Release Management phases

The Release Management category includes seven phases, which follows the recommended Information Technology Infrastructure Library (ITIL) process by providing you with a set of approvals and tasks that you can expand.

Phase	Description
Assess	Determine the importance or value of a release.
Plan and design	Plan releases in line with requirements resulting from approved changes. Analyze all the affected Configuration Items (CIs) and CI Groups, review what software or hardware is needed to accomplish the plan, and determine the cost. This phase requires the plan and design approval before going to the next step.
Build and test	Build effective release packages for the deployment of one or many changes into production. Test release mechanisms to ensure minimum disruption to the production environment.
Training	Identify and fulfill training requirements for various users. This phase is optional and is activated when you select high Impact Assessment and high Urgency for the release change.
Distribution and rollout	The introduction of either a hardware or software release into the IT environment.
Back out	A plan detailing how a specific release can be undone after being applied, if deemed necessary.
Verification	Review preparation for the release to ensure maximum successful deployments.

Release Management: Assess phase

The first step in the release process is to determine the importance and value of a release. If the assessment determines that a release is indeed necessary, the next step is to plan and design the release.

Release Management has no out-of-box tasks or approvals created for the Assess phase.

Release Management: Plan and design phase

The second step in the release process is the creation of a plan identifying the activities and the resources required to successfully deploy a release into the production environment. The following is a summary of the release planning activities.

• Identifying scope and content of a change, and the release requirements for successful deployment
• Performing a risk assessment for the release and obtaining the appropriate approvals
• Prioritizing, planning, and scheduling release activities
• Establishing a suitable team for the release if required
• Coordinating with experts and interested parties to determine the required resources and strategy for the release
• Documenting and tracking all release planning activities

Release Management has no out-of-box tasks for the Plan and Design phase. However, it contains the plan and design approval type. This approval must be met in order to advance to the next phase (Build and Test).

Release Management: Build and test phase

After the release team agrees on a release plan, members of the release team identify and develop the processes, tools, and technologies required to deploy the release into production. The following is a summary of the release building activities.

• Selects a suitable release mechanism for the change that is a strategic fit, is repeatable, and is consistent
• Designs and builds a release package for the change that allows it to be successfully deployed
• Tests the release package to ensure that it delivers the change effectively in line with requirements
• Ensures the release package is updated to the Configuration Management Database (CMDB) as a pending release package and that any new script is added to the Definitive Software Library (DSL)

Release Management has two out-of-box tasks created for the Build and Test phase:

• Identify the affected systems (setting up the affected Configuration Items (CIs) – hardware and software
• Create release (software development, software push, hardware install, or other similar tasks) – software only

This phase of Release Management contains the build and test approval type. This approval must be met in order to advance to the next phase (Training or Distribution and Rollout).

Release Management: Training phase

For some releases, it is necessary to train users, Service Desk staff, technical support teams, and operations staff in the skills and abilities they require to perform their job roles. Training may take the form of classroom training courses, workshops, or seminars, but it could also be provided by on-demand computer-based training (CBT) courses and simulations.

The Release Manager identifies and describes the type of training to be provided, when the training is to be conducted, how it is to be administered, and the reasons for providing it. A detailed estimate of cost may also be required.

This phase is optional and is activated when you select high Impact Assessment and high Urgency for the release change during the Assess phase.

The Training phase is the only phase in the Release Management process that does not include the option to either terminate or back out of the release.

Release Management: Distribution and rollout phase

After acceptance training and testing is complete, the next step is to deploy the release into the production environment. The process depends on the type and nature of the release and on the selected release mechanism. In all cases, however, the Release Manager should be provided with status reports and, where appropriate, tools and technologies that enable tracking and monitoring of deployment progress. As changes are made to IT components during deployment, corresponding changes are made to the configuration items and relationships modeling them in the CMDB.

The following is a summary of the activities in the Distribution and Rollout phase:

• Selects a suitable deployment group for the release
• Ensures users are adequately trained in a timely manner for the maximum benefit from the release
• Deploys the release into the production environment
• Reviews the deployed release, taking into account feedback and comments from all parties involved
• Passes the feedback to the change manager for the change review process

Release Management has one out-of-box Update System task created for the Distribution and Rollout phase.

This phase of Release Management contains the plan and design approval type. This approval must be met in order to advance to the next phase (Verification).

Release Management: Backout phase

If the release fails to meet expectations or if serious problems are encountered during deployment, Problem Management may be required to help identify and diagnose the root cause of the problem. If a suitable fix or workaround can be found, it should be documented and a Request for Change (RFC) created to deploy the fix or workaround into the production environment. If no fix or workaround is found, it may be appropriate to use the backout procedures to remove the release from that environment. If the release needs to be backed out, this should also be recorded, including any information that supports this decision.

The Backout option is available during the Distribution and Rollout phase or the Verification phase.

Release Management: Verification phase

After the release is deployed, the Release Manager confirms that the release is working correctly before proceeding with further deployments. The Verification phase ensures that the deployment of the release is successful and meets all required criteria.

When the release deployment phase is complete, the release process should ensure that any results and information about any workarounds or Request for Changes (RFCs) raised in support of the release are recorded. If the release needs to be backed out, this should also be recorded, including any information that supports this decision.

This phase of Release Management contains the verification approval type.

 

Related topics

Release Management
Terminating a release change