PeopleSoft - 5.2

Extension ID

com.castsoftware.peoplesoft

What’s new?

Please see PeopleSoft 5.2 - Release Notes for more information.

Description

This extension provides support for PeopleSoft.

Supported Versions of PeopleSoft

The qualification of the PeopleSoft application does not depend on the functional release of PeopleSoft (8.4, 9.0, 9.1, 9.2) nor on the functional module (CRM, HRMS, FSCM, Portal etc.). Indeed it depends only on the versions of PeopleTools used to develop the source code.
This extension provides support for the following PeopleTools versions:

PeopleTools version Supported
8.45
8.46
8.47
8.48
8.49
8.50
8.51
8.52
8.53
8.54
8.55
8.56
8.57 likely*
8.58 likely*
  • PeopleTools versions above 8.48 that are listed in the table above are supported, but new functionalities or syntax introduced in these versions are not supported.
  • likely*: the PeopleTools repository tables (mostly PSxxx) have been very stable for many years, therefore the extractor will likely extract the objects and links as expected, and the rest of analysis will run fine. As soon as it is confirmed, a green tick will be added instead.

Function Point, Quality and Sizing support

This extension provides the following support:

  • Function Points (transactions): a green tick indicates that OMG Function Point counting and Transaction Risk Index are supported
  • Quality and Sizing: a green tick indicates that CAST can measure size and that a minimum set of Quality Rules exist
Function Points (transactions) Quality and Sizing

Compatibility

Release Operating System Supported
v3/8.4.x Microsoft Windows / Linux
v2/8.3.x Microsoft Windows

Supported DBMS servers for PeopleSoft applications

The extension supports PeopleSoft applications installed on the following DBMS:

DBMS Supported
Oracle Server
DB2 UDB

Prerequisites

Item Required? Description
AIP Core An installation of any compatible release of AIP Core (see table above). If you are using AIP Console to manage the analysis, you must use AIP Core ≥ 8.3.39.
AIP Console If you would like to use AIP Console to manage the analysis, please ensure that you are using v. ≥ 1.27
Legacy scan mode Fast scan mode is NOT supported - therefore ensure you are using legacy scan mode in AIP Console.
Vanilla repository availability Ensure that the Vanilla repository is online and available before starting.
On PeopleSoft server hosting the Oracle/DB2 repository (for Vanilla and Project) The server can be any OS, however Unix/Linux OS may require some .ksh script if you want to run the extractor on the server machine itself.

The version of the Oracle/DB2 server must match a version supported by the JDBC driver embedded in the CAST Database Extractorexternal link (used to extract the SQL data). This is different and wider than the supported versions for a participating database. Note that versions supported by AIP Core for a participating databases can be found in the official CAST AIP documentation (e.g. SQL - Covered technologies).
On Workstation used for extraction (where the CAST Database Extractor / CAST Delivery Manager Tool is deployed)
  • Windows or Linux (Unix/Linux OS may require some additional .ksh scripts).
  • JRE 1.7 (ideally 64 bit version to allow for a JVM large heap size).
  • Minimum 1.2 GB RAM memory free, more if available.
  • DMT/extractor location:
    • Ideally, install the DMT/extractor on the RDBMS server (Oracle or DB2) itself.
    • Alternatively on a machine with:
      • very good bandwidth (1 GB/s) to the Oracle / DB2 server (some remote extractions fail due to poor VPN bandwidth)
      • connectivity to the Oracle / DB2 server (required ports open)
  • 4 GB free disk space (for temporary files before compression)
  • 250 MB free disk space (to store the two extraction archives) included in above requirement.
  • When using the standalone CAST Database Extractor to extract the SQL data (instead of using the extractors built into the CAST Delivery Manager Tool) you should download the extractor here: https://extend.castsoftware.com/:white_check_mark:/extension?id=com.castsoftware.aip.extractor.sqldatabase&version=latestexternal link
On AIP Node used for analysis
  • Windows (uses AIP).
  • 2 GB RAM memory free (for analysis/snapshot)
  • Connectivity to the CAST Storage Service/PostgreSQL instance server hosting the application schemas (port open)
  • 5-10 GB free disk space (to store the source code, once expanded by the Deploy phase)
  • Disable anti-virus software. Check that no anti-virus is running on the workstation or disable real-time scan for the work folders (delivery & deploy folders + temp folders). Failure to do so will multiply the injection runtime.
Tables required to grant access to the PeopleSoft repository The following database tables are accessed during the PeopleSoft extraction process: PEOPLESOFT_TABLES.txt.

FAQs

Please see PeopleSoft & Siebel FAQ.

Architecture and analysis principles

This section discusses the way CAST analyzes PeopleSoft projects and describes the specific metrics that form part of the standard CAST Quality Model.

