IT release management a hands-on guide

When implemented correctly, release management can help ensure that quality is integrated throughout the development, implementation, and delivery of services, applications, and infrastructure. This holistic, total cost of ownership approach allows for higher levels of system availability, is more cost effective to maintain, and increases overall stability, maintainability, and reliability.

Filled with practical insights, IT Release Management: A Hands-on Guide clearly illustrates the effective implementation of a release process in the real world. It examines the similarities and differences of release management and project management tonbsp;clear up any confusion there might be about the two complementary processes. Shedding light on the day-to-day challenges that need to be overcome to ensure success, it details the how-to's of effective implementation--including what to implement, how to do it, and when to do it.

This complete resource includes a detailed model for executing a release management process, as well as numerous templates, diagrams, and role and responsibility charts to help kick start implementation efforts in your organization. Addressing the all-important cultural aspects, it explains how to sell the benefits of release management to all levels of your organization, how to overcome objections, and how to determine organizational readiness. Emphasizing the need to measure performance, it explains how to develop effective performance metrics and supplies many helpful examples of effective productivity measures.

When it comes to implementation, what works in one organization doesn't necessarily work in another. This accessible guide provides you with the tools to build on your practical knowledge and effectively implement a release management practice custom tailored to your organization.

Author Notes

Dave Howard is the national business technology manager for Toyota Financial Services.

