Modifying Release Types and Stages

Serena Business Manager release types are used to determine the stages, or environments, that release packages move through on their path into production.

The default release types are major, minor, and emergency, and default stages include Integration Test, User Acceptance Testing (UAT), and Production Deployment.

Stages are implemented in the Release Train and the Release Package, so any changes to one must be made in the other.

What Can You Change?

You can change the following release type and stage information:

• Change release types

• Change stages

• Add release types

• Add stages

• Delete release types

• Delete stages

What is the Impact?

• Release types and stages are interrelated, and if you change one aspect, you must change all related information in both release train and release package primary and auxiliary tables, forms, workflows, and UI JavaScript.

• You must be careful when changing the Release Package system field definitions because they are used by Serena Release Manager to deploy release packages. These include the following:

• Package type: Controls the release package staging process sequence.

• Deploy state: Controls the re-deployment process.

• Next Deploy Transition: The update transition name to use when a release package is successfully deployed. The default release package workflow value is set to Deployed.

• Failed Deploy Transition: The update transition name to use when the release package deployment process fails. The default release package workflow value is set to Fail Deployment.

• You must be careful when changing the Release Package process app not to adversely affect the implementation of the Deployment Task execution. Deployment Task field dependencies are as follows:

• Deployment Task Status Single Selection control field:

The task status single selection field, TASK_STATUS, controls when a deployment task can be executed for deployment, when to execute the task deployment process, and when to execute the fail deployment process.

• Default settings:

To indicate when a deployment task can be executed for deployment, the task status value must be set to Planned. This is currently set in the Create transition.

• The automation transition actions associated to the Task Update transition are mapped to the value set in Task Status. Currently the default actions are set as follows:

  Transition Action Task Status Invoke Execute Deployment transition of Manual, Automation, and Vault Task In Progress Invoke Fail Deployment transition of Automation and Vault Task Failed Invoke Complete Deployment transition of Automation and Vault Task Completed

How Do You Change It?

You add or change most stage information in SBM Composer.

The summary and example given here are for adding a stage. From this you should also gain the knowledge you need to change or delete a release type or stage.

Before you add a stage, it is recommended that you look at the implementation of an existing stage, such as INT, as the new stage should be implemented in a very similar manner.