Managing deployment windows

Deployment windows are special calendar events for allowing or preventing application deployment to specific environments. Based on their deployment policy, there are two types of deployment windows:

• Allow deployment windows: Users can access associated environments only during the allow deployment windows. You can create allow deployment windows only for environments with the closed deployment policy. In a request with a closed environment, make sure that the planned start date and time and the estimated duration for the request match the selected deployment window.
• Prevent deployment windows: Users cannot access associated environments during the prevent deployment window. You can create prevent deployment windows only for environments with the opened deployment policy. In a request with an opened environment, make sure that the planned start date and time and the estimated duration for the request do not overlap with any deployment window.

This topic consists of the following sections:

Creating a deployment window series

You can create a deployment window series with a one-time deployment window event or with recurring deployment window events. For a recurring deployment window series, you configure the following settings:

• Daily, weekly, and monthly deployment windows frequency settings
• Duration and date and time settings for deployment window occurrences
• Start and end date for the whole series

To create a new one-time deployment window series

1. Go to Environments > Metadata> Manage Deployment Windows.
2. Based on the deployment policy for deployment windows, click one of the following links:
   • Click Create Allow Deployment Window on the right
   • Click Create Prevent Deployment Window on the right.
3. In the Name edit box, enter a name for the deployment window.
4. In the Start and Finish edit boxes, enter the date and time the deployment window begins and ends.
5. Ensure that the Recurring check box is not selected.
6. Click Add Environment.
   The Select Environments dialog box opens.

7. From the Environments list on the left, select the environments to associate with the deployment window and click >.

   Note

   You can use the search string at the top of the environments list to find the needed environment.

8. Click Select Environments to save your environments selection.
9. Click Create to save your deployment window.
10. (Optional) If you want to make the request template available for other users, change the template's status to a state other than Draft.

• • In the list of deployment window series, locate the deployment window whose status you want to change.

  • In the Actions field on the far right, click a state.

    Note

    For more information about the states available for plan templates, see Using status of objects.

To create a new recurring deployment window series

1. Go to Environment > Metadata> Manage Deployment Windows.
2. Based on the deployment policy for deployment windows, select one of the following options:
1. Click Create Allow Deployment Window on the right.
2. Click Create Prevent Deployment Window on the right.
3. In the Name edit box, enter a name for the deployment window series.
4. In the Start and Finish edit boxes, enter the date and time the deployment window series begins and ends.
5. Select the Recurrent check box.
6. In the Frequency list, select Set schedule.
   The Frequency dialog box opens.
7. From the Type list, select one of the following options:
   
   • Select Daily to have the deployment window series occur on a daily basis and indicate the time interval in days (for example, every 2 days).
   • Select Weekly to have the deployment window series occur on a weekly basis and then provide the following information:
     
     • Indicate the time interval in weeks (for example, every 2 weeks).
     • Click the day or days of the week on which the deployment window series is to occur.
   • Select Monthly to have the deployment window series occur on a monthly basis, indicate the time interval in months (for example, every 2 months) and then do one of the following:
     
     • Click Day of month and select the day or days of the month the deployment window series is to occur.
     • Click Day of week and select the day or days in the weeks of the month the deployment window series is to occur.
8. Click Set to save your recurrence settings.
9. In From and To, verify the time of day the deployment window series is to begin and end.

10. In Duration, select the number of days you want to extend the deployment window series occurrence.

    Note

    Duration adds the specified number of days to the deployment window single occurrence time frame. For example, if in Duration you enter 1, the deployment window occurrence is extended by 24 hours.

11. In Environments, click Add Environments.
    The Select Environments dialog box opens.

12. From the Environments list on the left, select the environments to associate with the deployment window series and click >.

    Note

    You can use the search string at the top of the environments list to find the needed environment

13. Click Select Environment to save your environments selection.

14. Click Create to save your deployment window series.

    Note

    When you create a deployment window series, a list of events for the deployment window is created by a background process. You can see the complete list of events for the deployment windows series after a certain time period, depending on the number of deployment window events. To see the list of events in the deployment window series, go to Environment > Metadata > Manage Deployment Windows, and then click Occurrences at the right of the deployment window name.

15. (Optional) If you want to make the request template available for other users, change the template's status to a state other than Draft.

• • In the list of deployment window series, locate the deployment window series whose status you want to change.

  • In the Actions field on the far right, click a state.

    Note

    For more information about the states available for plan templates, see Using status of objects.

Editing a deployment window series

You can edit a deployment window series from the metadata or from the calendar report. The following options are available:

• Move
• Suspend/Resume
• Edit series

Choosing the Edit series option allows you to make changes to the deployment window event for a single environment.

Users can see deployment windows on the calendar based on their user roles and environment access permissions.

To edit a deployment window series from metadata

1. Navigate to Manage Deployment Windows:
   
   Environments > Metadata > Manage Deployment Windows.
2. From the deployment windows list, in the Actions field, click Edit for the appropriate deployment window.
3. Make changes to the deployment window series as needed.
4. Click Update to save your changes.

Changing the status of a deployment window series

In BMC Release Process Management version 4.6.00, you can use the status of a deployment window series to manage a user's ability to access and use the deployment window. The states available depend on the deployment window's current state. For example, if the current state is Draft, you can change the state to Pending; if the current state is Pending, you can change the state to Draft or Released.

