May 2023--The first thing one thinks of when it relates to updates for the cloud software they use is new features. However, the user interface on the screen is only the tip of the iceberg and only part of what makes the software work. There is a lot of software and hardware working behind the scenes as well.
Just as we do for the InfoReady platform itself, we continuously evaluate the infrastructure that supports it. We strive to deliver performance, reliability, and security and a strong foundation is necessary to maintain the software platform you have come to rely on. Given these commitments, our team has been hard at work the last several months building new infrastructure for InfoReady on Amazon Web Services (AWS). That hard work is about to pay off. In May 2023, InfoReady will be migrating our hosting provider (also known as a server migration) and ready to move platform operations to AWS.
Moving to a new hosting environment will require migrating all client data to AWS from our current hosting provider. This migration will take some time. As a result, we are planning an extended maintenance window over a full weekend.
As an InfoReady user, you may be wondering what these infrastructure upgrades mean for you and whether your organization needs to take any action. We have put together the FAQs below to address any questions you may have.
Q. What are the benefits for me and my institution?
A. There are several benefits for clients as InfoReady upgrades its infrastructure.
- Platform availability – AWS provides far better means for the InfoReady platform to scale operations as you continue to expand your usage of the platform, which results in overall better performance and reliability.
- Support – AWS provides far better coverage in the event of an unplanned incident. AWS will provide a better means to provide the best SLA’s possible.
Q: Why is this migration necessary?
A: To accommodate continuous improvements and the increased adoption of the InfoReady platform. Our current hosting provider is unable to provide infrastructure that meets our expectations when it comes to performance, reliability, security, and support. These are our commitments to you. The move to AWS will ensure that we are leveraging best-in-class infrastructure to support your use of the InfoReady platform.
Q: When will the migration occur?
A: We plan to begin the migration at 12:01 AM EST, Saturday, May 20th and we expect it to be completed by 11:59 PM EST, Sunday, May 21st (up to 48 hours). All InfoReady sites will be unavailable to all users during this time. InfoReady will contact administrators via email when the migration is complete.
- Migration start time: Saturday, May 20, 2023, 12:01 AM EST
- Migration end time: Sunday, May 21, 2023, 11:59 PM EST
Q: What if there is an issue during the migration?
A. While we are making every effort to ensure a seamless migration, should any technical issues arise during this migration window we may need to halt the migration. In this case, we are targeting Saturday, June 17th through Sunday, June 18th as an alternative migration window. We will provide clear and definitive communication about the rescheduled migration date, if the situation arises.
Q: I have competitions that I need to launch or are scheduled to launch immediately before or during the migration. Do I need to take action?
A: Yes. We recommend that any new competitions be launched by Thursday, May 18th. You will not be able to launch or edit competitions during the maintenance window, which begins at 12:01 AM EST on Saturday, May 20th. Please note that for many clients not in the Eastern Time Zone, the maintenance window will begin the evening of Friday, May 19th. If you are unable to launch your opportunity prior to the maintenance window, then please wait until you receive communication from InfoReady that the migration is complete before launching new competitions.
As you plan for new competitions, also take into consideration the possibility of the alternative migration date (i.e., June 17th through June 18th).
Q: What will people see on screen if they try to go to an InfoReady site during the maintenance window?
A: Anyone visiting an InfoReady page (aside from the support portal) during the migration window will arrive a white page with a maintenance message. Users will not be able to view, access, or take any actions on their InfoReady sites. The maintenance message will include links to the support portal and the FAQ article.
Q: I have competitions with deadlines near or during the migration window. What action do I need to take?
A: No competitions should be given deadlines of May 18th through May 22nd.
- Existing competitions: edit deadlines as soon as possible
- Future competitions: plan launch dates and set deadlines to avoid a conflict with the maintenance window.
Q: Do I need to worry about my data in InfoReady?
A: No. Your data is backed up daily. We will run a complete backup prior to the migration.
Q: We use single sign-on on our InfoReady site. Do you expect any impact to our SSO?
A: No. We do not anticipate any impact to existing SSO configurations. Post-migration, any SSO issues should be reported to InfoReady Support immediately.
Q: We have email spoofing configured with InfoReady. Will this feature be impacted?
A: No. We are not making any changes to the way InfoReady handles email. As such, we do not expect any impact to emails sent by InfoReady, to email spoofing configurations, or to email server IPs that have been whitelisted.
Q: I have an inbound or outbound data feed with InfoReady. Will my feed(s) be impacted?
A: Though they are not impacted by the server migration, data feed configurations are being updated at the same time. In the coming weeks, we will be communicating directly to clients who have data feeds. We will be changing the way our data feeds work, moving away from dedicated IP addresses for our SFTP to a DNS name. We will provide the DNS names to client IT contacts directly, and they will need to make changes to their SFTP configuration. Making this change during the maintenance window will ensure that we do not have to request that clients make changes in the future during a less opportune time.
Q: What should I do if I notice an issue post-migration?
A: If you experience an issue or even suspect that there may be an issue, please do not hesitate to contact InfoReady Support by at support@inforeadycorp.com or phone at (734) 929-0010, ext. 256.
We’re doing all we can to make this transition as smooth as possible. We appreciate your understanding, partnership, patience, and support.
Best, Maurice Collins, COO
