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BMC Release Process Management 4.6 ... Using Managing and optimizing the application release workflow

Managing steps

A step is an individual and complete part of a request. Steps indicate the way a request is executed. A step includes components and automation scripts assigned to the application with which you are interacting. A step can also indicate a phase or run time phase (for example, “third phase of release”). Steps can be completed in a series, where each step must be completed before starting the next, or they can be completed in parallel, where execution can proceed asynchronously to accommodate different dependencies in the work.

There are also anytime steps, which can be performed at any time during the request, but must be finished to complete the request (for example, “update documentation”).

In BMC Release Process Management version 4.6, you can use packages in steps. To operate on packages, use custom automation scripts.

This topic consists of the following sections:

States of steps

Steps move through a series of states:

  1. Locked
  2. Ready
  3. In Progress
  4. Blocked
  5. Process
  6. Hold
  7. Complete
  8. Reopened

When a request that contains steps is started, information about the various states through which the steps pass is displayed automatically.

To see steps that currently have a Ready, In Progress, or Hold status, go to Dashboard > Currently Running Steps or Requests > Currently Running Steps. You can use the following filters to display the currently running steps:

  • Status — Displays steps that have the selected status
  • Work task — Displays steps that have the selected work tasks assigned
  • Owner — Displays steps that have the selected users assigned as the step owner
  • Server — Displays steps that are assigned to the selected servers
  • Component — Displays steps that are associated with the selected components
  • Group — Displays steps that are associated with the selected user groups

You can organize multiple steps into groups by using procedures.

To add steps to a request

  1. On the Requests tab, click the appropriate request.

    Note

    You can add steps only for a request with the Created or Planned status.

  2. Click New Step below the steps of the request.

  3. In the New Step dialog box, enter the following information for the various fields:
    (Click each item to expand it and see the description.)

    Enter a name to identify the step. You can save the step without specifying the name. When you save the step, a number or sequence is created automatically for the step, which you can use to identify the step.

    Select to use a package or a component in the step.

    Select the user or group that you want to own the step.

    Select the component that you want to use in the step. In this list, you can see only those components assigned to the environment that you use in the request. The Component list is available only if you selected Component in the Type list.

    Select the package you want to use in the step. In this list, you can see only those packages assigned to the application that you use in the request. The Package list is available only if you selected Package in the Type list.

    Enter the component version for the step. This field is available only when you select a component from the Component list.

    Select the package instance that you want to use in the step. The Package Instances list is available only when you select a package from the Package list. You can create a new package instance, select one of the existing package instances, or select the last used package instance for this step.

    The following image displays the New Step dialog box and the options available under the General tab.
    New Step dialog box - General tab
    (Click the image to expand it)

    Specify information for the following items displayed on the General tab:

    • Step Description:
      Enter information to describe the deployment task for which you are creating the step. Click the [expand] or [collapse] link under the field at the bottom rightmost corner, to expand or collapse the writing area for this field.

    • Step Time:
      Define an estimated duration and the time for completing the step. The default format for time is Hours:Minutes:AM/PM. The date and the time format shown follows the same format specified under Settings > General > Date and Time Settings. When you set the date and time in the Start and the Complete boxes, the time in the Estimate box is updated automatically.

      Note

      The date and time set in the Complete box must be greater than that set in the Start box.

    • Set Start to End of Previous Serial Step:
      Select this option so that this step is run after the previous step in the sequence (added to the same request) is completed. You must have at least one step already added to the request to use this capability.
    • Set Start to Start of Previous Serial Step:
      Select this option so that this step is run simultaneously (in parallel) after the previous step in the sequence (added to the same request) is run. You must have at least one step already added to the request to use this capability.
    • Phase:
      Select from a list of available phases. You must first create phases by navigating to Environment > Metadata > Manage Phases.
    • Runtime Phase:
      Select from a list of available runtime phases. The list of runtime phases depends on the phase that you selected. Runtime phases are assigned at the time when phases are created. To see a list of runtime phases, you must first add them under a particular phase by navigating to Environment > Metadata > Manage Phases and then editing one of the phases listed. You can use the runtime phases in conditional procedures for the request. For more information about conditional procedures, see Managing procedures.
    • Work Task:
      Select from a list of available work tasks. You can see a list of work tasks depending on those created under Environment > Metadata > Manage Work Tasks.

    • Priority:
      Set the priority value for the step, so the step executor know in which order parallel steps should run.

      You can set Priority for steps only starting with BMC Release Process Management version 4.6.00.03 and later.

    The following image displays the Automation tab in the New Step dialog box with automation scripts available for the BMC Remedy 7.6.x option selected.
    New Step dialog box - Automation tab
    (Click the image to expand it)

    Specify the following information:
    Step Action:
    Select from the following list of options.

    Each of these options represents a supported external system with which you can integrate the BMC Release Process Management product and perform various deployment tasks or automate manual tasks. General represents the other external systems with which you can integrate and perform tasks by using general automation scripts. You can select Manual to not use any automation scripts for performing your deployment tasks. By selecting one of the options in the preceding list, you can perform tasks by using automation scripts (imported earlier) that are available with the product or by creating your own new automation scripts. 