Introduction	p. xi
1 Overview	p. 1
What Is Release Management?	p. 1
Information Technology Infrastructure Library (ITIL®) Service Management	p. 2
Financial Benefits	p. 3
Release Management and Project Management	p. 4
Organizational Readiness	p. 5
Practical Application	p. 6
Baseline and Metrics	p. 6
Concept Review	p. 7
2 Basic Concepts	p. 9
Objective and Mission	p. 9
Release Policy and Procedures	p. 12
Guidance	p. 13
Facilitator	p. 13
Governance	p. 13
Release Standards	p. 14
Basic Concepts	p. 14
Release Models	p. 14
Deployment Considerations	p. 16
Release Schedules	p. 17
Naming Conventions	p. 18
Release Procedures	p. 21
Emergence Releases	p. 21
Roles and Responsibilities	p. 22
Release Lifecycle	p. 24
Definitive Media Library	p. 24
Measures and Metrics	p. 25
Release Management Activities	p. 25
Developmental Relationships	p. 26
Operational Considerations/Total Cost of Ownership	p. 29
Concept Review	p. 30
3 Release Management and Project Management: Kissing Cousins	p. 33
Differences	p. 33
Similarities and Complementary Likeness	p. 35
Release Plan and Project Plan	p. 36
Tying It Together	p. 36
Software/System Development Lifecycle (SDLC) vs. the Release Lifecycle (RLC)	p. 39
Alignment Pyramid	p. 41
Concept Review	p. 43
4 Release Management Is Not Just for Software Development	p. 45
Holistic Approach	p. 45
Release Management and the Infrastructure	p. 46
New Environment Request Process	p. 46
NER Process Description	p. 48
Step 3.0 New Environment Request Form (NERF)	p. 49
Step 3.1 NER Review Meeting	p. 50
Step 3.2 Produce the Infrastructure Design Document	p. 50
Step 3.3 Design Approval	p. 51
Step 3.4 Infrastructure Procurement	p. 52
Step 3.5 Create the Configuration Items	p. 52
Step 3.6 Build Environment	p. 53
Step 3.7 Operational Readiness Testing	p. 53
Step 3.8 Implement and Turnover	p. 54
Concept Review	p. 54
5 The Release Lifecycle	p. 57
Benefits	p. 57
Implementation Considerations	p. 58
The Release Lifecycle	p. 59
Artifacts	p. 61
Initiation Phase	p. 62
Step 1.0 Initiation	p. 62
Step 1.1 Release Review	p. 63
Step 1.2 Planning Meeting	p. 64
Step 1.3 Release Plan	p. 65
Step 1.4 Release Initiated	p. 65
Benefits	p. 66
Artifacts and Documents	p. 66
Release Configuration and Build Phase	p. 67
Step 2.0 Business Requirements and Functional Specifications	p. 69
Step 2.1 Develop Application	p. 69
Step 2.2 Code Accepted	p. 70
Step 2.3 Deliver Code to DML	p. 70
Step 2.4 Release Validated	p. 71
Step 2.5 Build and Configure	p. 71
Benefits	p. 72
Artifacts/Documents	p. 72
New Environment Request (NER) Phase	p. 73
Benefits	p. 74
Artifacts/Documents	p. 74
Quality Assurance Phase	p. 76
Step 4.0 Master Test Plan	p. 77
Step 4.1 Release Testing Strategy	p. 77
Step 4.2 Test Execution Plan	p. 78
Step 4.3 Technical Test Execution	p. 79
Step 4.4 User Acceptance Testing	p. 80
Step 4.5 QA Acceptance	p. 81
Benefits	p. 82
Artifacts/Documents	p. 82
Operational Readiness Phase	p. 83
Step 5.0 Operational Readiness Entrance	p. 83
Step 5.1 Final Operational Readiness Testing (ORT)	p. 84
Step 5.2 Final QA Report	p. 85
Step 5.3 Support, Escalation, and Turnover	p. 85
Early Life Support	p. 85
Step 5.4 Master Training Plan	p. 88
Step 5.5 Service Level Agreement	p. 88
Step 5.6 IT Service Continuity	p. 89
Step 5.7 Final Operational Readiness Review	p. 90
Benefits	p. 90
Artifacts/Documents	p. 91
Implementation Phase	p. 92
Step 6.0 Implementation and Back-Out Plan	p. 92
Step 6.1 Change Management	p. 93
Step 6.2 Implement Release	p. 94
Benefits	p. 94
Artifacts/Documents	p. 94
Post-Implementation Phase	p. 95
Step 7.0 Post-Implementation Review/Lessons Learned	p. 95
Step 7.1 Complete Release Record	p. 96
Step 7.2 Measure KPIs and Report	p. 97
Step 7.3 Close Release	p. 98
Benefits	p. 98
Artifacts/Documents	p. 98
Using the RLC	p. 99
Right Sizing	p. 99
Service Management Alignment	p. 101
Change Management	p. 101
Configuration Management	p. 102
Availability and Capacity Management	p. 103
Incident Management/Service Desk	p. 103
Problem Management	p. 104
Service Level Management	p. 104
IT Service Continuity	p. 104
Continual Service Improvement	p. 105
IT Security Management	p. 105
Knowledge Management	p. 105
Procurement Management	p. 105
Concept Review	p. 106
6 Release Measures and Metrics	p. 107
Setting the Baseline	p. 107
Value of Measurement	p. 108
Components of Metrics	p. 110
Measurement and Metrics	p. 113
Concept Review	p. 115
7 Selling Release Management	p. 117
Organizational Readiness	p. 118
Executive Buy-In	p. 118
Middle Management	p. 119
Grassroots	p. 120
Bubble-Up Methodology	p. 121
Return on Investment	p. 122
Release Management and the Business	p. 124
Concept Review	p. 124
Appendix A Release Policy	p. 127
Appendix B RACI Matrix	p. 153
Appendix C Release Deliverables Checklist	p. 159
Appendix D Master Test Plan	p. 163
Appendix E New Environment Request Form (NERF)	p. 183
Appendix F Infrastructure Design Document (IDD)	p. 191
Appendix G Security Risk Assessment	p. 201
Appendix H Functional Specifications	p. 209
Appendix I Operational Readiness Testing Manual (ORT)	p. 225
Appendix J Support and Escalation Turnover Document	p. 255
Appendix K Master Training Plan	p. 271
Appendix L Service Level Agreement	p. 277
Appendix M IT Service Continuity and Recovery Plan	p. 285
Appendix N Post-Implementation Review	p. 305
Index	p. 311

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Author Notes

Table of Contents