For more information, see Using status of objects.

To change the status of a deployment window series

1. Go to Environments > Metadata > Manage Deployment Windows.
2. From the deployment windows list, locate the appropriate deployment window series and its corresponding status.
3. In the Actions column for the series, click the desired status.

Suspending and resuming a deployment window event

You can suspend and resume a deployment window series from the metadata or from the calendar report. The following options are available:

• Move
• Suspend/Resume
• Edit Series

Choosing the Suspend/Resume option allows you to suspend or resume a deployment window event for a single environment.

Users can see deployment windows on the calendar based on their user roles and environment access permissions.

To suspend or resume a deployment window event from the metadata

1. Go to Environments > Metadata > Manage Deployment Windows.
2. From the deployment windows list, select the appropriate deployment window series.
3. Depending on the deployment window series type, complete the following actions:
   • For a one-time deployment window series, from the Environments column, click the environment that you want to suspend or resume.
   • For a recurring deployment windows series:
     1. Click Occurrences for the appropriate deployment window series.
     2. From the Occurrences list, locate the appropriate deployment window series event.
     3. From the Environments column, click the environment that you want to suspend or resume.

4. Click Edit.

5. From the Edit Deployment Window dialog box, click Suspend/Resume.
   The Suspend (or Resume) Deployment Window dialog box opens.
6. In the Reason text box, enter the reason to suspend or resume the deployment window event.
7. Click Suspend or Resume.

Rescheduling a deployment window series event

You can reschedule a deployment window series event from the metadata or from the calendar report. The following options are available:

• Move
• Suspend/Resume
• Edit Series

Choosing the Move option allows you to move a deployment window event for a single environment.

Users can see deployment windows on the calendar based on their user roles and environment access permissions.

To move a deployment window event from metadata

1. Go to Environments > Metadata > Manage Deployment Windows.
2. From the deployment windows list, locate the appropriate deployment window series.
3. Depending on the deployment window series type, complete the following actions:
   • For a one-time deployment window series, from the Environments column, click the environment that you want to move.
   • For a recurring deployment windows series:
     1. Click Occurrences for the appropriate deployment window series.
     2. From the Occurrences list, locate the appropriate deployment window series event.
     3. From the Environments column, click the environment that you want to move.

4. Click Edit.

5. From the Edit Deployment Window dialog box, click Move.
6. In the Move Deployment Window dialog box:
   

   1. Specify a new Start At and Finish At time.

      Note

       You cannot move the deployment window series event outside of the start and finish range for the series.

   2. In the Reason text box, enter the reason to move the deployment window event.

7. Click Move to save your changes.

Creating a request for the allow deployment window

For allow deployment windows, you can create a request from a request template and schedule the request for the appropriate deployment window event.

To create a request for the allow deployment window from metadata

1. Go to Environments > Metadata > Manage Deployment Windows.
2. From the Deployment windows list, locate the appropriate deployment window series.
3. Depending on the deployment window series type, complete the following actions:
   • For a one-time deployment window series:
     1.  From the Environments column, click the environment for which you want to schedule a request.
     2. Click Schedule request in the dialog box.
   • For recurring deployment windows series:
     
     1. Click Occurrences for the appropriate deployment window series.
     2. From the Occurrences list, locate the appropriate deployment window series event.
     3. From the Environments column, click the environment for which you want to schedule a request.
     4. Click Schedule request in the dialog box.
4. In the Schedule Request dialog box, specify the following parameters for the request:
   1. In Name, enter the name for the request.
   2. From the Plan list, select the plan for your request.
   3. From the Stage list, select the plan stage for your request.
   4. From the Application list, select the application for the request.
   5. From the Estimate list, select the estimated time for the request.
   6. In Planned Start, enter the start date and time for the request.
   7. From the Request template list, select the template for your request.
5. Click Schedule to save the request.

To create a request for the allow deployment window from a calendar report

1. From Reports > Calendars, click Deployment Windows Calendar on the right pane.

2. On the Deployment Windows Calendar, perform the following steps:

   1. Locate the appropriate environment.

      Tip

      Use filters at the top of the Deployment Windows Calendar Report window to find the appropriate environment.

   2. Click the corresponding deployment window event for which you want to schedule a request.

   3. Click Schedule Request from the dialog box.

3. In the Schedule Request dialog box, specify the following parameters for the request:
   1. In Name, enter the name for the request.
   2. From the Plan list, select the plan for your request.
   3. From the Stage list, select the plan stage for your request.
   4. From the Application list, select the application for the request.
   5. From the Estimate list, select the estimated time for the request.
   6. In Planned Start, enter the start date and time for the request.
   7. From the Request template list, select the template for your request.
4. Click Schedule to save the request.

Viewing requests associated with a deployment window series

You can view a list of active requests that are associated with a deployment window series.

To see a list of requests associated with a deployment window series

1. Go to Environments > Metadata > Manage Deployment Windows.
2. From the deployment windows list, locate the appropriate deployment window series and click Active Requests on the right.
   The list of requests associated with the deployment window series opens.
   
   

Related topics

Deployment Windows report

Managing requests

Managing environments