Release Manager

As Release Manager, I strive to continuously improve our deployment practices and keep applications available 24/7. I have global responsibility over the entire release management process and pilot deployment across distributed systems and IBM i.

Keeping application deliveries consistent between platforms is a constant challenge. I analyze bottlenecks in delivery and tune our value stream to align with our pre-agreed business milestones. Working to a DevOps-centric model I monitor our delivery metrics and drive small, incremental deployments. I supervise test automation to minimize impact on users and reduce the cost of defects. Security is an ever-growing concern and a shared responsibility between our teams.

How can ARCAD help me?

Your challenge? You need to…

Migrate traditional IBM i development to a DevOps approach
Ensure high standards in IBM i code quality and keep technical debt in check
Improve IBM i test coverage and accuracy
Test earlier in the cycle (‘shift left’) for reduced mean time to repair (MTTR)
Build (recompile) IBM i applications faster and more reliably
Orchestrate deployments multi-platform to minimize disruption
Eliminate user downtime when deploying changes to very large files
Manage and deploy critical data (parameters, configuration data)
Shift development the cloud and eliminate out-of-hours working

How can Arcad help?

How to migrate traditional IBM i development to a DevOps approach?

Shift from disruptive periodic releases to a continuous DevSecOps model

ARCAD For DevOps tools and expertise are built around mature DevOps practices. The integrated ARCAD for DevOps toolstack helps simplify, automate and accelerate continuous software delivery on IBM. ARCAD tools go deep on the IBM i platform to automate application analysis, modernization, test automation, data anonymization, release orchestration and more. Automated rollback on error ensures application reliability in production. With flexible and multi-platform deployment capabilities ARCAD for DevOps facilitates the shift to hybrid cloud.

How to ensure high standards in IBM i code quality and keep technical debt in check?

Automate a secure ‘quality gate’ for IBM i

ARCAD CodeChecker works like an automated peer review, continuously checking code using team-defined and pre-shipped quality rules. RPG and COBOL quality rules come out-of-the-box to keep technical debt in check. Detect new security vulnerabilities as DB2 data is exposed to external applications and devices. Define custom quality rules to locate constructs that make code more difficult to maintain or slower to execute. Integrate ARCAD CodeChecker with Jenkins for continuous code checking and SonarQube for code quality reports and metrics.

How to improve IBM i test coverage and accuracy?

+ Shift defects left?

+ Reduce mean time to repair (MTTR)?

Use ARCAD iUnit to automate developer-side unit testing and catch defects early

ARCAD iUnit creates test cases quickly and easily from existing IBM i code. Click on objects and procedures to enter input parameters and expected results. Execute test cases individually at any time even as code is being changed. Group tests into suites for re-use as testing assets.

Using ARCAD iUnit program mocking and freestyle capabilities, generate test code in just a few clicks.

Use ARCAD Verifier to automate functional regression testing and keep applications resilient

ARCAD Verifier records and replays functional tests to detect regressions automatically. Capture keystrokes and results of business functions and store them as test data. Re-run tests after changes are made to reveal if any unexpected regressions have been introduced. Re-initialize test data automatically.

Together, ARCAD iUnit and ARCAD Verifier deliver the ‘shift-left’ effect meaning testing is performed earlier in the development cycle when errors are easier, quicker and less expensive to correct.

Drive automated, continuous end-to-end testing using ARCAD iUnit and ARCAD Verifier with Jenkins and Selenium.

How to build (recompile) IBM i applications faster and more reliably?

+ Orchestrate deployments multi-platform?

+ Minimize user disruption?

+ Eliminate out-of-hours working?

Ensure application integrity cross-platform and avoid costly incidents in production

ARCAD Builder simplifies the complex task of consistently recompiling IBM i applications and optimizes the process to avoid lengthy mass recompilations ‘of everything’.

DROPS synchronizes the deployment of IBM i and non-IBM i software, handling dependencies between applications automatically.

Execute ‘smart’ dependency deployments, rollbacks, auto-integrity checks and database upgrades with DROPS. Manage deployments of parameter data and dynamic changes to configuration files with DROPS DataChanger. Deploy database schema changes to very large (multi billion row) files with minimal downtime with DROPS WAP (While Active Promoter).