It Release Management

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 s

The overwhelming majority of a software system’s lifespan is spent in use, not in design or implementation. So, why does conventional wisdom insist that software engineers focus primarily on the design and development of large-scale computing systems? In this collection of essays and articles, key members of Google’s Site Reliability Team explain how and why their commitment to the entire lifecycle has enabled the company to successfully build, deploy, monitor, and maintain some of the largest software systems in the world. You’ll learn the principles and practices that enable Google engineers to make systems more scalable, reliable, and efficient—lessons directly applicable to your organization. This book is divided into four sections: Introduction—Learn what site reliability engineering is and why it differs from conventional IT industry practices Principles—Examine the patterns, behaviors, and areas of concern that influence the work of a site reliability engineer (SRE) Practices—Understand the theory and practice of an SRE’s day-to-day work: building and operating large distributed computing systems Management—Explore Google's best practices for training, communication, and meetings that your organization can use

The Must-have Reference Guide for SAFe® Practitioners “There are a lot of methods of scale out there, but the Scaled Agile Framework is the one lighting up the world.” –Steve Elliot, Founder/CEO AgileCraft “You don’t have to be perfect to start SAFe because you learn as you go–learning is built in. Before SAFe, I would not know how to help my teams but now I have many tools to enable the teams. My job is really fun and the bottom line is I have never enjoyed my job more!” –Product Manager, Fortune 500 Enterprise Captured for the first time in print, the SAFe body of knowledge is now available as a handy desktop reference to help you accomplish your mission of building better software and systems. Inside, you’ll find complete coverage of what has, until now, only been available online at scaledagileframework.com. The SAFe knowledge base was developed from real-world field experience and provides proven success patterns for implementing Lean-Agile software and systems development at enterprise scale. This book provides comprehensive guidance for work at the enterprise Portfolio, Value Stream, Program, and Team levels, including the various roles, activities, and artifacts that constitute the Framework, along with the foundational elements of values, mindset, principles, and practices. Education & Training Key to Success The practice of SAFe is spreading rapidly throughout the world. The majority of Fortune 100 U.S. companies have certified SAFe practitioners and consultants, as do an increasing percentage of the Global 1000 enterprises. Case study results–visit scaledagileframework.com/case-studies–typically include: 20—50% increase in productivity 50%+ increases in quality 30—75% faster time to market Measurable increases in employee engagement and job satisfaction With results like these, the demand from enterprises seeking SAFe expertise is accelerating at a dramatic rate. Successful implementations may vary in context, but share a common attribute: a workforce well trained and educated in SAFe practices. This book–along with authorized training and certification–will help you understand how to maximize the value of your role within a SAFe organization. The result is greater alignment, visibility, improved performance throughout the enterprise, and ultimately better outcomes for the business.

Defining, designing, creating, and implementing a process to solve a business challenge or meet a business objective is the most valuable role... In EVERY company, organization and department. Unless you are talking a one-time, single-use project within a business, there should be a process. Whether that process is managed and implemented by humans, AI, or a combination of the two, it needs to be designed by someone with a complex enough perspective to ask the right questions. Someone capable of asking the right questions and step back and say, 'What are we really trying to accomplish here? And is there a different way to look at it?' For more than twenty years, The Art of Service's Self-Assessments empower people who can do just that - whether their title is marketer, entrepreneur, manager, salesperson, consultant, business process manager, executive assistant, IT Manager, CxO etc... - they are the people who rule the future. They are people who watch the process as it happens, and ask the right questions to make the process work better. This book is for managers, advisors, consultants, specialists, professionals and anyone interested in Software Change Configuration and Release Management assessment. All the tools you need to an in-depth Software Change Configuration and Release Management Self-Assessment. Featuring 371 new and updated case-based questions, organized into seven core areas of process design, this Self-Assessment will help you identify areas in which Software Change Configuration and Release Management improvements can be made. In using the questions you will be better able to: - diagnose Software Change Configuration and Release Management projects, initiatives, organizations, businesses and processes using accepted diagnostic standards and practices - implement evidence-based best practice strategies aligned with overall goals - integrate recent advances in Software Change Configuration and Release Management and process design strategies into practice according to best practice guidelines Using a Self-Assessment tool known as the Software Change Configuration and Release Management Scorecard, you will develop a clear picture of which Software Change Configuration and Release Management areas need attention. Included with your purchase of the book is the Software Change Configuration and Release Management Self-Assessment downloadable resource, which contains all questions and Self-Assessment areas of this book in a ready to use Excel dashboard, including the self-assessment, graphic insights, and project planning automation - all with examples to get you started with the assessment right away. Access instructions can be found in the book. You are free to use the Self-Assessment contents in your presentations and materials for customers without asking us - we are here to help.

