Definitions
Definitions of terms within this policy are included either
(i) within the Squiz Plus Master Services Agreement ("MSA") between the Customer and Squiz, or
(ii), below.
Content Freeze means the temporary inability to change Content.
Major Release means a new version of Squiz Matrix denoted by an increase of two (2) in the second set of digits in the version number. For example, a Major Release is from 3.20.18 to 3.22.0.
New Versions means Software that has been produced to overcome Defects and/or which has been created to add new functionality to the Software.
Offsite Service Fee means the fee charged to the Customer for Services provided at the Customer's request at premises outside Squiz's premises.
Outside Business Hours Service Fee means the fee charged to the Customer for Services provided outside Business Hours unless the Service is provided 24/7.
Platform means the Supporting Applications and Supported Architecture specified in the Schedule on which the Software operates.
Software Updates and New Releases
During the Support Period, Squiz will make available New Versions of the Software to the Customer.
Squiz Matrix Upgrade and Maintenance Service
The software platform, including Operating System, Supporting Applications, and Squiz Matrix Software is maintained and kept up to date by way of the Squiz Matrix Streamline Upgrade and Maintenance Service.
The Customer may optionally purchase the Customisable Squiz Matrix Upgrade and Maintenance Service.
The Schedule to the MSA states whether the Customer has elected for their particular Upgrade and Maintenance Service to be performed on either:
- An automatically created copy of the production system run on the same platform as the production system ("Shared Test Environment"); or
- An entirely separate testing environment and platform ("Dedicated Test Environment").
Squiz Matrix Streamline Upgrade and Maintenance Service
Squiz's Streamline Upgrade and Maintenance Service is a largely automated service that applies upgrades to Squiz Matrix and its underlying Platform.
The Streamline Upgrade and Maintenance Service are only available for a Customer's Squiz Matrix system that is hosted on the Squiz Cloud.
The Streamline Upgrade and Maintenance Service may not be available to customers who have complex requirements that would preclude the use or efficiency of Squiz's automated processes.
If the Streamline Upgrade and Maintenance Service are not acceptable to the Customer, the Customer must purchase the Customisable Squiz Matrix Upgrade and Maintenance Service.
The two elements of the Squiz Matrix Streamline Upgrade and Maintenance Service are described below.
Platform Maintenance
Squiz will apply Operating System and Supporting Application updates to the Customer's production servers at regular intervals (generally quarterly).
Squiz will alert Customers to the proposed patching date 5 days prior to platform maintenance taking place.
Customers should contact their nominated Service Delivery Manager if they wish to opt-out of the proposed platform maintenance event.
Upon the successful completion of an update event, a confirmation email will be sent to the Customer's Technical Representative.
Streamline Upgrade
The Streamline Upgrade process includes:
- Making regular copies of the Production system and upgrading them to the latest version of Squiz Matrix, known as a UAT System,
- Making the UAT System available for User Acceptance Testing by the Customer, known as User Acceptance Testing,
- Applying that upgrade to the Production system annually, or as requested by the Customer, is known as Production Upgrade.
Having a regularly upgraded copy of the Production system available will allow Customers to test and upgrade on demand while having the security of knowing that their Production system will be automatically kept up to date if required.
UAT System Upgrade
Squiz will automatically make available to the Customer a copy of their Squiz Matrix Production system ("UAT System") upgraded to the latest production release of Squiz Matrix.
The automated upgrade process may be paused by the Customer to allow uninterrupted User Acceptance Testing by advising Squiz via the Squiz Extranet.
Upon completion of the upgrade of the UAT System a confirmation email will be sent to the Customer's Technical Representative.
The confirmation email will contain:
- The URL of the UAT System.
- General notes regarding new features and updates available in the upgraded system compared to the Customer's current Production version.
- Specific information regarding assets within the Customer's production system that has been updated during the upgrade.
If stipulated in the Schedule, the Customer's Dedicated Test Environment will be used for hosting the UAT System.
User Acceptance Testing
Squiz recommends the Customer perform User Acceptance Testing of the upgraded UAT System.
The confirmation email containing upgrade-specific information can be used to guide the Customer UAT.
Production Upgrade
Squiz will automatically upgrade the Squiz Matrix Production system on the Customer's Production servers at regular intervals (no greater than one year from the time of the last Production upgrade).
The Customer may optionally request a Production upgrade to a specific version of the software at any time by notifying Squiz through the Squiz Extranet.
