2022-06-07 / Questetra Developers Blog

Thank you for using Questetra.
I would like to announce that starting from April 2022, you will be able to select the update schedule (update date) for the new version for each workflow platform.

All workflow platforms have been updated at the same time previously. In addition, there was no environment which was updated beforehand for customers to check their own Apps and scripts on the new version in advance, except for the online demo platform which has no access restrictions. Therefore, there were the following issues when conducting preliminary verification regarding the effects of newly added functions and specifications change, and the behaviors of customer-specific automatic processing.

  1. The period for verification is too short
    • Must be verified in 2 weeks that is from announcement to update
  2. Can only be verified on a workflow platform with no access restrictions (anyone can use it)
    • It is difficult (or impossible) to check the workflow application used in actual business and the original automatic processing

From April 2022, customers will be able to select either [Rapid Update] or [Scheduled Update] for the date of an update to each workflow platform. Customers who wish to perform pre-verification with a dedicated workflow platform can subscribe to two workflow platforms, and by setting the platform for actual operation as [Scheduled Update] and the platform for verification as [Rapid Update] so that It will be possible to fully perform the operation verification of the workflow application and automatic processing prepared by the customer own, and to check the added functions and specifications changes.

  • Rapid Update
    • New features will be available immediately with the release of the new version of Questetra
    • Normally, the workflow platform will be updated on the new version release date which is two weeks after the advance release announcement
  • Scheduled Update (default)
    • The workflow platform will be updated approximately 1 month (4-5 weeks) after the Rapid Update is implemented
    • In the period about a month from the Rapid Update, you’ll be able to get ready to apply the new version

Press Release => “Questetra: Introduced Update Date Choice system“

Questetra version and notation format

The version of Questetra is written in the format X.Y.Z (semantic versioning).
The new version that allows you to select the update schedule is the version to which the function is to be added (X/Y is updated).

  • X: Major version
    • a version in which App archive compatibility changing
    • A version that includes function additions and specification change
  • Y: Minor version
    • A version that includes function additions and specification change
  • Z: Patch version
    • A version that includes only bug fixes and minor specification changes

Note that when indicating a new version, “.Z” indicating the patch version may be omitted.

Annual update policy

Questetra has traditionally had a major version update once a year and a minor version update three times (four new versions a year). In addition, the patch version is updated at the required timing according to the situation such as a defect.

For example, the recent version history is as follows.

  • Ver, 13.0 (a major version)
    • April, 2021: Ver. 13.0.0
  • Ver, 13.1 (a minor version)
    • July, 2021: Ver. 13.1.0
  • Ver, 13.2 (a minor version)
    • October, 2021: Ver. 13.2.0
    • December, 2021: Ver. 13.2.1
  • Ver, 13.3 (a major version)
    • January, 2022: Ver. 13.3.0
    • March, 2022: Ver. 13.3.1

As the new version (major/minor) will take about one month for an update after April 2022, we plan to release the new version three times a year (one major/two minors).

Future updates are planned as follows.

  • Ver, 14.0 (a major version)
    • April, 2022: Applies only to the [Rapid Update] workflow platforms
    • May, 2022: Applies to the rest of the workflow platforms (Scheduled Updates/Trials)
  • Ver, 14.1 (a minor version)
    • August, 2022: Applies only to the [Rapid Update] workflow platforms
    • September, 2022: Applies to the rest of the workflow platforms (Scheduled Updates/Trials)
  • Ver, 14.2 (a minor version)
    • December, 2022: Applies only to the [Rapid Update] workflow platforms
    • January, 2023: Applies to the rest of the workflow platforms (Scheduled Updates/Trials)

Schedule for new version release

At Questetra, the announcement and release of the new version, and the work of updating and system maintenance are basically carried out on Monday, Japan time.
The timing when the new version is applied differs depending on the workflow platform, but maintenance work with service outages will be carried out on all workflow platforms.

  • 2 weeks in advance of the new version release date
    • Announcement of new version and service outage
    • Announced on the Questetra Support site
    • Email notification to the System Administrators of the workflow platform
  • New Version Release Date
    • Rapid Update: Ver.X.Y
    • Update to the new version only for the workflow platform for which [Rapid Update] is selected
    • [Scheduled Update] and Trial workflow platforms are also out of service (maintenance)
  • Approximately 1 month after the new version release date (4-5 weeks later)
    • Scheduled Update: Ver.X.Y
    • The announcement is one week in advance of the update date
    • Update all workflow platforms to the new version
      • [Scheduled Update] and “Trial” workflow platforms updated to new version
      • [Rapid Update] workflow platforms are also out of service (maintenance)

When a patch version is released, it will be announced one week in advance of the release date and all target workflow platforms will be updated on the release date.

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