Setting up miscellaneous metadata

This topic provides instructions for setting up miscellaneous metadata. Metadata, or data about data is very important in the context of BMC Release Process Management. You reach the metadata list from Environment > Metadata. To get a basic information about metadata, see Metadata under the Key Concepts section. Setting up the metadata can only be done by the Administrator of BMC Release Process Management and the deployer.

• • To set up phases
  • To use the phases
  • To set up processes
  • To set up work tasks
  • To set up releases
  • To set up procedures
  • To set up package contents
  • To set up lifecycle templates
  • To set up versions

To set up phases

1. From Environment > Metadata, click Manage Phases. 
2. Click the Add a New Phase link on the right.
3. Under the Phases panel, type a name for the phase in the Name field.
4. Click Create.
5. Create as many phases as you want.
6. After you have created the phases, you can drag and drop the icon on the left to change the order.

To use the phases

You must have created a request or requests and you have steps associated with the request. It is from the request that you are able to use the phase.

1. Click Requests and click open the required request..
2. When the request opens, click open the step associated with the request.
3. After you have entered the other fields, select the phase that you have created from the phase drop down field.
4. From the Runtime Phase drop down, select the required phase.
5. After you have entered the other relevant fields, click Save Step.

When you have done this, your request is only going to run during during the selected runtime phase.

To set up processes

1. From Environment > Metadata, click Manage Processes. 
2. Click the Add New Process link.
3. Under the Process panel, type a name for the process in the Name field.
4. Select a label color from the list in the Label color field.
    The codes are given in Hexadecimal code. Using colors enables you to identify processes.
5. You can create multiple phases by clicking the Add New Process link each time.

To set up work tasks

1. From Environment > Metadata, click Manage Work Tasks.
2. Click the Add a new work task link.
3. Click Create.
4. Create as many work tasks are required by clicking Add a new work.
5. After you have created the work tasks, you can drag and drop the icon on the left to change the order.

To set up releases

1. From Environment > Metadata, click Manage Releases.
2. Click the Add a new releases link.
3. Under the Releases panel, type a name or a date in the Name field.
4. Click Create.
5. Add as many releases are required by clicking Add a new release.
6. After you have created the releases, you can drag and drop the icon on the left to change the order.
7. If you want to edit a Release click Edit.
8. If you want to make a release inactive click Make Inactive on the right.

To set up procedures

A procedure is a group of steps.

1. From Environment > Metadata, click Manage Procedures.
2. To see the number of steps created for a procedure, click a procedure under the Procedure panel.
3. Click Reorder Steps to reorder steps if required.

To set up package contents

Package content refers to labeling requests. For example, you might enter items such as "Database modification", "Code change for calendar functionality", and others.

1. From Environment > Metadata, click Manage Packet Contents.
2. Click Add a new package content on the right.
3. You can add as many package contents as you want by clicking Add a new package content each time.

To set up lifecycle templates

Before creating a lifecycle, you need to create a lifecycle template. The lifecycle template contains the stages. A stage is the process through which the application passes, for example, development, QA, and whatever stage that you want to define.

1. From Environment > Metadata, click Manage Lifecycle Templates.
2. Click the Create Lifecycle Template on the right.
3. Type in a name in the Name field. 
4. Select your required template type from the Template Type drop down field.
5. Click Create.
6. To complete the lifecycle template creation, you need to add stages. Click the Add Stages link.
7. Add as many stages that you require to define the template.
8. While adding the stage, you can associate as many default request templates as you require.

To set up versions

You need to create newer and newer versions of your applications depending on your releases. You may create as many versions as required.

1. From Environment > Metadata, click Manage Versions Tags.
2. Click Add a new version on the right.
3. Add the details in the various fields. The Version, Environment, and the Application fields are compulsory and the rest optional.
4. Click Create.

After preliminary metadata is set up, you can go to the Dashboard page to create a request. To do this, go to Dashboard > Create Request.