    When you select one of these options (except Manual), a Task box is displayed where you can select from a list of available scripts. When you select a script, relevant fields are displayed that you can use to perform your deployment tasks. 

    For more information about automation and the various automation scripts available for each of the external systems supported, see the following topics:

    The Notes tab shows information about the servers used in a step, their status, and the server log information. This information is updated during the step execution.

    The following image displays the Tickets tab in the New Step dialog box.
    New Step dialog box - Tickets tab
    (Click the image to expand it)



    The Tickets tab is displayed only if the request to which you are adding this step is assigned to the same plan with which the tickets are associated. For example, if you navigate to Environment > Metadata > Manage Tickets and create tickets, TKT1000, TKT1001, and TKT1002 and associate all of them to plan, BRPM2.6_December and if you create a step under a request associated to plan, BRPM2.6_December, the Tickets tab is displayed. You can use tickets that are displayed in two ways:

    • While creating a manual step (without using automation scripts), you can associate relevant tickets displayed on the Tickets tab by selecting them under the Actions column. In this way, you can associate relevant information about tickets with the step that you want to create.
    • While using automation scripts in the step, the tickets displayed under the Tickets tab can be associated to the automation script in use. For example, if you are select BMC Remedy 7.6.x from the list displayed for Step Action on the Automation tab and then select Remedy update change request from the list displayed for Task, and if you provide all the details except the change_request_id, the tickets selected on the Tickets tab are associated with the automation script. The selected tickets (change requests) are updated with the other details specified in the fields displayed for the Remedy update change request automation script.

    You can also set filters for the tickets by clicking Open Filters. These filter options are described in the following table:

    Filter

    Description

    Integration

    Under Integration, click the add link, to choose from a list of integration servers with which the tickets are associated and then click the done link.

    To modify your selection, click the edit link under Integration, and then click the done link.

    Type

    Under Type, click the add link, to choose from a list of ticket types and then click the done link.

    To modify your selection, click the edit link under Type, and then click the done link.

    Status

    Under Status, click the add link, to choose from a list of options that denote the various states of the tickets listed in the table and then click the done link.

    To modify your selection, click the edit link under Status, and then click the done link.

    Application

    Under Application, click the add link, to choose from a list of applications with which the tickets are associated and then click the done link.

    To modify your selection, click the edit link under Application, and then click the done link.

    Association

    Under Association, you can select one of the following options: 

    • Selected: Click this to filter all the tickets selected under the Actions column in the table.
    • Unselected: Click this to filter all the tickets not selected under the Actions column in the table.

    To modify your selection, click the edit link under Application, and then click the done link.

    The following image displays the Documents tab in the New Step dialog box.
    New Step dialog box - Documents tab
    (Click the image to expand it)

    You can add files containing additional information that might be required for executing the step or performing the deployment task. On the Documents tab, click Choose File, select the file located on your computer that you want to add, and then click Open. You can add multiple files by clicking Add. To delete a file that you already added, click Remove next to the file that you want to delete.

    The following image displays the Properties tab in the New Step dialog box.
    New Step dialog box - Properties tab
    (Click the image to expand it)


    The Properties tab displays properties for both components and packages, depending on your selection in the Type field:

    • If you select Packages in the Type field, the properties display for the selected package or package instance (if you specified an instance). If you select a different package or package instance, the Property tab updates with the corresponding properties.
    • If you select Component in the Type field, the properties display for the selected component. If you select a different component, the Property tab updates with the corresponding properties.

    The changes you make to properties on the Properties tab are also applied to all of the steps of a request. You can change properties in the following ways:

    • You can add a number of steps associated to the same component (using the same properties) under one request. If you change the property value for any one of the steps, the changed value is applied to the same property throughout all the steps under that request. After the request is completed the changed value is applied to the component assigned to the environment used for that request. You can verify this change by navigating to the Applications tab, clicking the environment used by that request, and then clicking the relevant component.
    • You can create a request template with steps by using the same component and then use the request template to create a request and select a particular environment. Next, navigate to the Applications tab and click the same environment that you used to create the request. Edit the component under that environment and change the value of a certain property. The same value is updated in all the steps using that component under the request.
    • You can edit the property value for a step. When the value is changed for the step, the property value is changed for all steps in the request.

    Note

    In BMC Release Process Management version 4.6.00, you cannot edit a custom value for a property in the Properties tab if the property is locked for the application. For more information, see Managing properties.

    The following image displays the Server Properties tab in the New Step dialog box.
    New Step dialog box - Server Properties tab
    (Click the image to expand it)

    You can use this tab to select a list of targets or servers on which you want to execute your deployment task. When you click the Server Properties tab, a table displays the servers assigned to the environment associated with the request (to which you are adding this step).

    Note

    In BMC Release Process Management version 4.6.00, if the component that you use in a step is associated with a server group, server level, or server-level group, you can see this server group, server level, or server-level group at the top of the target servers list.


