Document control

Policy status

DRAFT

Approval status

NOT APPROVED 

Approved version and date


StatementPolicy to plan and oversee the implementation of approved Changes into production.
Dissemination Level

TLP:WHITE - Public

Table of contents


Goal

The goal of this Change Implementation (Release Management) policy is to plan and oversee the implementation of approved Changes into production. This policy aims to ensure that releases are planned, tested, and deployed efficiently and effectively to minimise disruption to services and maximise value delivery to customers.

Scope

It applies exclusively to all EGI branded services in the service catalogue of EGI Foundation and covers all changes that are approved by ChaRDM (see ChaRDM.PO.01).

Policy

Bundled changes

Typically Releases are linked to a single change as we expect providers to bundle changes.

Planning of releases

Due to the federated nature of EGI activities, the Change and Release Deployment management is currently mainly working in a reactive way, having providers propose their changes once they are ready. Then releases deployment dates are still agreed with the ChaRDM staff.

All changes to IT resources, services and / or systems approved by ChaRDM are required to follow this Change Implementation (Release Management) policy.

All releases will follow one of the change and release processes as defined by either ChaRDM.PR.01 or ChaRDM.PR.02 or ChaRDM.PR.03 procedures.

Each normal release requires the following:

  • Release Plan: It includes date of release, release notes, recommended duration of testing period, expected deployment in production date, access to documentation for users and administrators (if applicable), location of the packages (if applicable), the deployment procedure (if applicable).
  • Contingency Plan:  It includes the means to deal with disruptions caused by an unsuccessful change of high impact or high risk. This can be avoided in the case of an emergency release.
  • Testing:  All normal releases must be tested in a controlled acceptance test environment prior to implementing. If a controlled test environment is not available, best effort is acceptable until such controlled test environment becomes available.
  • Release frequency: The maximum releases frequency is once per month (per service). Emergency releases are not computed in the frequency.

For standard releases: A simplified release plan will apply to changes classified with low risk and low impact by ChaRDM.

For emergency releases: The emergency change process as defined by the ChaRDM.PR.01 procedure will be followed for all emergency changes.