Data Lost Problem !!!

[lubos]

Hello,
we occasionally met  the following problem that is VERY dangerous for us:

1) the model is stored in MS SQL server
2) Parts of the model are versioned  in XML files (ClearCase)
3) We checked out the concrete part of the model (XML file was checkout consequently)
4) We made some changes
5) EA reamined run during the night
6) In the middle of the night we make an automatic DB backup
7) In the morning all the new data are lost, it seems EA synchronized the model with the original XML file again
In the DB backup the data are not present as well, so thi s happened possibly before the backup.

We don't understand how this could happen. It's very serios problem for us, since it dispraise our trust into EArchitect.
It's not the first situation when we lost some data from EA.
Dou you have any suggestions?

Thanks in advance

[Geert Bellekens]

Hi,

I can't believe EA would automatically synchronise VC'ed xml files. EA is purely a client, so if it is not used on the client (even when it is on) it does nothing.
I'm guessing this has to have something to do with transactions that are not properly committed. I can imagine that SQL server would do a rollback to the latest checkpoint before making a backup.
Maybe there is something wrong in the way EA commits the data to the database?

[lubos]

Hi all,
in the case I have described we have found the reason.
One employee when trying to checkout already checkouted part of the model, agreed to do ___unreserved checkout___
This action does the import of the XML data and thus deletes all the chages made by an employee who made regular checkout before.

This is not good behaviour, since we can't restrict unreserved checkouts, but we are happy we know the reason at least for now.

Thanks

[Geert Bellekens]

We solved a similar issue by turning on the security in EA.
With the option "Require user lock to edit" you can make sure that only the user who has locked the modelpart can actually make changes to it.
I know this is kind of double, but EA automatically pops up the lock/unlock dialog when checkin in/out a version controlled modelpart, so it is a reasonable workaround.

PS. Our issue was that a checked-out modelpart would still be editable by other users then the one who checked it out. Apparently this was an issue int the SCC implementation of the VC provider we used. (Merant Dimensions v. We tested with the newer version (Serena Dimensions v. 10) and there is was solved. Unfortunately the upgrade to v 10 isn't planned for another year.