Components represent deployable items along with user-defined processes that operate on them, usually by deploying them. Deployable items, or artifacts, can be files, images, databases, configuration materials, or anything else associated with a software project. Artifacts can come from a number of sources: file systems, build servers such as AnthillPro, as well as many others. When you create a component, you identify the source and define how the artifacts will be brought into Serena Release Automation.
After defining a component's source and processes, you import its artifacts into Serena Release Automation's artifact repository CodeStation. Artifacts can be imported automatically or manually. By default, a complete copy of an artifact's content is imported into CodeStation (the original artifacts are untouched). Each time a component is imported, including the first time, it is versioned. Versions can be assigned automatically by Serena Release Automation, applied manually, or come from a build server. Every time a component's artifacts are modified and reimported, a new version of the component is created.
A component process is a series of user-defined steps that operate on a component's artifacts. Each component has at least one process defined for it and can have several. A component process can be as simple as a single step or contain numerous relationships, branches, and process switches. Component processes are created with Serena Release Automation's process editor. The process editor is a visual drag-and-drop editor that enables you to drag process steps onto the design space and configure them as you go. As additional steps are placed, you visually define their relationships with one another. Process steps are selected from a menu of standardized steps. Serena Release Automation provides steps for several utility processes, such as inventory management, and workflow control. Additional process steps are provided by plug-ins. A component process can have steps from more than one plug-in. See Plug-ins.
Additionally, you can create processes and configure properties and save them as templates to create new components. See Component Templates.