Anticlue

Release Management Management Tools and Techniques

All processes need quality control checks. They also need someone to manage and assure a successful process. In ITIL release management, the controller of the release management process is the release manager.

The release managers duties are:

• To act as an Advocate - One of the release manager's roles is to clearly communicate the benefits of adopting release management practices to system users, company managers, and to colleagues in the IT department. Think of it as a one man marketing campaign.
• To be an Investigator - Another important role of the release manager is investigating how and why new configuration items make their way into the live environment without following the release management process. This would be commonly referred to as auditing and investigating.
• To be a Trainer and communicator - The release manager is the point of communication between the release management process and other IT service processes. This role also includes providing written and oral instructions for introducing new releases to the customer base. It is really a good thing to centralize this because with centralization comes standardization.

When I first started in IT, we had this product upgrade that was overwhelming and time consuming. Every two months, we had to make the product unavailable for half a day toupgrade the system. Talk about disturbing the operations of the business. Thankfully we improved upon the implementation pattern and eventually eliminated that application. A successful release management process is determined by controlling the introduction of new releases without creating disruptions within the company. Here are four key performance indicators used to determine the success or failure of your release management process:

1. Schedules and budgets – Completing releases on time and within budget is a good indication that the process is successful.
2. Failures and backouts – Having a low occurrence of failures and back outs is an indication that releases have been properly planned and executed. Backing out a release normally equates to the fact that the release wasn’t tested thoroughly on the company infrastructure or with other systems.
3. DSL and DHS - A complete and up-to-date definitive software library (DSL) and definitive hardware store (DHS) indicate release management is exercising adequate control over new releases. The control of CIs in new releases ensures that they conform to planned standards.
4. Records and updates - The ability to plan and execute releases depends on an accurate configuration management database (CMDB). Release management must provide information about the changes new releases make to the infrastructure so the database will remain accurate. Release management's actions affect the efficiency of the rest of the company.

As the old saying goes it is difficult to manage that what you cannot measure. There are several managerial reports that assist in determining the opportunities for process improvement and rate how well the release management program is maintaining.

• by level - A report that shows the number of successful releases illustrates the degree of control the release management process exercises over the introduction of new hardware and software.
• actual versus plan - A report of successful releases should show the number of major, minor, and emergency releases. A report of successful releases should compare the actual time and cost of implementing releases to the planned time and cost.
• number of releases that failed - A report of the number of releases that failed reveals opportunities to improve the release management process.
• number of problems or errors caused by releases - A report of known problems resulting from releases provides an indication of inadequate planning or testing of releases. Although it's sometimes difficult to own up to mistakes in planning, this type of report provides a basis for discussing plans for improving the release management process.

The members of the release management team who plan and execute releases must pay close attention to details. The duty of the release manager and other senior company managers is to look at the big picture and direct the action with correction or preventative steps.