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Release Management

Overview​

Release Management is the fourth level of ITSM and the continuation of Change Management. While Change Management approves and plans a change, Release Management executes it, aiming for a smooth, interruption-free rollout.

Relationship to Change Management​

Change ManagementRelease Management
Approves and plans changesExecutes changes
Creates the RFCImplements the RFC
Decides what and whenDecides how and rolls it out

Release Package​

Before rollout, a release package is created containing all planned changes. Testing is done preferably on a CI taken from the running production environment, updated, and returned to a test environment. After a defined problem-free test period, the release can be rolled out to all target systems.

A software distribution system helps distribute releases efficiently to many CIs.

Rollout Approaches​

Big Bang​

All recipients receive the release at the same time.

Advantages:

  • Faster overall implementation
  • All systems have the same update simultaneously
  • More efficient troubleshooting (no version differences)

Disadvantages:

  • High risk if errors occur (all systems affected at once)
  • High load on infrastructure during rollout

Phased​

The release is rolled out to a subset of recipients first, then progressively to more.

Advantages:

  • Lower risk (only part of the systems affected)
  • Errors are detected earlier without major outages

Disadvantages:

  • Implementation takes longer
  • Different software versions running simultaneously during the transition

Rollback​

If a release unexpectedly fails in the production environment, a rollback to the previous state should always be available. After the rollout completes, the user is informed about the update via the process instances.

Virtual Machines in Release Management​

Virtual Machine (VM): a software-based encapsulation of a computer system that simulates a real PC on a host computer.

Advantages:

  • Copies can be created, started, and modified easily and risk-free
  • Physical systems can be converted to VMs (P2V = Physical to Virtual)

Benefit for Release Management: New versions, updates, and applications can be safely tested in a VM environment. Older versions can continue to run in parallel (resource efficiency).

ITSM Process Overview​

The four ITSM levels work together as a chain:

ProcessRole
Incident ManagementRecords disruptions, filters out problems
Problem ManagementIdentifies root causes, provides a workaround where possible
Change ManagementApproves and plans sensible changes
Release ManagementExecutes changes safely

Reason for this separation: The orchestration of processes aims for sustainability and brings structure to a complex workflow.

ITSM Processes and IMAC/R/D Phases​

IMAC/R/D ActivityRelevant ITSM Processes
Wartung (maintenance)Change Management, Release Management
Inspektion (inspection)Problem Management, Change Management, Release Management
Instandsetzung (repair)Incident Management, Problem Management, Change Management, Release Management
Verbesserung (improvement)Change Management, Release Management