Creating CDs of our products

The following processes will be followed henceforth for

1. releasing new versions of our product CD images
2. CDs to be burned/printed and kept ready, and
3. Merce PSG to pick up latest versions of CDs before going to client site.

In the list of steps below, the first word, in [square brackets], identifies which group will do the job. This group will be responsible for correct and timely completion of the task.

1. [STG]: Whenever a new Merce ISO is released, one copy of the ISO file will be kept on our servers, and this page on our Intranet [1] will be updated to announce the details.

   This page will inform everyone of the name/number of the latest release, the changes in this release, and there will be a URL to the ISO image. So, anyone can click on the ISO URL and download it.

   This page will specify what the CD jewel-case insert should specify, and what the CD's label should specify (in terms of version information) for this release.

   No entries will ever be deleted from this page. New entries will be added to the top of this page, pushing down earlier entries.

2. [STG]: Whenever a new Merce ISO is released, a mail will go from STG to <merce.newrelease@merceworld.com> announcing (in brief) that a new release has happened, and details are available on the Intranet page. The mail must mention product type, even if nothing else. The mail could be just:

   New release of Merce 64-bit for Centos 5.4 happened today at 4:15PM. Details on Intranet page. Media: CD.

   The "Merce 64-bit for Centos 5.4" is the product type. The "media:" tag tells GenSvc whether this ISO needs a DVD blank or it will fit in a (smaller) CD blank. This is most important for GenSvc to know --- STG must tell them this. ISO bigger than 700 MB will require a DVD, but GenSvc will not be expected to figure this out.

3. [GenSvc]: Within one working day of receiving a notification mail from <merce.newrelease>, GenSvc will print CD labels on blank CDs and jewel-case inserts for the new version. They will then insert the blank CDs in the jewel-cases and prepare at least FIVE such sets. They will then contact Support Group and ask them to burn the ISO images into the CDs.

   They will take out from the cupboard any CDs of older version of the same product type, mark them with black lines across both surfaces using permanent marker (not whiteboard marker) and then destroy the CDs. They will re-use the jewel cases by removing the inserts and replacing with new inserts if needed.

   CDs of old versions must never be left lying around. They must always be defaced using permanent marker and then physically broken.

4. [Support]: As soon as GenSvc contacts them that printed CD blanks are ready, they will pick up the blanks and burn the correct ISO images on them. They will then read each burned CD and check that the checksum from the CD matches the checksum of the ISO image. They will then return all five CDs, in their jewel-cases, back to GenSvc. If they make a mistake, e.g. burning the wrong ISO image onto the blank CD-R, they will immediately get a fresh blank printed from GenSvc, burn it with the correct ISO, and destroy the erroneous blank CD-R.

   Support will get one working day to do all this.

5. [PSG]: will always pick up latest CDs from GenSvc for any product. When they take CDs, they will tell GenSvc which customer or party each CD is for, and this will be entered in an Excel spreadsheet by GenSvc.

   It will be the job of Merce PSG to ascertain that they are indeed being given the latest version of the product which they want. If v3.1.2 has been released a week back, but they install v3.1.1 at client site, PSG will be penalised.

6. [GenSvc]: Whenever anyone from Support or PSG takes any of the CDs, GenSvc will make an entry in an Excel spreadsheet giving the following details in separate columns:

   • date
   • which officer is taking the CD
   • product type
   • product version
   • name of party/customer/partner/other purpose for whom the CDs are being taken

   Other columns which will be left blank include:

   • returned on (date)
   • returned by (officer's name)

   They will then immediately prepare more sets of CD+jewelcase to replenish the ones taken, so that at least FIVE sets of CDs are available for each product type at all times. Once they prepare the blank CD sets, they will immediately inform Support that there are blank CDs which need to be burned.

   As before, GenSvc will get one working day to prepare the blank CD sets from the date the old CDs are taken. And then Support will get one more working day to burn the blank CDs and return them to GenSvc.

7. [PSG]: When any officer returns from a client visit or pilot-setup project and has product CDs with him, he will return them to GenSvc. GenSvc will then make the return-date entry in the Excel spreadsheet.

   Therefore, under those circumstances, it is possible that GenSvc will have more than FIVE CD sets of a particular product type. This is acceptable. CDs are cheap. Time to prepare the CD is not.

8. [PSG]: When an officer is about to leave for an outstation visit carryinbg product CDs, he will contact GenSvc and get the latest CDs of the right number. Sometimes, this will have to be negotiated on the phone because PSG officers are always travelling. Sometimes, GenSvc will be asked to courier the CD sets to a particular address. Sometimes, GenSvc will need to send an office assistant to a particular location (e.g. a railway station or airport or Project Engineer's home) and deliver the CD sets.

   PSG engineers must have cellphone numbers of GenSvc officers so that they can be contacted outside office hours.

9. [GenSvc]: Whenever there is a request from a PSG team member for CD sets to take to client sites, GenSvc will discuss how to deliver the CD sets most conveniently, if the PSG member is not in office.

   This particular task will sometimes need to be done at any time of day or night, on holidays or weekends. Cellphones must always be kept available.

10. [PSG]: If PSG ever believes that they will need more than five CD sets at short notice for any of their products, they must warn GenSvc by email, cc to Shraddha and Shuvam, giving a MINIMUM of THREE WORKING DAYS notice. Failure to do this will be treated very severely. It is acceptable if PSG says "We'll need 10 more sets four days from now" and then these CD sets are not required. If CD-R disks are wasted occasionally because of this, it is acceptable. But if sufficient warning is not given and then heavy last-minute pressure is put on GenSvc or Support, that will not be accepted.

In this email, the term "CD" refers to both CD (700MB) and DVD (4.7GB).

After this email, Support Engineers should never be seen to be printing CD labels and jewel-case inserts on the GenSvc Bay inkjet printer. If they are seen doing this, it will be seen as a process failure and a long and tortuous analysis and review by top-mgmt will be carried out to find out why process failed.

If it is ever seen that any engineer is working at client site or in office (for internal testing purposes) with CD/DVD which has not be properly printed and labelled, or which does not have a jewel-case, then that officer will first be penalised (salary deduction of minimum seven days' pay) and then questioned why. It is acceptable for an engineer to not do his work, however urgent it may be, rather than do the work with an unlabelled CD or missing jewel-case.