The image below describes the entire process of computing quality assessments of PeopleSoft projects, from the extraction of the PeopleSoft source code and meta-data to the integration of the quality results into the CAST AIP dashboards.

Discrimination process

The purpose of the discrimination process is to identify differences between the standard installation (also called Vanilla) and the Project environment.

In order to identify these modifications, we require the source code delivery for the Project and the Vanilla. To integrate them, we create two Analysis schemas:

  • Project Analysis schema: contains the results of the technical analysis of the current version of the PeopleSoft project
  • Vanilla Analysis schema: contains the results of the technical analysis of the baseline of a PeopleSoft implementation. This Analysis Service should not be undergo snapshot generation each time and for each project. It should instead undergo snapshot generation each time the Vanilla changes (patch, upgrade etc.). This Analysis schema can be used by multiple projects.

PeopleSoft technology coverage

The objects listed below are all the object types that a PeopleSoft analysis will deliver in the Analysis schema. With these objects, CAST is capable of supporting a set of quality rules to provide a customer with a good overview of the current technical status of a PeopleSoft application. It is not the intention of Cast to capture all details and syntaxes; a coupling between requirement and detection is made.

PeopleSoft artifacts and their relations

The PeopleSoft extension is capable of detecting a large number of objects, properties and links. All of these artifacts are mentioned in the image above, but in essence, all PeopleSoft objects are supported:

  • User
  • Role
  • Permission List
  • Component Interface
  • Menu – We distinguish different types:
    • Menu
    • Popup
  • Component
  • Message Channel
  • Message Node
  • Message
  • Page – We distinguish different types:
    • Page
    • Sub
    • Secondary
  • Application Engine – We distinguish different types:
    • Standard
    • Upgrade only
    • Import only
    • Daemon only
  • Transform only
  • Style Sheet
  • Record – We distinguish different types:
    • Table
    • View
    • Derived
    • Sub
    • Dynamic
    • Query
    • Temp
  • SQL – We distinguish different types:
    • View
    • SQL
    • AE step
  • DBField
  • Application Package
  • Peoplecode – We distinguish different types:
    • Event
    • Function
    • Class
    • Method
  • Field format
  • Mobile Page
  • HTML
  • Query
  • File Layout
  • Business Process
  • Activity
  • Process group
  • Job
  • Process 

Download, installation, configuration and operating instructions

See Onboarding with CAST Imaging Console.

What results can you expect?

Objects

Icon Description
PeopleSoft Activity
PeopleSoft ActivityEmail
PeopleSoft ActivityEvent
PeopleSoft ActivityReport
PeopleSoft ActivitySchedule
PeopleSoft ActivityStep
PeopleSoft ActivityWorklist
PeopleSoft Application Engine Action Call
PeopleSoft Application Engine Action Message
PeopleSoft Application Engine Action Peoplecode
PeopleSoft Application Engine Action SQL
PeopleSoft Application Engine Action XSLT
PeopleSoft Application Engine Action Deamon Only
PeopleSoft Application Engine Action Import Only
PeopleSoft Application Engine Action Section
PeopleSoft Application Engine Action Section Market
PeopleSoft Application Engine Action Standard
PeopleSoft Application Engine Action Step
PeopleSoft Application Engine Action Transform Only
PeopleSoft Application Engine Action Upgrade Only
PeopleSoft Application Class
PeopleSoft Application Class Execute
PeopleSoft Application Method
PeopleSoft Application Package
PeopleSoft Permission Component Interface
PeopleSoft Permission CI Method
PeopleSoft Authentication CnhlMon
PeopleSoft Authentication Cube

PeopleSoft Authentication Item

PeopleSoft Authentication Mobile Page

PeopleSoft Authentication Option

PeopleSoft Authentication Process

PeopleSoft Authentication Queue Monitor

PeopleSoft Authentication WebService
PeopleSoft BusinessProcess
PeopleSoft BusinessProcessItem
PeopleSoft CompInterface Event
PeopleSoft CI Property Level 0 Event

PeopleSoft CI Property Level 1 Event

PeopleSoft CI Property Level 2 Event
PeopleSoft Component
PeopleSoft Component Event
PeopleSoft Component Interface
PeopleSoft CI Collection Level 1

PeopleSoft CI Collection Level 2

PeopleSoft CI Collection Level 3
PeopleSoft CI CreateKey
PeopleSoft CI FindKey
PeopleSoft CI GetKey
PeopleSoft CI Property Level 0
PeopleSoft CI Property Level 1

PeopleSoft CI Property Level 2

PeopleSoft CI Property Level 3
PeopleSoft CI User Property Level 0
PeopleSoft CI User Property Level 1

