The patch database is an external system that is used to keep track of current patch status, documentation, and notifications to users.  The patch database draws on two sources primary sources of information for patches -- the NCCCS ServiceNow system for group information, and the Colleague system for details on the patches themselves.  Upon receipt of the email for each patch group, the system queries ServiceNow for a description of the patch group and creates a group object.  An Informer report also regularly updates the system with the contents of the most recent patches in the Colleague LPR.  So the general order of operations is usually as follows:

  1. The System Office sends out a release email with the release group in the subject line
  2. The patch system queries ServiceNow for details on the new release group
  3. The Colleague administrator donwloads the patches into the Colleague LPR (Local Product Repository) using SA Valet
  4. The Informer report send details on each patch to the patch system
  5. The Colleague administrator links the patches from the Informer report to the groups from the ServiceNow query, and marks the patches as downloaded
  6. The Colleague administrator then creates the patch groups in MSUG for later application