Pre-MIP Preparation

Complete these preparation steps 1-2 days before MIP begins to minimize potential issues and ensure successful invoice generation.

Table of Contents

• Scheduling: DFR Coverage, Code Freeze, Kanban Board Management
• Access Verification: Databases, AWS, Monitoring Tools
• Pre-MIP Checklist: Communicate, Enable Access, Review Docs

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Scheduling

1. DFR Coverage

   • Verify Rotation: Confirm DFR assignment in the developer support rotation
   • Backup Plan: Identify a secondary DFR in case primary is unavailable
   • Weekend/Holiday Coverage: If MIP falls on a weekend or federal holiday, confirm coverage early and coordinate handoff procedures

2. Code Freeze

   During every MIP, the team enacts a code freeze - no new feature deployments until monthly-invoice generation is complete. This allows the team to:

   • Focus entirely on MIP monitoring and remediation
   • Ship hot fixes immediately if critical issues arise
   • Avoid introducing new variables during a high-stakes process

3. CI/CD Enforcement

   • The pipeline will automatically fail any build-deploy attempts in Production for new features during the freeze - QA verification work may continue without interruption
   • Expect GitLab failure notifications in the team’s build Slack channel #invoicing-builds- this is normal during MIP
   • Hot fixes can still be deployed if approved by the team lead

4. Kanban Board Management

   • Tag work tickets with pre-MIP label for tasks that must be completed before MIP begins
   • Tag work tickets with post-MIP label for work that can wait until after invoice generation completes
   • Use these labels to communicate priority and manage team expectations during the freeze

5. Action Items

   • Announce code freeze in #invoicing-dev 24 hours before MIP
   • Review Invoicing’s Kanban board and apply pre-MIP/post-MIP labels to active tickets
   • Confirm no pending deployments are scheduled during MIP window
   • Brief the team on hot fix procedures if needed

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Access Verification

Ensure the DFR has proper access to all systems needed for investigation and remediation:

1. Internal Databases

   Confirm access to the team’s restricted databases -

   • QA: invoicingdbtest
   • PROD: invoicingdb

   For any data changes during MIP, refer to How to Maintain invoicingdb

2. Manual Processes

   Verify DFR can access -

   • SQS dead letter queues, DLQs for message redriving
   • Datadog logs for error investigation
   • Internal endpoints for retry operations

3. Monitoring Tools

   Confirm login credentials and dashboards are accessible -

   • Datadog: Invoice creation speed and system health dashboards
   • Zuora ZIP: Invoice verification dashboard
   • Slack: #invoicing-dev and #ops-mip-supports channels

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Pre-MIP Checklist

• DFR assigned and backup identified
• Code freeze announced and confirmed
• Database access verified (QA and PROD)
• AWS permissions confirmed
• Datadog dashboards reviewed and bookmarked
• Zuora ZIP access tested
• Communication channels confirmed
• Documentation reviewed: Continuous Monitoring, Remediation Steps

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Ready to begin? Once MIP starts, proceed to Continuous Monitoring.

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