Ex Libris Premium Sandbox Policy
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the main highlights of the premium sandbox policy?
The premium sandbox policy enables:
- Ease of use: Automatic sandbox refresh.
- Predictability: Sandbox environments are refreshed twice a year on specific dates.
When is the premium sandbox refreshed?
- Two refreshes a year, in February and August
- The refreshes are scheduled for the Sunday after the Alma release on production environments.
- As we start preparing in advance for the refresh, please stop making any changes on the Wednesday (end of day) prior to the refresh.
Can I choose my own institution’s refresh date?
Refresh dates are predefined for all customers. Customers cannot choose their own refresh date.
What happens to my sandbox data and configuration upon refresh?
Upon refresh, data and configurations are replicated from the production environment to your premium sandbox. This also applies to institutions working with a Network Zone.
How is the semi-annual indexing handled in the premium sandboxes?
The search indexes in the premium sandbox environments are updated as part of the semi annual refresh which takes place in February and August. The process that updates the production environment is responsible for updating the production indexes, which takes place during January and July respectively, ensuring that the sandbox environments have up to date indexes when refreshed.
How are passwords stored for users in a premium sandbox?
The passwords for users in premium sandbox instances are stored separately in the Ex Libris Identity Service. You can set the password for an internal user in a premium sandbox using the same methods available in Alma production instances, for example, by sending the user a change password email or by changing the password directly in the user's profile. Changing the password for users in the premium sandbox does not affect passwords in production instances.
What happens to passwords of internal users after the refresh of a premium sandbox?
Passwords for internal users are stored in the Identity Service and not in the Alma database. When you log in to the premium sandbox for the first time as an internal user, you will have to reset your password using the reset password link.
Once the password for a premium sandbox internal user has been set, it will not be reset by a sandbox refresh.
Can we have a premium sandbox for Alma and a standard sandbox for Primo?
The Primo and Alma sandboxes must be either both premium or both standard.
We are a group of 20 institutions working with a Network Zone. Can we purchase 10 premium Alma sandboxes and 20 Primo VE premium sandboxes?
No. Since Primo VE is a cloud-based discovery tool that is running on the Alma cloud platform, the Alma and Primo VE premium sandboxes must be aligned. The number of Alma and Primo VE premium sandboxes must therefore be the same.
We are a group of 20 institutions working with a Network Zone, but have only 10 premium Alma and Primo VE sandboxes. Can the remaining institutions test their Primo VE patron-facing interface before releasing it on production?
The remaining member institutions that did not purchase premium Alma and Primo VE sandboxes will be able to test their Primo VE views within their preview sandboxes (for testing search functionalities, requests, and so forth). The data of the preview sandbox will be copied from the institution's production setup and data. However, they will not be able to make configuration changes unless they purchase premium sandboxes.
We are a group of 20 institutions working with a Network Zone, but only 10 member institutions have an Alma premium sandbox. With this new policy, can we get premium sandboxes for all our member institutions?
There is no limit to the number of premium sandboxes that you can order. All member institutions working with a Network Zone can obtain a license for the premium sandbox.