B

C
CMSG

Change,Configuration and Release

Management
Ed McMahon
Chair, CMSG
October 2001

The only Constant is Change

B
C
CMSG

CMSG: Aims and Objectives

To be the voice of CM in the UK

To promote the disciplines of Change,
Configuration and Release Management
To actively pursue the establishment of
standards
To introduce ISEB approved education and
examinations..
WHY?

B
C
CMSG

BSI PD0005
Service Management framework
Service Design & Management Processes
Security
Management
Availability
& Service
Continuity

Service Level Management

Service Reporting

Control Processes

Capacity
Management

Financial
Management

Configuration Management

Release
Processes

Change Management

Resolution Processes
Release
Management

Incident Management
Problem Management

Automation

Relationship
Processes
Business
Relationship
Management
Supplier
Management

B
C
CMSG

Projects & PRINCE

Change
Control

Organisation

Plans

Configuration
Management
Quality in a
project
environment

Controls

Management
of Risk

Stages

Source:
OGCs PRINCE
methodology
PRINCE is a registered
trademark of OGC

B
C
CMSG

Why?

Related processes with a direct impact on Quality

Essential disciplines that must be planned for and
Implemented early in the Lifecycle
Provides key information and input to
Project Management
Testing
Quality Management
Audit and Verification.

B
C
CMSG

Accomplishing these Objectives?

Day events and seminars
Running introductory sessions on the
disciplines
Presentations at other SIGS
Introduction of an education syllabus
Linking with ITIL and the ISM Levels.

B
C
CMSG

Problems and Issues

Time. Committee work is voluntary
Money. Group is self financing.
Position. Not seen by industry OR
Seen but not recognised as effective.

B
C
CMSG

What is required? - Discussion

point.

Higher Profile
Semi-dedicated resource from BCS to
support volunteers
Financial support from BCS
A higher profile from BCS itself.
BCS promotion of the SIGS

B
C
CMSG

What can we do ourselves?

Make the group more attractive.

Appeal to a wider audience.
Appeal to a Management audience.
Present solutions as well as awareness
Promote ISEB qualifications in recognised
disciplines - Train practitioners
Promote appropriate ISM Level within
organisations.

B
C
CMSG

Easier to Sell?

Name Change
From Configuration Management to
Change, Release and Configuration
Management.
Long and heated arguments: against and for
Esoteric arguments - not commercial.

B
C
CMSG

Education

Proposed Courses and syllabus for two levels

Essential: Target BCS ISM Level 3 for Change, Configuration &
Release Management

2 days, 14 hours, 1 hour exam

ISEB Business Systems Development: Certificate in
Change, Configuration & Release Management Essentials

Intermediate/Practitioners: Target BCS ISM Level 4-5 for

Asset & Configuration Management

3-4 days, 20 hours, 2 Assignments, 1 hour exam

ISEB Certificate in Change, Configuration & Release
Management Intermediate/Practitioners

B
C
CMSG

Management Awareness

Assessments :
Conformance

BS
15000
Standard
PD0005

Capability &
Maturity

ITIL
In-house procedures
ITIL Best Practice & Standards Links

Achieve this
Managers
Overview
Process
Definition
Solutions

B
C
CMSG

Structure, Relationships and

Content
Change, Configuration and Release
Management

B
C
CMSG

ITIL Version 2 Service Support

Configuration Mgt.

The Service Desk

-identifies impact &

updates records

Release Mgt.
Incident Mgt.
-logs & resolves incidents

-controls release of
software & hardware to
implement the change

Problem Mgt.

Change Mgt.

