for one annual update per year in Mid to Late March (however, several releases have been performed be scheduled for as late as the first week in April).  
Supplemental releases are scheduled as needed.* 
 

• Annual Update Release:  
  Aligned to enrollment cycle; late March to early April (March 16 - April 7).  The 2017 release is tentatively scheduled for March 31, 2017.

• • Exceptions include: 
    • Hot fixes and compliance issues and security breeches
    • CCCCO mandates (BOG 2016) & legislative mandates as required 
    • New development releases = International Application; uPortal, etc.
    • Performance/stability enhancements that minimize blockers to college implementations (BOG Rules, stable QA/Beta environment, etc.)
      
      
• Supplemental Releases
  Only scheduled as needed, a supplemental CCCApply release is scheduled around the peak application season specifically during low risk times (mid to late September). 
  • Jan 30 - Feb 7
  • Sept 15 - Oct 7 (next best time for significant update)
  • May 15 (high-priority technical upgrades, security fixes, etc.)
    
    

There are traditional peak and low-volume enrollment times throughout the year, as well as cyclical events/processes that impact the workload of college IT staff.  After the March/April update, college enrollment is on blast until September 15 timeframe. All through the late spring and summer and into early Sept are high enrollment periods (kids getting ready to go back to school/Fall semester). There's a lull around mid-late September and early Oct, which would be next best time for a supplemental update. Late October is NOT advised.

Take away:  Stick with an annual Update schedule to align with college IT and Admissions peak periods. 

Change Management Approval Cycle

The annual change management and release cycle typically begins in April for the following year's annual update release. 

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