It is not permitted to restore because it is inside of sync

Question

Step by step actions explained below.

* Created a dev model and synced some changes to PROD (ALM sync)
* Next Sync - Set Production List to Non production list (To simulate a data loss scenario in PROD and to get explore a ways to retrieve lost data)
* Data loss occurred as expected in PROD env.
* Tried restoring a model to ID one step above where sync took place 
* Error says "It is not permitted to restore because it is inside of sync" 
* Tried checking "Unlink revisions created after this restore point" but doesn't work

In real business scenario, when two or three model builders works parallelly and sync to Prod (especially switches PROD to Non PROD). this could be possible challenges.

Please help me to understand this error. how can this be avoided or how data backup can be planned before hand. Thanks.

rob_marshall · Answer

@aravind_1895

Well, if you are switching lists from Production Data to Non Production Data, that is an issue because this will delete all data in Prod associated with that list and then overlay it with the members in your Dev model.  If that happens, you will need to take your Prod model out of Deployed mode and restore it to when it was in a proper state.

Data before:

Went into Dev and changed it to Non Prod data

Data in a module (in Dev)

Sync'd data to Prod

Take Prod out of Deployed mode and revert it back to the correct point in time

Put it back in Deployed Mode

In Dev, change the list back to Prod data and create a new revision in Dev and sync to Prod.

The list is the same as it was because it is now Prod Data and the members are not being updated.

aravind_1895 · Answer

Hi @rob_marshall. Thanks for sharing your inputs.

Steps followed as below:

Step 1: Switched list from Prod to Non-Prod in Dev and synced to PROD

Step 2: Changed PROD model to standard mode

Step 3:  Tried restoring in PROD, one step above where sync staged in PROD

However, I tried above steps suggested by you, model still comes with same error as shown in snip.

Again, Reason for simulating this scenario is to handle with real case, when more than one model builders works in Dev, what-if there, prod to Non-prod switch happens and synced to PROD. What are the possible ways of retrieving lost data?

rob_marshall · Answer

@aravind_1895

In order to restore the model, you have to take it out of Deployed Mode.  And typically in a true environment, you are not switching the lists from Prod data to Non Prod data.  If you would like/need to delete data, create a Delete from List using Selction…

In your scenario, these would be the steps to follow:

* Take the Prod model out of Deployed Mode, type Yes and click "I understand, change the model mode" button
* restore the Prod model to the correct serial number
* In the Revision area, click on Revert to Last Revision…this will make it compliant again with Dev

* Put the model back in Deployed Mode