PeopleSoft CI User Property Level 2

PeopleSoft CI User Property Level 3
PeopleSoft Component Item
PeopleSoft Component Record
PeopleSoft ComponentRecord Event
PeopleSoft ComponentRecord Field
PeopleSoft ComponentRecordField Event
PeopleSoft DBField
PeopleSoft Environment
PeopleSoft Field Format
PeopleSoft Field Label Item
PeopleSoft Field XLAT Item
PeopleSoft File Layout
PeopleSoft HTML
PeopleSoft Menu
PeopleSoft Menu Bar
PeopleSoft Menu Event
PeopleSoft Menu Item
PeopleSoft Menu Popup
PeopleSoft Message
PeopleSoft Message Catalog
PeopleSoft Message Event
PeopleSoft Message Node
PeopleSoft Message Sent
PeopleSoft Mobile Page
PeopleSoft Message Channel
PeopleSoft Message Subscription
PeopleSoft Package
PeopleSoft Page
PeopleSoft SubPage
PeopleSoft SecondaryPage
PeopleSoft Page Event
PeopleSoft Page Field0
PeopleSoft Page Field1
PeopleSoft Page Field2
PeopleSoft Page Field3
PeopleSoft Page Field Level1

PeopleSoft Page Field Level2

PeopleSoft Page Field Level3
PeopleSoft PeopleCodeFunction
PeopleSoft Permission List
PeopleSoft Portal Content Reference
PeopleSoft Portal Folder
PeopleSoft Portal Registry
PeopleSoft Process
PeopleSoft ProcessGroup
PeopleSoft ProcessJob

PeopleSoft Query
PeopleSoft RecordDerived
PeopleSoft RecordDynamic
PeopleSoft RecordFieldDB
PeopleSoft RecordFieldEvent
PeopleSoft RecordField
PeopleSoft RecordIndex
PeopleSoft RecordQuery
PeopleSoft RecordSub
PeopleSoft RecordTable
PeopleSoft RecordTemp
PeopleSoft RecordView
PeopleSoft Role
PeopleSoft SQL
PeopleSoft StyleSheet
PeopleSoft SubPackage
PeopleSoft Subscription Event
PeopleSoft URL
PeopleSoft User

Structural Rules

The following structural rules are provided:

Release Link
5.2.1 https://technologies.castsoftware.com/rules?sec=srs_peoplesoft&ref=||5.2.1external link
5.2.0 https://technologies.castsoftware.com/rules?sec=srs_peoplesoft&ref=||5.2.0external link

You can also find a global list here:

https://technologies.castsoftware.com/rules?sec=t_1600000&ref=||external link

Performance issues

A Peoplesoft analysis almost always takes longer then other technologies supported by CAST and is dependent on the fact that both the Vanilla, Project and the delta between them should be extracted and analyzed. Some tips listed below can help to improve total extraction and analysis time:

  • Ensure that the infrastructure on which the extraction and analysis takes place is of high quality using fast disks such as SSD or SCSI with ample free RAM.
  • For the extraction phase:
    • consider skipping the database extraction if you do not need to see the result of quality rules run on these extractions - see PeopleSoft specific - Why do we need to extract also the Oracle or DB2 database (PL/SQL structure)? in Siebel and PeopleSoft - FAQsexternal link.
    • ensure that the extraction is actioned on the server hosting the database itself - if a remote server is used, then network performance will impact the extraction time.
    • the Peoplesoft schema (on Oracle or DB2) stats should be up to date:
      • If not up-to-date for Oracle, update it with the following SQL statement (requires some privileges : GRANT execute ON dbms_stats TO XXX);
Execute dbms_stats.gather_schema_stats(ownname => 'MY_PSOFT_SCHEMA', estimate_percent => dbms_stats.auto_sample_size, method_opt => 'for all columns size auto', cascade => true);
      • If not up-to-date for DB2, check if DB2 automatic runstats and DB2 real time statistics are enabled. If not, ask the DBA to run the following or similar:
 db2 reorgchk update statistics on table all

Known issues/limitations

The following section lists all known issues/limitations in this release of the extension.

Error when displaying source code in CAST dashboards

Most PeopleSoft objects don’t have associated source code as they correspond to a configuration. In the CAST dashboards, an error will therefore be displayed when trying to display the object source code (example error message from the legacy CAST Engineering Dashboard):

 

No bookmarks are displayed for violations in source code in CAST dashboards

When using the CAST dashboards, no “bookmarks” will be displayed to indicate where violations occur in source code. This is a limitation of the extension.

Warnings in the analysis log

The following warnings may appear in the analysis log:

  • end of string ’’’ not found
  • end of string ‘[’]’ not found
  • File skipped

This is a limitation of the extension: when the end of a string pattern is not found inside an object’s source code, an error is raised as the syntax is not understood. In the context of PeopleSoft, SQL objects can be created and configured to contain the sub-part of an SQL statement that can be re-used in other objects. As such these SQL statements may be incomplete which will cause the warnings described above to appear. To avoid these type of warnings, this partial SQL should not be analyzed individually, but rather in the context of where it has been included.