Introduction

The continuous release and deployment practice within DevOps addresses existing problems in traditional software development, such as:

• Conflicts between development and operations
• Processes that do not scale to the complexity of applications
• Teams using different tools across the SDLC

Automation is an important practice for companies to utilize, not only for DevOps adoption, but also for business best practices. Automation can provide operations teams with a visible, reportable, and secure means of deploying applications to production environments. In addition, automation removes the possibility of human error in the deployment.

Key Concepts:

Automated deployment is achieved with UrbanCode Deploy, by creating component processes using its graphical process editor.
It allows you to deploy the same application to multiple environments, using the same automated process.

Through automated deployment, UrbanCode Deploy increases time-savings as it provides multiple plugins and integrations with other tools. The main features of UrbanCode Deploy include:

• Orchestration - Process designer translates a cryptic manual process into an easy to understand automated process flow.
  

• Process automation - Provides scalable distributed automation.

• Model-based Inventory tracking - Tracks what is where in its Inventory system? Monitors the development, testing and production environments.
  

• Environment Model - Provides configuration settings for environments.
  

• Built-in artifact repository - Provides secure file storage.
  

• Notifications/alerts and approvals - Provides Environment Quality Gates as well as Approval Processes to help you ensure that only the right stuff goes out at the right time.
  

• Tiered Application Model - Provides snapshots of applications, grouped into a model.
  

• Tested integrations - Provided with dozens of tools to make the deployment process design easier and less risky. Integrations are provided for application servers, load balancers, databases, testing tools, build servers and more. Utilities to manage configuration files, registry settings and the like are also available.
  

IBM Release and Deploy Products

IBM’s suite of continuous release and deployment solutions provide visibility and control of the entire life cycle. From build to production, we deliver solutions and practices adjustable to your unique processes.

IBM UrbanCode Build is an automated build solution providing enterprise scalability, capable of managing builds from simple to the most complex. With UrbanCode Build, project templates provide local control, while enforcing enterprise policies (e.g., security scans, test coverage, and approved dependencies).

IBM UrbanCode Deploy orchestrates and automates the deployment of applications, middleware configuration, and database changes into development, test and production environments, accelerating time to market, driving down cost while reducing risk.

IBM UrbanCode Release transforms error-prone and chaotic release planning into streamlined release events, replacing spreadsheets with a collaborative solution that eliminates breakdowns in communication enabling more frequent releases at lower risk.

For more information about these tools, see IBM DevOps Solutions.

• How to Adopt

• Benefits of automated deployment

• Additional Resources

• Example process flows

• References