    You can also assign additional servers to the step other than those displayed in the table. Click Target alternate servers and select the application, environment, and component to which the additional servers are assigned, and then click Target. The first list box represents a list of applications, the second list box represents a list of environments, and the third list box represents a list of components as indicated in the preceding figure. When you select the application, environment, and component, the system presents a list of servers if they are present in the database. You can select multiple servers from the list. When you save the step the selected servers are added to the step.

    Notes

    • If you create a new server and associate it with the component, this new server is not automatically added to the existing steps that use this component. To add a newly created server to the step, select that server on the Server Properties tab and save your changes.
    • Starting with BMC Release Process Management version 4.6.00.02 and later, when you create a new request from a request template or by cloning an existing request and you change the request environment, steps that had no servers assignments in the original request automatically get all available server assignments in the new request.

    The following image displays the Design tab in the New Step dialog box. The Design tab is available only if the corresponding request is in the Created state.
    New Step dialog box - Design tab
    (Click the image to expand it)

    You can use this tab to customize the following additional settings for a step:

    SettingDescription
    Default TabFrom the list of available step tabs, select the tab that displays when you open the current step
    Additional Step Options
    • Protected — Select this check box if you do not want other users to change, reorder, or delete steps.
    • Protected automation — Select this check box if you do not want other users to edit content on the Automation tab of the step.
    • Suppress notification — Select this check box if you do not want to send email notifications for the events associated with the step.
    • Executor data entry — Select this check box if you want to allow users with the Executor role to enter the following step settings:

    The following image displays the Content tab in the New Step dialog box. This tab is available only when you select Package in the Type field.
    New Step dialog box - Content tab
    (Click the image to expand it)

    You can select the package references available for the package instance that you specified in the Package Instances field.

  4. Click Add Step & Close to save the step and close the New Step dialog box.
  5. Click Add Step & Continue to save the step and keep the New Step dialog box open. You can then add additional steps.
  6. Select the Execute Anytime check box to enable this step to be started anytime manually.
  7. Click Save Step.
    The Administrator must configure notifications for each stage of a step. For more information about configuring the notifications, see Changing notification options.

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To use the links associated with the steps

When you open any request, you have access to the following links that you can use to work with the steps.

The set of links is divided into the following parts: Select and Actions. The following table describes how to use these links in BMC Release Process Management.

Name of the link

Description

Select

All

Click this link to select all the steps under a request.

None

This link clears the selection of any or all steps selected by a previous action.

On

Click this link to display all the steps that are on in the current action.

Off

Click this link to display all the links that are off in the current action.

Actions

Delete

Use this link to delete steps that are not required in this request under the current action.

  1. Select the check boxes of the steps that you want to delete.
  2. Click Delete.

Modify Assignment

Use this link to change the assignments of the steps to individuals or groups.

  1. Select the check boxes of the steps whose assignments you want to change.
  2. Click the Modify Assignment link.
  3. If you want to change the assignments to groups, select Groups from the Assigned to list, or select Names to assign to any individual.
  4. Select the name or the group as appropriate from the Name list.
  5. Click Update.
Modify Component

Use this link to change the components of the steps.

  1. Select the check boxes of the steps whose components you want to change.
  2. Click the Modify Component link.
  3. From the Component list, select a new component.
  4. Click Update.

Modify Task/Phase

Use this link to modify the work task or the phases of steps.

  1. Select the check boxes for the steps for which you want to modify the work tasks or phases.
  2. Click Modify Task/Phase.
  3. In the Modify Step Task/Phase dialog box, select the required work task from the Work Task list.
  4. Select the phase from the Phase list.
  5. Select the run time phase from the Runtime Phase list.
  6. Click Update.

Turn On/Off

Use this link to either turn on or turn off a selected number of steps in a request.

  1. Select the check boxes for the steps for which you want to turn off or on.
  2. From the Status list, select OFF or ON as you require.
  3. Click Update.

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To import steps

  1. On the Requests tab, click the appropriate request.
    The request page opens.
  2. On the right pane, click Import Steps.

  3. In the Import/Paste Steps text box:

    1. As the first line, enter the step parameters separated by comma.

    2. As the second line, enter values for the appropriate parameters, separated by comma.

      ParameterDescription
      nameName to identify the step
      descriptionInformation to describe the deployment task for which you are creating the step
      componentName of the component for the step, that is assigned to the request environment
      assigned_to

      Owner of the step — a group or a user that you want to associate with the step

      Note: For users, enter the user's first name and then the last name.
      estimateEstimated duration of the step in minutes
      automationAutomation script name

      Notes

      • For multiline values and values containing special symbols, use quotation marks.
      • All step parameters are optional. You do not need to specify the unused parameters for the imported steps.
      • To import multiple steps, add a new line with the appropriate parameter values for each new step.
  4. Click Create Steps.
    The new step with the specified parameters is added to the request.

For more information about the step parameters, see To add steps to a request.

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Related topics

Managing requests

Managing procedures

This version of the documentation is no longer supported. However, the documentation is available for your convenience. You will not be able to leave comments.

Last modified by Olga Predko on Sep 29, 2015

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Managing requests
Managing tickets
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