Best practices for managing releases
As with Change Management, the Release Management module is role-based. What applications you can access, and how much information you can view or modify is dependent upon your role. As the Process Flow Status bar steps you through the milestones of a release request, different roles perform different tasks. The Release Coordinator creates the release request at the Initiate milestone, the Release Approver approves the release at the Build milestone, and the Activity Assignee completes the activity at the Deployment milestone.
How each person uses Release Management depends on their role. The following figure illustrates the different Release Management support staff roles. It also shows where each role fits into the milestones of the release request lifecycle.
To simplify the release request process, the following table navigates you through the Change Management documentation. It provides a map of BMC recommendations that you should follow, when you use the Release Management module.
Milestone | Role and task |
|---|---|
1a - Initiate | Release coordinator creates the release request, change request, and activity. For more information, see Initiating-a-release. |
1b - Initiate | CAB approves the release request. |
2a - Planning | Release coordinator plans the release request, and uses the Change Calendar to check for conflicts.
For more information, see Planning-and-scheduling-release-requests. |
2b - Planning | CAB approves the release request. |
3a - Build | Release coordinator oversees the release builds. For more information, see Build milestone - Building a controlled environment for the release. |
3b - Build | CAB approves the release request. |
4a - Test | Release coordinator oversees the testing of the new service to make sure CIs meet specifications and requirements. For more information, see Testing-the-release. |
4b - Test | CAB approves the release request. |
5a - Deployment | Release coordinator rolls the release out to the business. Starts phased or non-phased deployment of release. |
5b - Deployment | CAB approves the release request. |
5c - Deployment | Change manager executes the change request in its Deployment phase. For more information, see Deploying-the-release-to-the-business. |
5d - Deployment | Task implementer executes the task in its Deployment phase. |
5e - Deployment | Activity assignee executes the task in its Deployment phase. |
6 - Closed | Release coordinator completes the change request. For more information, see Closing-the-release. |