Features of MDChange Change Management Software for IBM i

Discover the Many Capabilities within MDChange

With MDChange, businesses large and small get the same great functionality

The robust features of MDChange change management software for IBM i cover source and project management, analysis management, distribution management & more.

Project Management

  • Business users or team leaders can enter projects or issue requests with a central online tool
  • Track requests by programmer, status, due date, etc.
  • Reference all objects modified, or commands performed, for each project
  • MDWorkflow web interface provides special acceptance testing approval processes, attachments, and custom fields for enforced workflow
  • Sync project and deployment  information automatically across all systems
  • Interface with external project management tools with an API
  • Get online, paper, or electronic reports with the built-in report generator

Analysis Management

  • Developers and business users can quickly navigate through application objects and data with MDXREF, included free with MDChange
  • Quickly and easily search the entire database for specific fields or field attributes
  • External references to open source languages are automatically updated
  • Complex bound objects are easy to understand with MDXREF
  • Understand SQL relationships
  • Find and report data transactions with comprehensive journal analysis
  • Use powerful comparison tools to search for differences at the library, object, source, or data level of an application

Source and Object Management

  • Eliminate risk of version conflicts in a team environment with reservation system for source and objects to be modified
  • Edit, compile, test, and generate reports from the developer workspace within MDChange
  • Set rules easily via administrator functions so that source and objects are always handled in the correct manner
  • Handle all IBM i object types, including IFS stream files, SQL entities, ILE components, message descriptions, and configuration data
  • Select objects quickly in libraries delivered from external vendors for migration into your environment
  • Manage native source in source files or stream files, including automated integration with Git and SVN
  • Automatically select all dependent files, programs, queries, etc., for modification or recompilation when a file is selected to be modified

Installation Management

  • Know in advance of any conflicts, missed objects, etc. using the Pre-Installation Checker
  • Archive previous versions of source and objects (up to 99 generations per object); if necessary, part or all of an object package may be rolled back at any time
  • Map data in modified files to new format
  • Replicate source or objects to any number of target libraries or directories
  • Apply all necessary object authorities
  • Define commands to run before or after installation is complete
  • Rollback of installation is automatic when it cannot be completed, and detailed error reporting is provided
  • Install hands-free while users are not on the system using scheduler functions
  • Require approval from an authorized user before installation can occur

Distribution Management

  • Distribute object packages simultaneously to unlimited IBM i machines or partitions via FTP, SNA, or third-party file transfer tools
  • Manage data records for control files and other file driven processes
  • Allow for differences in operating system versions
  • Select whether to send only source, only objects, both, or neither
  • Address custom packaging requirements – essential for software vendors
  • Detailed logging and the ability to retrieve installation logs for target systems

Audit Management

  • Use MDSEC to prevent unauthorized access and secure all functions in MDChange individually.
  • Perform comprehensive logging each time an installation occurs. Detailed information may be viewed online or with a customized report.
  • Know every change made to your applications at the data and object levels with detailed audit reporting for object modifications made outside of MDChange.
  • Build custom audit reports

A Better Way to Manage Authorization Lists

Managing IBM i authorization lists is very cumbersome using the commands supplied by IBM, but MDSEC enhances authorization list management in a number of ways:

• Search lists for a specific user
• Change or remove authorizations for all users in a list at once
• Change or remove all lists for a user at once
• Map the authorization list entries for one user to another user or group of users
• Create, edit, or delete the lists themselves

DDM Security

Distributed Data Management (DDM) provides a simple means to access and update data on a target IBM i using programs running on a local IBM i system.

MDChange, for example, uses DDM to synchronize Project and Workflow information as well as to track object migrations across systems. But if an organization allows DDM to be used without sufficient security measures in place, there’s a significant risk that unauthorized persons can read and manipulate data.

Fortunately with the DDM security features in MDSEC you can:

• Filter access by user profile
• Filter access by library
• Filter access by individual files, data queues, or data areas
• Filter by usage (view or update)
• Filter by transaction types
• Log some or all DDM transactions

MDSEC significantly enhances your ability to easily secure your systems.

Database Encryption

MDChange supports the use of custom encryption. You can also easily use MDChange with tools such as Powertech Encryption for IBM i (formerly Crypto Complete).