Definition

EndDefinition

Defining a plan enables you to:

• See an overview of all changes made to a service and ensure that all aspects of the change are taken into consideration.
• Anticipate the potential effects of change on the existing environment.
• Ensure the integrity of the production environment by preparing the change release.
   

Each release project:

• Is triggered by one or more change requests and can include new requests via interventions.
• Is made up of a group of phases describing the deployment and release of changes through the related requests.
• Can involve a group of configuration items (CI), equipment, licenses or contracts.
• Can be related to incidents, problems and known errors.
• Contains a group of documents describing processes, operating methods, etc. 
• Is updated in different versions.

Examples

Different release projects

• Installation of a new version of the Common Expenses software
• Installation of a security patch
• Implementation of equipment with an important impact on software and applications

Different phases of a release project
The New Common Expenses Software Version project is made up of:

• A migration step.
• An acceptance step.
• A user training step.
• A go live step.

Notes

• A change request is associated with a release project using the Link to a Release wizard available in actions.
  • The action will be put on hold during the deployment phases.
  • The workflow will resume once the project is completed.

Best Practice

• You should process the most important and the most critical changes in project mode. For changes with less impact, you can process them via simple change requests.

Menu access

Service Transition > Release Management > Release Projects

Description of tabs

TabUpdateRules_After2016Versions

Alphabetical order of the tabs

QuickAccess

Details

Code: Alphanumeric code of the release project used to identify it quickly.

Status: Current status of the release project that can change as long as the project is not completed.

Release Project: Name of the release project.

Type: Release type indicating the type of changes implemented by the release project.

Version: Release project version used to monitor the history of changes made to the project.

Manager: Name of the Release Project Manager.

Group in Charge: Group in charge of the release project.

Type: Type (full path displayed) of the release project.

Location: Location of the release project.

Department: Department of the release project.

Scheduled Release Date: Date on which the project is scheduled to be released.

Real Release Date: Actual date on which the project is released. This corresponds to the end of the project version.

• Update: Use the Release wizard.

Notes: Comments on the form. You can also add images or tables in this field using HTML tags.

All CI

All Service configuration items (CI) related to the release project. These are Service CIs, referenced in the Service Pipeline, that are currently in production and released Service CIs, referenced in the Service Catalog.

• Update: automatically when a Service CI is added in the Service Pipeline and Service Catalog tabs.

Service Pipeline

List of Service CIs referenced in the Service Pipeline (Service CIs currently in development) and related to the release project.

Service Catalog

List of Service CIs referenced in the Service Catalog (Service CIs operational and released) and related to the release project.

Deployment Phase

List of steps performed during the release project, used to schedule and coordinate activities.  See the example.

• Update: Use the Deployment Phases wizard as long as the Release wizard has not been run, i.e. on project completion.
• Each phase contains a scheduled date and an actual date.
• The different phases can overlap.

Related Equipment

All equipment related to the release project.

Related Licenses

All licenses related to the release project.

Related Contracts

All contracts related to the release project.

Discussions

DiscussionTab

Attachments

AttachmentTab

Work Order - Open

List of service requests or change requests added to the initial project requests that are in progress.

• The status will automatically be updated by the workflow of the request.
• Once the request is closed, it will disappear from this tab and will automatically appear in the Work Order - All tab.

Work Order - All

List of service requests or change requests added to the initial project requests that are in progress or completed.

• Update: updated automatically when an element is added to the Work Order - Open tab.

Services - Open Requests

List of service requests related to the release project whose current status is Attached to a Release.

Services - All Requests

List of service requests related to the release project regardless of their current status.

Change - Open Requests

List of change requests that initiated the release project, whose current status is Attached to a Release.

• Update:
  • In the Change Request form, specify the Release Project Code field in the Details tab. 
  • You can also update it via a change request action by running the Link to a Release wizard.
• Once the request is closed, it will disappear from this tab and will automatically appear in the Change - All Requests tab.

Change - All Requests

List of change requests that initiated the release project, regardless of their current status.

• Update:
  • In the Change Request form, specify the Release Project Code field in the Details tab. 
  • You can also update it via a change request action by running the Link to a Release wizard. 
  • Also updated automatically when an element is added to the Change - Open Requests tab.

Incidents

Incidents related to the release project.

• The Assign to a Release Project action will automatically be created for the incident with the In Progress status.

Problems

Problems related to the release project.

• Update: Automatically when an incident related to a problem is assigned to the release project.

Known Errors

Known errors related to the release project.

History of Changes

HistoryOfChangeTab

Blackout Periods

BlackoutPeriodTab

Procedure and Wizards

How to create a release project

Step 1: Create the types of steps.

1. Select References > Other References > Step Types for Releases in the menu.

2. Create the types of steps required for the project.

Step 2: Create the release project.

1. Select Service Transition > Release Management >  Release Projects in the menu.

2. Click .

3. Specify the information on the project.

4. Click Finish.

Step 3: Create the deployment phases on the project.

1. Run the Deployment Phases wizard.
         

2. Click  to add a step.

3. (Optional) If the phase is uncompleted, you should only specify the scheduled date.

4. Click Finish.
The Deployment Phase tab will be updated.

Step 4: Select the other items linked to the projet.

1. Go to the dedicated tab.

2. Click .

3. Specify the information.

• List of Service CIs:
  • Select the All CI tab and select the relevant CIs.
    or
  • Select the Service Pipeline tab and select the CIs in production.
  • Select the Service Catalog tab and select the released CIs.

• List of assets: Select the Related Equipment, Related Licenses and Related Contracts tabs.

• List of service requests, change requests, incidents, problems and known errors: Select the dedicated tabs.

4. Create additional requests if required.

• Select the Work Order - Open tab.
• Click .
• Indicate the type of request: service request or change request.
• Enter the information on the request.
   

Step 5: Indicate the change requests that initiated the release project.

1. Open the Action form of the request.

2. Run the Link to a Release wizard.

or

1. Open the Request form.

2. Select the Details tab.

3. Specify the Release Project Code field.

How to complete a release project

Step 1: Select the project to complete

1. Select Service Transition > Release Management >  Release Projects in the menu.

2. Select the relevant project.

Step 2: Entry the main information of the end of project.

1. Run the Release wizard.

2. (Optional) Confirm the release of the Service CIs related to the project and referenced in the Service Pipeline.

3. Specify the release project date and the new status.

Step 3: Entry the information of the CIs related to the project.

1. Select the default status of the configuration items (CI).

2. Click Next.
The list of all CIs related to the release project will appear.

3. Specify the future version of each CI.

4. Modify the status if it is different from the default status

5. Click Finish.

Wizards

Release
New Blackout Period
Deployment Phases