A Content Freeze will be imposed during the Production Upgrade during which no Content may be added to the system.
On the successful completion of the Production upgrade, a confirmation email will be sent to the Customer's Technical Representative.
The Content Freeze will be lifted two business hours following the successful upgrade. This delay allows the Customer to optionally review the Production Upgrade and request a rollback of the upgrade if required.
Customisable Squiz Matrix Upgrade and Maintenance Service
The Schedule to the Squiz Plus Agreement states whether Squiz will provide a Customisable Squiz Matrix Upgrade and Maintenance Service. If included the following conditions apply.
The Customer may request for Squiz to perform an upgrade of Squiz Matrix with time spent by the Squiz to be deducted from the Service Hours allocated to Upgrades.
Any time spent performing the Squiz Matrix Upgrade Service in excess of the Included Hours will be Charged. In this case, and if available, a Squiz Digital Service Hours pack will be Charged.
Unless included, Squiz will only be required to upgrade to a version that is up to three (3) Major Releases higher than the Customer's version of Squiz Matrix when performing an upgrade.
The Customer agrees that if they are not hosted within the Squiz Cloud and Remote Access is not provided to Squiz, Squiz will only be required to provide the Customer with the files and instructions for the Customer to carry out the upgrade to Squiz Matrix. If the Customer requests Squiz to provide the Squiz Matrix Upgrade Service without Remote Access then the Customer will be charged an Offsite Service Fee.
The Squiz Matrix Upgrade Service will only be provided during Business Hours. If the Customer requests for Squiz Matrix Upgrade Service to be provided outside Business Hours then the Customer will be Charged the Outside Business Hours Service Fee.
The Customer agrees that any time spent ensuring modifications to the Software function following an upgrade will be charged to the Customer.
The Customer agrees that any time spent addressing issues relating to modifications to the Squiz Matrix or its Supporting Applications by parties other than Squiz is not part of the Squiz Matrix Upgrade Service provided under this Agreement and will be charged to the Customer.
The Customer acknowledges that Squiz may, from time to time, in carrying out its obligations during the Squiz Matrix Upgrade Service, cause the Software to go offline for a short period of time and agree that such time offline will be considered as Scheduled Maintenance.
The Customer acknowledges that it may be required to initiate a freeze on adding new content for a period of one (1) to two (2) Business Days and possibly longer depending on the level of testing required by the Customer.
The time that a freeze on adding new content is imposed does not count towards Downtime.
Where the Customer has an optional Dedicated Test Environment the Squiz Matrix Upgrade Service is also provided on the Dedicated Test Environment.
Automatic Update Subscription Service
If included, Squiz will provide the Customer with a subscription to update the Auto-Updated Software.
The Auto-Updated Software will notify the Customer when an update to the system is available.
The Customer applies the update through an interface within the Auto-Updated Software.
If stipulated in the Schedule the Customer may host the Auto-Updated Software within either the Squiz Cloud or externally.
If the Customer hosts the Auto-Updated Software outside of the Squiz Cloud:
- The Customer must maintain the Platform to the exact specifications provided by Squiz.
- The installations of the Auto-Updated Software must be accessible by Squiz via the Internet.
- Squiz has exclusive root access to the servers
Urgent Maintenance
In the event Squiz becomes aware of a circumstance it deems a critical risk to any Platform or Software (for example a critical security vulnerability) Squiz may act to mitigate these risks with minimal or no notification where it deems appropriate. This mitigation may involve the application of urgent patches to the Operating System, Supporting Applications and/or Squiz Software.
Squiz will provide notification to the Customer's Technical Representative as soon as reasonably practicable following Urgent Maintenance actions taken by Squiz.
Squiz Testing Services
Squiz can be engaged to provide testing services related to Upgrades and Maintenance.
Squiz Matrix Upgrade Application Testing
If included, Squiz will be responsible for conducting Squiz Matrix Upgrade Application Testing on the upgraded installation of Squiz Matrix running as the UAT System to:
- Ensure that a user can successfully log into an upgraded system; and
- Inspect the operational status of the home page and level 1 section home pages of up to 3 websites; and
- Confirm that a user can successfully use the Squiz Matrix administration interface to:
- Create a Squiz Matrix standard page asset; and
- Edit a Squiz Matrix standard page asset; and
- Alternate the status of a Squiz Matrix asset; and
- 'Trash' a Squiz Matrix asset; and
- Purge a Squiz Matrix asset from the upgrade system's trash.
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