Gathering Sample Data

Very few support cases require transfer of customer data into AMS's custody to resolve a problem. Further, and with limited exception, there is never a reason for the development team to actually need specific card numbers in order to do any testing because we have our own test numbers and test merchant accounts.

Standard practice requires removal of all card data before a database transfer is to occur (if a database needs to be transferred to AMS in the first place)

The general steps are:

Testing @ Customer Site

• Make a backup of the customer's database using the BackupTM_SUPPORT backup script. This automatically implements the postgresql database dump flags below.
• load the backup database that exhibits the error onto the customers server as a 'test' database so that production is not affected.
• Perform one last test on the test database at the customer site to ensure the problem still exists

Testing in Tier II Development Environment

• Make a SUPPORT backup using BackupTM_SUPPORT which
  • Dumps the backup database under a separate name (that end in _SUPPORT) on the backup folder
  • This uses the

    -T fCreditCardsEncrypted parameters with pg_dump to ensure no such data is transmitted.

    eg:the default parameters in the support script exclude any encrypted card data. other files can be added if they are large (other candidates are transactions, web logs and/or eblasts)

    pg_dump -F c -v -T fCreditCardsEncrypted datbase > /path/to/backup.backup

• Use the link https://backups.artsman.com and enter the appropriate credentials as per the web page image to the right. This will migrate the _SUPPORT database to a secure location on private server via https using latest high transport layer encryption available (currently TLS 1.3)
• Inform Tier II when the database has uploaded and they will resolve the case and remove the data.