We are running on c4 now and looking to archive data. We obviously want to archive in a test environment before live data. I have a question about our vrc structure. The way that it is set up is the following:

B40Tc4dev4 - Custom development/dev. oracle instance
derived from
B40Tc4stnd - Patch testing/dev. oracle instance
derived from
B40Cc4prd4 - Custom production/prod. oracle instance
derived from
B40Uc4stnd - Live Patches/prod. oracle instance
derived from
B40c4 - Standard software/prod. oracle instance

All of our users are coming into baan at the B40Cc4prd4 level. Our development users are coming into B40Tc4dev4 level. Let's say we load a patch to test in the B40Tc4stnd level. Once the testing is complete and we are ready for the patch to be live, we re-apply the patch to the B40Uc4stnd level. At this point can we remove this patch from the B40Tc4stnd level, and still use it's functionality at the development user level? Or does this patch have to be loaded in both levels? Additionally, does this vrc structure make sense?

Thanks in advance,
-Tim

It all depends of the level or customizations you have on Cprd and Tdev (you should not have customizations on Tstnd).

So, supposing you have sessions A+B delivered thru a patch, where A depends on B (a subsession for example).
Also, you have your session customized for B only.

I suppose that custom B exists both on B40Cc4prd and Tdev, otherwise, how do you do proper testing from this layer?.

When you test A + (custom checked)B on Tdev, you apply the patches to Ustnd and remove them from Tdev. You also copy any changes made on sessionB from Tdev to Cprd.
This will make A visible on all layers and you have the same B on Cprd and Tdev, so all is ok.

If you have heavy development, then it's harder to maintain Tprd in sync with Cprd, and then it's better to have parallel structures, with a development branch derived from Ustnd as a copy of all live adding an extra layer between Ustn and T"Cprd" for path installation, eg:

prod derivation:
B40Cc4prd (production, same RTDD as Tc4stnd)
B40Uc4stnd
B40Sc4

test derivation:
B40Tc4dev (development only) *
B40Tc4prd (exact RTDD as Cc4prd) - effective test layer
B40Tc4stnd (patch test layer only)
B40Uc4stnd
B40Sc4

* when anything is changed here it will be copied over to Tc4prd for full test and if ok, copied also to C4prd

This is just an idea... it's a lot of work changing something already started, I would stick to the first structure as long Cprd is mostly sync'd with Tdev.