FAQs

Alma will occasionally be taken offline by Ex Libris for scheduled maintenance. This FAQ lists steps SUNY libraries can take to prepare for planned Alma service disruptions. This FAQ also lists what SUNY Library Services will do to ensure that scheduled Alma maintenance has not caused any problems.

Table of Contents:

• Preparing for an Alma service disruption
• Providing services during an Alma service disruption
• Resuming services after an Alma service disruption
• How SLS will help manage an Alma service disruption

Preparing for an Alma Service Disruption

• Add an emergency banner to Primo VE to notify users of planned service interruption
  • Roles needed: Discovery Administrator
  • Note: During most of the time that Primo is down, users going into Primo via link resolver, widget, or direct access will see a message notifying them of the outage. For the last half hour, they will get a 404 error.
• Adjust your Alma calendar to ensure users are not given due dates during the planned service interruption
  • Roles needed: General System Administrator
  • Note: Adding a closed date to your Alma calendar will cause items due on that date to be given new due dates. Alma will send the FulItemChangeDueDateLetter for each of those items, so it is recommended you temporarily disable that letter until the Loans - Due Date Correction After Calendar Change job runs.
• Make sure Alma's offline circulation has been installed at your circulation desk and staff know how to use it
  • Roles needed: none
  • Notes: Do not install multiple instances of Offline Circulation in the same library building. Having multiple instances running in the same building at the same time can cause conflicts when you upload the Offline Circulation files. Be sure to delete the OffCirc.dat file once it's been uploaded to Alma. If you don't, the transactions it contains will be uploaded again the next time you use the Offline Circulation Utility.
• Disable the ILLiad Borrowing Renewal Server Addon (if you're using it, see step 4 in the linked FAQ for info on enabling addon) 
  • Roles needed: Access to ILLiad's Customization Manager
• Disable IDS Logic Borrowing and Lending Availability Service
  • Contact logic@idsproject.libanswers.com
  • Alternatively, you can also disable IDS Logic server addon in your ILLiad Customization Manager

Providing Services During an Alma Service Disruption

• Track loans and returns in Alma Offline Circulation
  • Ex Libris documentation
• Direct users who need to place resource sharing requests to your ILLiad, Tipasa, or WorldShare ILL request forms
• Avoid receiving or returning any ILLiad borrowing loans and marking any ILLiad lending loans as found if you are using the borrowing and/or lending NCIP addons
  • If you absolutely must do any of this work during an Alma service disruption, you will need to redo that work once the disruption ends in order for Alma to be properly updated

Resuming Services After an Alma Service Disruption

• Remove emergency banner from Primo VE
  • Roles needed: Discovery Administrator
• Upload Offiline Cirulation file
  • Ex Libris documentation
  • Roles needed: Circulation Desk Operator
• Enable the ILLiad Borrowing Renewal Server Addon (if you're using it, see step 4 in the linked FAQ for info on enabling addon) 
  • Roles needed: Access to ILLiad's Customization Manager

How SLS Will Help Manage an Alma Service Disruption

SLS staff will take the following actions to ensure that no data was lost during the service disruption and Alma is functioning properly once it comes back online.

Resource Sharing and Fulfillment

• Generate Analytics reports on the following both before and after the service disruption to ensure no data was lost:
  • Number of active loans
  • Number of active hold and resource sharing requests
  • Number of reserve courses and reading lists
  • Overall fine/fee amounts
• Test basic functionality in the following areas after the service disruption
  • Circulation
  • Hold and resource sharing requesting
  • Course reserves