System update scenarios
The update process of Commerce can be performed in several scenarios. These scenarios are differentiated depending on the type of update that will be applied. The possible scenarios are:
- Auto update
- Self-update
- First release
Auto update
Auto update is also known as One Version, the purpose being that all customers are using the same version across the platform. The updates become zero touch updates, meaning that the updates are automated.
This scenario enables the automatic update of TEST, UAT, Sandbox, and Production, and it is illustrated in the following image.
Self-update
The self-update approach applies to brick and mortar stores and Commerce Scale Units (CSUs). The updates start by updating the Commerce Headquarters (HQ) component and then all the CSUs separately to enable a gradual rollout methodology.
The gradual rollout lets you validate production scenarios prior to pushing the update to production, and it helps you to ensure that all stores are using the same version.
The difference between this approach and the fully automated update is that, even though everything is automatically updated, the self-update process is managed regarding the update schedule. This approach enables you to create a temporary freeze period in case of holidays or critical business operational periods where the auto update process has not been implemented. After the end of this period, the update will be run manually or an automatic update scenario will be conducted.