Release and Deployment Management application

The Release and Deployment Management application ensures that the Configuration Management Database (CMDB) is kept up to date, that changes are appropriately managed, and that all new software and hardware is stored in the Definitive Software Library (DSL) and Definitive Hardware Store (DHS). After one or more changes are developed, tested, and packaged into releases for deployment, Release and Deployment Management is responsible for introducing these changes and managing their release. Release and Deployment Management also contributes to the efficient introduction of changes by combining them into one release and deploying them together.

The purpose of Release and Deployment Management is to ensure that all changes are deployed successfully in the least disruptive manner. Release and Deployment Management is responsible for the following functionality:

• Driving the release strategy, which is the overarching design, plan, and approach for deployment of a change into production in collaboration with the Change Advisory Board (CAB).
• Determining the readiness of each release based on release criteria (such as quality of release, release package and production environment readiness, training and support plans, rollout and back out plans, and risk management plan).

Release and Deployment Management offers these benefits for users:

• Provides a packaged release for all changes deployed into production and only deploys changes approved by change management.
• Provides two different types of releases: hardware and software. Once the release type is determined, the application provides the appropriate tasks.
• Ability to manage changes of groups such as Configuration Item (CI) groups and business services.
• Ability to terminate a release at any time except in the Training phase or once it has been installed or verified. At that point you have the ability to back-out the change.
• Availability of optional training phase.