🚀 Release & Deployment Practices

This section defines how integration components are versioned, released, and deployed across environments. It ensures that changes are delivered in a controlled, traceable, and reliable manner, aligned with ITIL best practices.

🎯 Objectives

• ✅ Ensure consistency across environments
• 🔄 Enable repeatable and automated deployments
• 🧪 Reduce risk through testing and validation
• 📦 Track versions and changes over time
• 🔐 Maintain security and compliance during releases
• 🧾 Align with ITIL change management processes

🧱 Release Lifecycle

Each integration component follows a structured release lifecycle:

1. Development (DEV)

   • Code is developed and tested locally or in DEV ADF.
   • Unit tests and validations are performed.

2. Integration Testing (INT)

   • Components are deployed to INT for end-to-end testing.
   • Integration with other systems is validated.

3. User Acceptance Testing (REC)

   • Business users validate the solution in REC.
   • Feedback is collected and adjustments are made.
   • A test report and functional summary are prepared.

4. Change Advisory Board (CAB)

   • Held every Monday at 9:30 AM.
   • All Change Requests (CRs) must be submitted in advance.
   • Each CR must include a signed test report (PV de recette) with:
     • Summary of developed features
     • Test scenarios and results
     • Signatures from IT, Business Analyst, and Business Owner
   • Only validated CRs are approved for production deployment.

5. Production (PRD)

   • Final version is deployed to PRD.
   • Monitoring and alerting are enabled.
   • Post-deployment review may be conducted if needed.

🛠️ Deployment Guidelines

• All deployments must be automated via CI/CD pipelines (e.g., Azure DevOps).
• Manual changes in PRD are strictly prohibited unless approved via emergency CAB.
• Each deployment must be traceable to a Git commit or release tag.
• Rollback procedures must be defined for critical components.
• Change documentation must be archived for audit purposes.

🧾 Versioning Strategy

• Use semantic versioning: MAJOR.MINOR.PATCH
• Tag releases in Git (e.g., v1.2.0)
• Document release notes for each version:
  • Features added
  • Fixes applied
  • Known limitations

📋 Release Checklist

Before deploying to PRD:

• [ ] Code reviewed and approved
• [ ] Tests passed in DEV and INT
• [ ] UAT validated in REC
• [ ] PV de recette signed by IT, BA, and Business
• [ ] Change Request approved by CAB
• [ ] Secrets and configs validated for PRD
• [ ] Monitoring and alerting configured
• [ ] Documentation updated

📌 Best Practices

• Keep environments synchronized in structure and configuration.
• Use infrastructure as code (e.g., ARM, Bicep, Terraform) for repeatable deployments.
• Maintain a release calendar to coordinate deployments across teams.
• Communicate changes to stakeholders before and after deployment.
• Archive all Change Requests and PVs for traceability and compliance.

🧠 A strong release process, aligned with ITIL, ensures reliable, auditable, and business-aligned deployments.