WORKING SMARTER

Patrick Mackaaij
is an information distribution coordinator. He is specialized
in technical issues and optimizing processes.

OVERCOME SURPRISES
WITH AN ACCEPTANCE
ENVIRONMENT
If youre not already using an acceptance environment, its time to reconsider. It can
help avoid surprises in your production environment. Patrick Mackaaij explains how this
principle works for on-premises as well as SaaS.
Software is subject to continuous change and

An acceptance environment is important

environments, testers check the test

dependent on other software. TOPdesk relies

when:

environment, and end users approve the end

on a good collaboration with the operating

TOPdesk is critical to your business

result in the acceptance environment and

system, Java, the database, file and mail server,

You use customer solutions

work in the production environment on a

and the end users web browser.

You like to explore new functionalities

daily basis.

Many organizations use an acceptance

without polluting the database

In the case of standard software like TOPdesk,

environment besides the TOPdesk production

You want to train your end users without

the supplier manages the development and

environment in order to check whether

polluting the database

test environment. Updates are first installed

changes to any of these components turn

Your TOPdesk installation has special links

in the acceptance environment. You then need

out alright in practice. Good use of the

to other systems

to regularly refresh the data in the acceptance

environment to ensure they are representative

acceptance environment helps avoid surprises

in the production environment that disrupt

The name acceptance environment originates

daily operations.

from the DTAP method which illustrates a

for your production environment.

Some TOPdesk customers use an additional

development street with the development,

environment for educating end users.

test, acceptance and production phases.

However, in most cases this is possible in the

Software developers work in development

same acceptance environment.

26 TOPDESK MAGAZINE - DECEMBER 2015

Editorial
On-premises or via Microsoft
Azure
Do you manage TOPdesk yourself? If so, you

Download this issue and more at

with the same regularity a couple of days

www.scribd.com/TOPdesk

before the production environment.

TOPdesk updates the SaaS environment

The TOPdesk Magazine covers subjects that

can install and activate a second TOPdesk

of bespoke work customers annually. An

are topical in the world of professional

environment for free with your licence files.

acceptance environment is required.

service desks in IT, facilities and other

If you use Microsoft Azure, you can purchase

a second Bring Your Own Licence virtual
machine and use the TOPdesk licences there.

TOPdesk refreshes the data on your SaaS

service providing organizations. TOPdesk

acceptance environment at your request.

Magazine is intended for managers, service

If you manage your own TOPdesk, it is

desk employees, facilities organizations and

In theory, the production and acceptance

worth switching to SaaS. You can benefit from

electronic city councils anyone who is

environment are entirely separate. In practice

continuous deployment, save time otherwise

involved with supporting clients on a daily

however, on-premises managers make the

spent updating you environments and you no

basis. This concerns both the processes and

acceptance environment available in the

longer need to worry about uptime, back-ups,

the technology behind these services.

production network. TOPdesk facilitates this

performance and stability. Our recent ISAE

pragmatic work method with a number of

3000 certification demonstrates that our SaaS

TOPdesk Magazine is a TOPdesk publication,

functionalities. For instance, an application

security is well-organized.

+44 (0) 207 803 4200, editorial@topdesk.com

Editors-in-chief: Milou Snaterse, Nicola

users see whether they are working in the

Test an acceptance environment

on SaaS?

production or acceptance environment.

Updating your acceptance environment

Editors: Nicola van de Velde

TOPdesks acceptance environment can also

and incidentally refreshing data from the

Translators: Laura van Rosenberg, Nicola van

be set up so the settings TOPdesk normally

production environment costs managers extra

de Velde

reads from the database are now read in from

time. TOPdesk SaaS will take these tasks off

Contributors: Jonne van Baalen, Colin

a file. This prevents the environment from

your hands. If you choose TOPdesk SaaS, you

Bassant, Lukke van Bemmel, Ad Huige, Fiona

sending email messages or importing when

will always have the most recent TOPdesk

IJkema, Patrick Mackaaij, Anna Ravensbergen,

you refresh the database with new production

version thanks to continuous deployment.

Wolter Smit, Joost Wapenaar

manager can set up a different background

colour for each environment that helps end

data, for example.

Our Managing TOPdesk manual

Through a so-called proof of concept you

van de Velde

Layout: Denise van Rijst

can copy your on-premises installation to a

Illustration: Frank van Klink

comprises a step-by-step plan for updating

TOPdesk SaaS acceptance environment to

Photography: Jonas Mertens, Menno van der Bijl

an acceptance environment with data from

experience how this works for you. Please

Copy editor: Nicola van de Velde

your productions environment. This plan

contact your account manager to discuss

is available at http://help.topdesk.com/

the possibilities.

acceptance.

TOPdesk SaaS

A print run of 10,000

Quarterly magazine
Languages: Dutch, English

If you use TOPdesk SaaS, TOPdesk will take

Copyright 2015 TOPdesk. Although this

most of the technical work off your hands.

publication has been produced with the

When introducing a new version, TOPdesk

utmost care and attention, the writers

first updates the software in the acceptance

cannot be held responsible in any way for any

environment. Depending on your update

damages that may occur due to errors and /

process, you will receive prior notice.

or deficiencies in this publication.

Most TOPdesk SaaS environments are

already updated every month according to
continuous deployment. Our SaaS customers
are the first to enjoy the new functionalities.
We update the SaaS acceptance environments