An indispensable resource for business leaders, IT professionals and project managers working to effect positive change in their organizations, this innovative book presents a new paradigm for the management of evolving business and IT architectures. Enterprise release management takes a holistic view of change that offers a synthesis of traditional management approaches, including project and change management, enterprise architecture, and development practices like configuration and release management. Unlike many books that simply focus on portfolio planning, this practical reference establishes an end to end release framework which ensures initiatives are planned and prioritized to streamline portfolio execution and delivery. Benefits of the release-centric approach advocated include reduced execution and operational risk, improved demand management and optimized release throughput. This unique book offers a fresh enterprise perspective that addresses strategic change and the release life cycle, providing executives and managers with the tools they need to chart and track the course of their business.

Stereotypes portray software engineers as a reckless lot, and stereotypes paint software configuration management (SCM) devotees as inflexible. Based on these impressions, it is no wonder that projects can be riddled with tension! The truth probably lies somewhere in between these stereotypes, and this book shows how proven SCM practices can foster a healthy team-oriented culture that produces better software. The authors show that workflow, when properly managed, can avert delays, morale problems, and cost overruns. A patterns approach (proven solutions to recurring problems) is outlined so that SCM can be easily applied and successfully leveraged in small to medium sized organizations. The patterns are presented with an emphasis on practicality. The results speak for themselves: improved processes and a motivated workforce that synergize to produce better quality software.

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 to 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.

Agile Estimating and Planning is the definitive, practical guide to estimating and planning agile projects. In this book, Agile Alliance cofounder Mike Cohn discusses the philosophy of agile estimating and planning and shows you exactly how to get the job done, with real-world examples and case studies. Concepts are clearly illustrated and readers are guided, step by step, toward how to answer the following questions: What will we build? How big will it be? When must it be done? How much can I really complete by then? You will first learn what makes a good plan-and then what makes it agile. Using the techniques in Agile Estimating and Planning, you can stay agile from start to finish, saving time, conserving resources, and accomplishing more. Highlights include: Why conventional prescriptive planning fails and why agile planning works How to estimate feature size using story points and ideal days–and when to use each How and when to re-estimate How to prioritize features using both financial and nonfinancial approaches How to split large features into smaller, more manageable ones How to plan iterations and predict your team's initial rate of progress How to schedule projects that have unusually high uncertainty or schedule-related risk How to estimate projects that will be worked on by multiple teams Agile Estimating and Planning supports any agile, semiagile, or iterative process, including Scrum, XP, Feature-Driven Development, Crystal, Adaptive Software Development, DSDM, Unified Process, and many more. It will be an indispensable resource for every development manager, team leader, and team member.

Winner of the 2011 Jolt Excellence Award! Getting software released to users is often a painful, risky, and time-consuming process. This groundbreaking new book sets out the principles and technical practices that enable rapid, incremental delivery of high quality, valuable new functionality to users. Through automation of the build, deployment, and testing process, and improved collaboration between developers, testers, and operations, delivery teams can get changes released in a matter of hours— sometimes even minutes–no matter what the size of a project or the complexity of its code base. Jez Humble and David Farley begin by presenting the foundations of a rapid, reliable, low-risk delivery process. Next, they introduce the “deployment pipeline,” an automated process for managing all changes, from check-in to release. Finally, they discuss the “ecosystem” needed to support continuous delivery, from infrastructure, data and configuration management to governance. The authors introduce state-of-the-art techniques, including automated infrastructure management and data migration, and the use of virtualization. For each, they review key issues, identify best practices, and demonstrate how to mitigate risks. Coverage includes • Automating all facets of building, integrating, testing, and deploying software • Implementing deployment pipelines at team and organizational levels • Improving collaboration between developers, testers, and operations • Developing features incrementally on large and distributed teams • Implementing an effective configuration management strategy • Automating acceptance testing, from analysis to implementation • Testing capacity and other non-functional requirements • Implementing continuous deployment and zero-downtime releases • Managing infrastructure, data, components and dependencies • Navigating risk management, compliance, and auditing Whether you’re a developer, systems administrator, tester, or manager, this book will help your organization move from idea to release faster than ever—so you can deliver value to your business rapidly and reliably.