-identifies root cause

& minimises effect

- assesses &
authorises change

B
C
CMSG

Change Management - Activities

Manage
Requests For Change

Approve & schedule

changes

Change
Management

Review all
implemented
changes

Oversee change
building, testing
and
implementation

B
C
CMSG

RFCs & Configuration Management

Initial
Change Request

Configuration Management

Assess Impact & Proposal

C
M
D
B

Software CI
to be changed
Related
Operating CI

Related
Training CI
Related
Hardware CI

Combined
Change Request

Change Procedure
Raise RFC
Manage,
monitor,
report,
chase,
RFCs

Assess
Impact

CMDB
Identify CIs

Approve
Release CIs
Implement
Post Impl.
Review
Close RFC

Update CIs
Audit CIs

CMDB

B
C
CMSG

Configuration Management Objectives

Enabling control by monitoring and maintaining

information on:
Resources and configurations needed to deliver projects,
systems and services
Configuration Item (CI) status and history
CI relationships

Providing information on the infrastructure for all

other processes & Programme/IT/IS Management

B
C
CMSG

Configuration Management activities

Management
information

Identification &
Naming

Verification &
Audit
Configuration
Management

Control

Need to be planned!

Status
Accounting

B
C
CMSG

Configuration Control

Configuration Control is responsible for the way

in which we put our projects and systems
together. It allows us to assign and associate a
series of selected elements to form a Release
Unit or Release Package (i.e. Set)
Pre-grouped elements formed into identifiable
packages are what we move through the life
cycle.

B
C
CMSG

Configuration Control Procedures

Depend on Configuration Item Type:

Check-out/Check-in
Impact Analysis
Versioning
Move/Copy/Build
Baselining - packages, systems & environments
Environment Restore
System/Package/Change Backout/restore
Security

B
C
CMSG

Build

Inputs must be from controlled library or repository

Identify environment, inputs, outputs and build tools
Identify dependencies to permit rebuilding later on &
order!

IN

OUT
Build Tools &
Clean Environment

Built
Environment

B
C
CMSG

Configuration Management
Categories include

Programmes/Projects
Services
Systems
Hardware
Software
Documentation
Environment
People
Data

Items you want to control are called Configuration Items (CIs)

Data about all the CIs are held in the Configuration
Management System or Database (CMDB)

B
C
CMSG

Configuration Item (CI)

A Configuration Item
Is needed to deliver a
system/product/service
Is uniquely identifiable
Is subject to change
Can be managed

A Configuration Item
Belongs to a CI category
Has relationships
Has descriptive attributes
Changes status over time

B
C
CMSG

Configuration Item (CI) Attributes

Name

CI
number

Category
Description

Security

Own
attributes

Version

Euro

Size/Capacity

Supplier
Support
Group

Status
Owner

Location

B
C
CMSG

CIs - scope and detail

Service

Environment

DD
EE
TT
AA
II
LL

Hardware

Network
printer
Local
printer
No break
power

VDU

Software

Documentation

People
resources

PC

Keyboard

Bundled
s/w

CPU
SLA

SCOPE
SCOPE

DBMS

W.P.

E-mail

B
C
CMSG

Web World - What to Control?

Multimedia
Layout

Servers

Formats

URL

SMIL
Editors
HTML Tag List
Databases
VRML
Perl
Java
Design
HTML4
JavaScript Tools
Plugins CGI
ASP
Cascading
Open
Source
Protocols
Images
Style Sheets
Virtual Library
Software
Icons
Flash
Tutorials
Navigation Domains
Security
UNIX
DHTML Browsers
Graphics
XML

B
C
CMSG

Role of Status Accounting

What have we
Configured?
OK, Ill Get
the pictures

Im doing a release,
take the baselines
for me please.

Recorded
Baselines

B
C
CMSG

Configuration Audit
As Built Baseline Records

Live Infrastructure

App. Server
As Built

Appl. Server
Live

NT Server
As Built

NT Server
Live

Audit Tools &

Scripts

Desktop
As Built

Desktop
Live
Perform audit
Log exceptions
Notify exceptions
Investigate exceptions
Follow up & resolve

B
C
CMSG

RFC - Scope and Contents

Hardware

Change
Sponsor &
Originator

Software

What, Why,
When

CIs
SLA
Documentation

etc..

