A Guide to the Release and Deployment Management Process - ISO 20000
Service management or IT-related project or organisation is an accumulation of multiple interconnected applications working together. For a successful operation, it is essential to ensure each application has a proper structure and works according to the changing times and technological needs. The Release and Deployment Management Process - ISO 20000 prepares and monitors plans, tests and executes project releases, and provides new ways to improve IT services while supporting old services’ foundations.
Release and deployment management enables an enterprise’s ITSM to adapt to the constantly changing IT environment and technological advancements. It includes organising various projects and operations that customers use. Maintaining the integrity of existing components is a vital part of every company. Release management adapts, modifies, and strengthens process-related changes while ensuring that the current services are safe.
What are the Processes of Release and Deployment Management?
Six sub-processes make up release and deployment management and work in tandem to make sure current IT services are protected and equipped with new functions:
Release Management Support
Release management support provides a framework to support the delivery of releases, such as various roles required to oversee the release and deployment schedule.
Release Planning
Under release planning, the scope and components of releases are determined based on regulatory policies, higher management, and authorities in charge who would permit implementing new changes into release components and prepare a building and releasing strategy.
Release Build
This sub-process handles the maintenance of components required to release new services like work timetable, purchase reports, availability of resources, organising vendor reports, and testing release data.
Release Deployment
Release deployment deals with the deployment process of releasing components into the ever-changing IT environment and assisting the transition from old documents and services to new, and providing the necessary training to staff members.
Post-Release Support
This process manages the operations post-deployment of new releases. The release and deployment management team collaborates with the incident management team to solve incidents, such as high downtime, disrupted networks, and sudden outages, and prevent future gaps and discrepancies.
Release Closure
The final sub-process comes after a successful release and deployment process when data is documented correctly, services are updated, and regular reports are sent to respective project departments.
Release Manager in Release and Deployment Management
A release manager controls and manages the entire release and deployment process, from management support to closure. Release managers oversee process organisation and ensure the releases are deployed swiftly and effectively. Usually, IT experts, equipped with proper IT knowledge and expertise, such as IT tools, resources, and infrastructure, fill in the shoes of a release manager. They partner with business operators, the project team (incident management and problem management teams), and staff experts to schedule a seamless release of technical components in the IT landscape.
In bulk deployments, release managers form teams of multiple staff members and internal or external specialists and assign them roles like team leader, management head, and coordinator. The release manager ensures the team coordinates within itself and with different project teams and monitors risk levels and the best practices to achieve the desired business goals.
What Does Release and Deployment Management Process Do, and Who Is It For?
Release and deployment management falls under the ITIL guidelines. ITIL presents a standard for release and deployment management processes, such as planning, creating a timeline, and updating release components. In contrast, release management assesses the IT sphere to upgrade or equip existing services with new features that fit new IT technologies.
In developing new operations, project operations and strategies incorporated by project departments are not on the same page, leading to vulnerabilities and gaps. Often, enterprises work on multiple projects simultaneously, but a poor IT structure leads to a loss of productivity. Release management provides a well-developed framework to implement changes, run tests to ensure their validity, and safely release them in IT environments without harming or damaging current services. Furthermore, release and deployment management allows organisations to share information and tools within project teams across multiple platforms to integrate and merge new features seamlessly.
Key Objectives of Service Release and Deployment Management Process
Release and deployment management follows six main objectives:
● Adaptability to new changes in a cost-efficient, low-risk, and optimum manner
● Sticking to the proposed schedule and timeline to ensure the successful release of new services
● Regulatory policy compliance regarding new and upgraded IT services
● Optimising the use of resources by transferring data and documents and assisting users in boosting their business and brand image
● Safeguarding the integrity of existing components and reducing the negative impact on IT operations and functions
● Satisfied customers, staff members and higher management, and high-quality IT services
Why is the Release and Deployment Management Process Important?
The Release and Deployment Management Process - ISO 20000 is essential for every company with IT services. It considers their physical and virtual resources, staff training, user awareness, hardware and software, system configuration, and regulatory policies before suggesting and approving changes in IT operations. Release and deployment management is valuable for businesses as it offers multiple advantages, such as:
● Executing new versions of services quickly and cost-efficiently by optimising tools
● Ensuring customers have proper knowledge of new features and how to use them to maximise profits and reduce losses.
● Clearing ISO 20000 audits, increasing scalability and providing transparency
● Building an organised structure to release and deploy new components and saving the operational costs of enterprises
Benefits of Release and Deployment Management Process
Release management benefits organisations in a myriad of ways. Be it a start-up or an established enterprise from any industry, release management ensures IT services are updated and support new features safely and efficiently.
Safe and Secure Applications
Release management ensures a company’s IT department uses the best, safest, and latest software that increases security and provides a structured framework. It creates, deploys, and releases new components compatible with business needs.
Quick Processes
The longer a process is, the higher the operational cost is. Release management operates effectively and builds and delivers releases into new IT environments swiftly and conveniently, saving time, money, and resources.
Transferrable Documents
It is challenging to match the schedules of multiple project teams and work with them in the same room and at the same time. The release management process allows various project teams to collaborate and share ideas and information remotely.
Wrapping Up
Keeping up with the constantly evolving IT landscape is important for businesses, as it boosts their reliability and ensures customer satisfaction. The Release and Deployment Management Process - ISO 20000 lets enterprises formulate and execute new changes securely and effectively without damaging existing services. A safe and organised structure enhances IT operations, helps companies stay ahead of their competitors, and provides high-quality services.
