Anticlue

Release Management Activities and Methodology

Take a moment and recall, release management is about controlling the flow of changes into a production environment. In order to control, one needs to know what is being controlled and how it is being controlled, so we need a plan.

The major elements of a release plan include the following:

• Build and test plan - The build and test plan describes how final versions of configuration items (CIs) will be existing in the production environment. Building and Testing in a prescribed agreed to manner assures that a standardized process is used to prepare new hardware or software. Software configuration items should be compiled on dedicated equipment. Hardware configuration items should be assembled and tested away from the live environment.
• Rollout plan - The rollout plan describes how the physical installation of configuration items will be accomplished. The rollout plan lists the configuration items to be installed or removed, the time frame for installation, and the locations where the configuration items will be installed.
• Backout plan - A release plan must include a backout plan to be followed in the event that a release doesn't work as expected. A backout plan may list steps to completely reverse a release or identify measures, such as using manual systems to restore service if a complete reversal isn't possible. There should also be a time of day when the backout plan will commence, not a duration effort.
• Communication plan - All participants in a release must know in advance what preparations must be made. A communication plan lays out the steps that will be taken to notify all participants of their roles in a release.
• Acceptance plan - Acceptance plans establish the conditions for the success of a release. After a release has been installed, users verify that the release meets their requirements. Then users give their final approval.

Performing a process the same way every time makes it more likely that you'll see the same, predictable output. It removes the variation which causes issues and problems. When the release management process is properly used, the installation of a release results in these predictable outputs:

• An upgraded IT service -The purpose of any release is to improve the services available to users of an IT system. Releases remove the causes of errors, or they add new features and capabilities to the system. An upgraded service is the primary output of a release.
• Updated records in the configuration management database (CMDB) - All changes made to the IT system should be recorded in the configuration management database (CMDB). Release management notes all changes that occur during installation. Configuration management updates the appropriate records in the database.
• Collected CIs to be retired - Many releases replace older versions of CIs or make them unneeded. Hardware or software, and the documentation that accompanies them, should be collected and removed during the installation of a new release. It is a good process to follow and removes from your configuration management system all retired components. The end of lifecycle for a product can be as important as the beginning.
• Known errors caused by the installation of the release - Although new releases should be carefully tested, many will introduce unexpected problems that will be discovered soon after the release is installed. The final output of a new release is a list of known errors caused by the release. This would be very helpful to give to your service desk.

Release management activities are carefully planned to be standardized and repeatable. Consistent execution of release plans minimizes the risk that changes in the system will disrupt a company's business.