Environment

Justification

Change
Request
(RFC)

etc..
Change
Advisory Board
(if appropriate)

Service
impact

Category
Priority
Resource
Estimates

B
C
CMSG

Change Management Process

Manage

Implement
RFC

Preparation

Categorise
Prioritise
Authorise
Plan

Build

Refusal

CAB

Test

Backout

Approve
Release

Implementation
Review

Refusal

B
C
CMSG

ITIL Version 2 Release Management

Development
Environment

Release
Policy

Release
Planning

Design,
develop,
build,
configure
release

Controlled Test
Environment

Fit for
Purpose
Roll-out
Testing &
Planning
Release
Acceptance

Live
Environment

Comms.,
Preparation
& Training

Distribution
&
Installation

Configuration Management Database

and Definitive Software Library

B
C
CMSG

Release Management Objectives

Deliver systems that are correctly configured and

built first time e.g. 99% of target
Repeatable, consistent process that is cost effective,
responsive and flexible
Everyone knows what is happening & when
Accurate updates are fed back to configuration
management
Can do OFTEN & QUICKLY!
Maintain quality

B
C
CMSG

Platform & Cultural Challenges

Mainframes

Internet

Network
Computer

B2B
Systems

Mobiles

Release
management

Laptops

Compact Disks
Client/server

Personal
computers

Balancing control of corporate, regulated systems with end

user flexibility across platforms

B
C
CMSG

Release Policy
1. Roles &
Responsibilities
2. Levels of
Authority

8. Business critical
times & risks

7. Emergency
change

Release
policy

3. Identification
& Packaging

4. Release
unit - full/delta
6. Release
frequency

5. Release
numbering

B
C
CMSG

Release Management Best Practices

Designer/developer should design for change, configuration &

release management
Release management should offer advice & info.
Standards, identification, tools, techniques
Release, build and back-out procedures
Re-use of standard procedures & CIs from CM system
Automate installation routines if sensible
Automated one-off jobs need equivalent back-out routines
Design software distribution so that the integrity of software is
OK during handling, packaging, delivery & AUTOMATE!

B
C
CMSG

Release & Roll-Out

Definitive Software
Library

CI records

Release
Record

CM
System

Build New
Release
Test New
Release

Distribute
release

B
C
CMSG

Release Planning - Why?

What is to be released and to
where?
Who is responsible for what?
How it will be done?
How do we know it has worked?

B
C
CMSG

Release Planning

Release contents & schedule

Roll-out planning
Phasing over time and by geographical location,
business unit and customers
Site surveys/audits
Obtaining quotes for new hardware, software or
installation services

Quality plan
Back-out plans
Acceptance criteria

B
C
CMSG

What Does It Mean?

Part 3 - Making it Work.

B
C
CMSG

The Brave New World

No central computer, no single network

A changing environment where anyone can
publish information or read it
Information is on any server
And we need to be able to trust our business
partners, suppliers, and customers engaging
in e-commerce!

B
C
CMSG

WWW By 2003

More than 500 million users

Dominant growth in Europe where 60% of Web users
will live & work
No. of devices will be more than 700 million
B2B will be 90% of all internet traffic & B2B ecommerce may be $7 trillion
Related IT services opportunity is estimated at just
under $1 trillion

B2B value chain

B
C
CMSG

DEV

World-wide prototype to B2B

TEST

LIVE

Support more data, applications , processes across

enterprises
Separate information and services (logical) from
infrastructure (physical)
Use remote services (internal & external)
Re-engineered IT infrastructure for maximum costeffectiveness and reliability

B
C
CMSG

Business Programme Challenges

Short Lead Time to Market

Fast & clear decision making and risk analysis

Ever More Complex Technical Systems

Need to manage variants and dependencies
Needs clear ownership through the lifecycle

High demand for Deliverables from Organisation and

Staff
Need to know true status

B
C
CMSG

Start with Change Management

Keep It Sufficiently Simple

Appoint Change Manager
Document Scope
Establish Communications

Base it upon
Business Continuity
Necessity but Risk of Change

Ignore Content for now

Appoint a Change Manager

B
C
CMSG

Appoint Change Manager

Use BCS Industry Structure Model

Senior appointment
Business AND IT knowledge
Expert Communicator
Programme and Project knowledge
Service Management knowledge
Risk Management experience
People person
Process Person - Process is everything

