HaloPSA

HaloPSA Guides

Documentation to assist with the setup and configuration of the HaloPSA platform

Guides > Configuration Change Tracking & Instance Management

Configuration Change Tracking & Instance Management

Overview

Released in Version: 2.104.1

This comprehensive covers configuration management in Halo, including:

  • Enabling and tracking configuration changes
  • Managing changes between UAT and Production environments
  • Rolling back changes when needed
  • Synchronizing instances
  • Best practices for configuration management
  • Importing and exporting configurations

Getting Started: Enabling Configuration Tracking

Before using configuration tracking features:

  1. Navigate to Configuration > Advanced Settings
  2. Locate the "Config Change Tracking" setting
  3. Enable the setting

Identification: When configuration tracking is active, you'll see the tracking icon in the top right of supported screens:

Important: Once enabled, the system will:

  • Capture snapshots of each configuration change
  • Generate rollback scripts where possible
  • Track changes across supported entities
  • Enable synchronization between environments

Change Tracking Details

The system provides comprehensive tracking capabilities:

Tracking Features

  • Complete audit trail of all configuration changes
  • Automatic encryption of sensitive data
  • Detailed change history with timestamps and user information
  • API request details for each change

Security Note: Configuration changes involving passwords and sensitive information are automatically encrypted and details will not be visible in the change list.

Viewing and Managing Configuration Changes

Once enabled, you can track and manage configuration changes through several interfaces:

Configuration Change List

Access the configuration change list through Configuration > Advanced Settings > "View config changes". Changes are listed from newest to oldest, providing a complete audit trail.

Fig 1: Configuration change list showing tracked changes

Security Note: Configuration changes involving passwords and sensitive information are automatically encrypted and details will not be visible in the change list.

Rolling Back Changes

Halo provides robust rollback capabilities for configuration changes:

Important: When you select a change to roll back, the system will revert all changes made after and including the selected change. This is not a single-change rollback feature.

To roll back changes:

  1. Navigate to the configuration change list
  2. Locate the change you want to roll back to
  3. Click "Roll back before this change"
  4. Confirm the rollback operation

Fig 2: Example of configuration change details and rollback option

Best Practice: Before performing a rollback:

  • Review all changes that will be reverted
  • Document the current state in case you need to recreate any changes
  • Consider creating a backup or export of your current configuration
  • Communicate with team members about the planned rollback

Managing Multiple Instances

For organizations with both UAT and Production environments, Halo provides tools to manage configurations across instances:

Instance Synchronization

You can sync instances in several ways:

  • Automatic Sync: Use "Push to UAT" or "Pull from UAT" buttons for complete synchronization
  • Manual Export/Import: Select specific changes to transfer between instances

⚠️ Important Considerations

Dependencies: The system uses direct JSON posts for changes. This means:

  • All dependencies must be included when moving changes
  • Base configurations must exist in both instances
  • Changes should ideally be made within concentrated time periods

Supported Configuration Entities

Configuration tracking and synchronization supports a wide range of entities, including:

  • Global settings
  • Enabled modules
  • Ticket Types
  • Statuses
  • Action config
  • Workflows
  • Templates
  • Charge Types
  • Service Categories
  • Services
  • Custom Fields
  • Custom Tabs
  • Custom Tables
  • Field Groups
  • Canned Text
  • Qualifications
  • Workdays
  • Notifications
  • Ticket rules
  • Email Templates
  • Asset Groups
  • Asset Types
  • SLAs
  • View Lists
  • Column Profiles
  • Filter Profiles
  • Categories
  • Teams
  • Organisations
  • Departments
  • Roles
  • Lookup
  • Asset Fields
  • Site Fields
  • Chat Profiles
  • Approval Groups
  • Approval Rules
  • User Roles
  • FAQ Lists
  • Custom Buttons
  • Ticket Areas

UAT and Production Instance Management

For organizations using both UAT and Production environments, Halo provides tools for managing configurations found in Configuration > Instances.


Instance Synchronization Status

An instance is considered "in-sync" when:

  • It matches the version of the current instance
  • A UAT restore has been performed from production after upgrading to v2.104
  • All configuration dependencies are properly aligned

⚠️ Synchronization Considerations

When synchronizing instances:

  • Changes are applied sequentially from oldest to newest
  • All dependencies must be included in the synchronization
  • Base configurations must exist in both environments
  • Consider making changes within concentrated time periods

Synchronization Methods

Automatic Synchronization

For synced instances, you have two primary options:

  • Push Changes: Send configuration changes to another instance
  • Pull Changes: Retrieve configuration changes from another instance

Manual Export/Import

For more granular control:

  • Select specific changes from the configuration change list
  • Export selected changes to a JSON file
  • Import the JSON file into another instance

    Click "import"

    Paste the JSON into the memo box

Important: When synchronizing instances:

  • Changes are applied sequentially from oldest to newest
  • Each change replicates the exact API request from the source instance
  • Ensure all dependencies exist in the target instance before synchronizing

UAT Instance Management

For non-production instances, additional management options are available:

Restore from Production

Use the "Restore from Production" button to:

  • Create a support request with Halo Support
  • Update your UAT instance with the latest production data
  • Ensure testing environments match production

Change Tracking

Monitor configuration differences through:

  • Changes Behind: View changes needed to catch up to production
  • Changes Ahead: View changes made in UAT that aren't in production

Best Practice: Regular synchronization between environments helps:

  • Maintain consistent testing environments
  • Reduce configuration drift
  • Simplify change management
  • Ensure accurate testing results

Configuration Migration Best Practices

Planning Changes

  • Make changes in concentrated time periods
  • Document all changes and their dependencies
  • Test changes in UAT before applying to production
  • Maintain a regular sync schedule between environments

Security Considerations

  • Sensitive data and passwords are automatically encrypted
  • Access to configuration management should be restricted
  • All configuration changes are tracked and auditable
  • Regular backups should be maintained

Critical Reminder: Always verify these points before major configuration changes:

  • All required dependencies are present in both environments
  • Backup of current configuration is available
  • Team members are notified of pending changes
  • Change window is properly scheduled and communicated

Quick Reference Tags

Features

Configuration Tracking Change Management Rollback UAT Sync Production Sync Import/Export Version Control Audit Trail

Environments

Production UAT Development Testing Multi-Instance

Processes

Configuration Migration Change Tracking Version Management Backup Restore Security Encryption
#Halo #ConfigurationManagement #ChangeTracking #UAT #Production #SyncManagement #ConfigMigration #VersionControl #Configuration #HaloGuide #ConfigurationBackup #ChangeManagement #BestPractices #ConfigurationControl #SystemAdmin #ITOperations

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