Request update from Blue...

The updates we're providing are as definitive as we can make them. We're trying to get the realms up as quickly as possible, but we can't account for every possible issue that may arise throughout the course of testing and marking the realms live. This is why the time frames are being pushed back.

We don't have secret internal knowledge that it'll be six hours, but we're just going to tell the players two hours and keep pushing it back. Your patience is appreciated.

Q u o t e:


Isn't Testing what the other Enviroments are for? I've worked in operations before and i'd lose my job if i was responsible for this at our company. TEST/QA/DEVELOPMENT =/= PRODUCTION at least in most Operations Departments.

No, this isn't in reference to the public test realms. Realms need to be tested to ensure everything is functioning properly, i.e. game master tools are working properly for all realms, boats are running, all continents are up, auction houses are working, etc.

There is a huge process of testing after maintenance is performed and a patch is applied that cannot be replicated using two public test realms.

Q u o t e:
So let me get this straight you guys only have 2 test realms that you test these patches on? You dont have a QA server(which i know you do). Also you guys dont check to insure functionality of these said variables on this server EVEN before putting it on PTR?

Of course there are internal realms as well. Applying a patch to hundreds of realms at databases around the country, then ensuring everything is connected and working properly cannot be tested by the same standards as local internal realms.

Everything is tested as thoroughly as possible, but releasing to the live realms adds a host of new variables that will require troubleshooting, and the variables increase incrementally depending on the size of the patch (3.1 being one of the biggest we've released to date).