B
C
CMSG

Change Manager

Process Manager

Manage Change and

Risk

Quality
Parameters &
Key Performance
Indicators

- Establish interfaces/ links with

all areas, projects, programmes,

service & support
- Identify Interface Impacts for
Business Impact

Change
Manager & Team
(& all staff)

Change Manager
Change Administrator

- Defines scope and process

- Operates process
- Manages data and records
- Interface & communicator
- Sets targets & measures
- Reduce Incidents
- Manage risk of change
- Process reviews
- Efficiency & effectiveness
reviews
- Manages improvement cycle
- Evolve sub-processes
- Measure change & effect

B
C
CMSG

Possible Problems

Systems overload easily

Circumvention of procedures
Excessive over-ruling for strategic expedience
Suppliers
Over-zealousness can lead to analysis-paralysis
Unclear responsibilities and definitions

B
C
CMSG

Possible Problems

Establishing depth and breadth

Interfaces to other systems where CI information is
stored
Data collection and maintenance of accuracy
Roles and responsibilities in distributed, client/server
environments
Establishing owners for CIs
Over-ambitious schedules and scope
Management commitment to importance of
Configuration Management as a foundation block

B
C
CMSG

Potential Benefits

Increased productivity of customers and IT staff

Less adverse impact of changes on services
Ability to absorb a higher level of error-free change helps speed to
market & quality of service
Better up-front assessment of the cost and business impact of
proposed changes
Reduction in the number of disruptive changes
Reduction in the number of failed changes
Valuable management information

B
C
CMSG

Potential Benefits

Improves asset management

Reduces risks from changes
Leads to more effective user support
Improves security against malicious changes
Facilitates compliance with legal obligations
Supports budget process
Facilitates service level management, better planning & design
Improves capability to identify, improve, inspect, deliver,
operate, repair & upgrade
Provides accurate information & configuration history
Increased Quality
Facilitates Learning and Knowledge based organisations

B
C
CMSG

How - Define the Method & Process

Change & Release Management throughout the life cycle

Validation

Requirements
Rework

Verification Activities
- Release Package
& Signoff
- Configuration Audit
- Change Management
Audit
- Test and Quality
Audit

Test
Conditions
& Cases

Test
Execution

Business
Acceptance
Testing

Lifecycle Checkpoint

System
design

Component
design and build
The V-Model Method
& Process

Large System
Testing

Unit Test

B
C
CMSG

Analyse Current

What Processes are currently specified and used?

What Tools are in place?
How many production and development problems are
caused by change and release issues?
What are the costs associated with the above?
How much time is spent waiting/wasted?

B
C
CMSG

Analyse Current

Identify where current practices would need to

change
Specify roles & responsibilities
Identify training requirements; tools and process
Create a Cost Benefit Analysis Model
Identify likely tools and general costs
Identify pilot project/release and implementation
milestones

B
C
CMSG

A Learning Organisation

That can work practically with the Process

Can deliver fast but with quality
Can deliver fast but with control
Protecting the assets of the future

Learns and reuses from the past

Identifies Risks & Prioritises Change

B
C
CMSG

Organisation
Project Management
Aims, Objectives, Financial, Quality, Principles & Policies

Business Risk
Management

Development
Management

Quality & Verification

Management

Risk & Issues DB

Requirements
Catalogue

Business Priority,
Commercial &
Technical Analysis
of Change.

Change Management
Release Management
Configuration Management

Design Products
Build Products
Implementation
Products

Test Management
Audit
Management

B
C
CMSG

Remember Quality
e.g. EFQM Business Excellence Model
Enablers 50%

Results 50%

People
Management
9%

Leadership
10%

Policy &
Strategy
8%
Partnership
& Resources
9%

People
Satisfaction
9%

Processes
14%

Customer
Satisfaction
20%
Impact on
Society
6%

Innovation and Learning

Business
Results
15%

B
C
CMSG

To be successful

Avoid bureacracy
Processes

Technology

People

Invest in processes
+ people + tools