1. Introduction
The Release Management Policy ensures that changes introduced into the production environment follow a structured, efficient, and secure process. At Howwe Technologies AB, we emphasize zero-downtime releases, frequent production upgrades, and close coordination with clients for major releases to minimize disruptions and maximize client satisfaction.
2. Release Management Objectives
Ensure consistent and high-quality deployment across environments (Development, QA, Demo, and Production).
Enable zero-downtime release capabilities for seamless updates without service interruptions.
Deploy production upgrades multiple times per week while maintaining high stability.
Synchronize major releases with client teams to ensure effective communication and readiness.
Provide feature toggles for client-specific upgrades, allowing a phased or targeted rollout.
3. Release Management Lifecycle
3.1. Planning
Scope Definition: Each release defines its objectives, including features, bug fixes, and infrastructure upgrades.
Change Authorization: Only reviewed and approved changes are included in the release package.
Release Schedule:
Regular Updates: Smaller updates are deployed multiple times per week.
Major Releases: Larger updates are scheduled with client teams for smooth transitions and effective communication.
3.2. Development and QA
Version Control: Code is managed using GitHub, with pull requests requiring peer reviews before merging.
Automated Testing:
Unit Tests: Validate individual components.
Integration Tests: Test interactions between components.
End-to-End (E2E) Tests: Simulate real-world scenarios.
Manual Testing: QA teams conduct additional testing in a QA Environment to identify edge cases and usability concerns.
3.3. Pre-Production Testing
Demo Environment:
Releases are deployed to the Demo Environment to simulate production conditions.
Clients and stakeholders review features and provide feedback.
Load and Performance Testing: Simulate peak user loads to ensure system reliability under stress.
Feature Toggles: Key features can be toggled for specific clients during testing phases.
3.4. Deployment to Production
Zero-Downtime Releases:
Leverage Kubernetes rolling updates to ensure seamless deployments without interruptions.
Services are deployed incrementally, with health checks ensuring stability at each step.
Frequent Updates: Minor updates are pushed multiple times per week, ensuring agility and quick fixes.
Major Releases: Synchronized with client teams, including:
Advanced notification to clients.
Documentation of changes shared with client teams.
Coordination with key stakeholders for readiness and training.
Event Logging: All deployments are logged, capturing:
Changes made.
Timing and outcomes.
Stakeholder notifications and feedback.
3.5. Rollback Mechanism
Kubernetes’ rollback capabilities allow instant reversion to the last stable version in case of critical issues.
Detailed rollback logs ensure transparency and traceability.
4. Feature Toggles for Client-Specific Upgrades
Feature toggles allow controlled rollouts, enabling specific clients to access features ahead of broader release.
Benefits include:
Phased testing and feedback collection.
Client-specific customization to meet unique needs.
Minimization of risks during large-scale rollouts.
5. Early Life Support (ELS)
Duration: The first 48 hours after deployment are designated as the Early Life Support phase.
Focus Areas:
Real-time monitoring for potential issues using Google Cloud Monitoring and Sentry.
Dedicated incident response channels for rapid resolution.
Collection of stakeholder feedback for improvements.
6. Release Closure
Change Logs: Comprehensive logs for the release are stored for audit and compliance purposes.
Post-Release Review: Includes a timeline of events, actions taken, and lessons learned to improve future releases.
Documentation Transfer: Updated release notes and technical documentation are shared with relevant teams and clients.
7. Compliance and Security Considerations
Zero-Downtime Upgrades: Align with GDPR and data protection regulations to ensure no service interruptions or data loss.
Audit Trails: All releases maintain detailed logs for compliance with standards such as ISO 27001.
Access Control: Deployments to production are restricted to authorized personnel.
8. Tools and Technologies
GitHub: Version control and collaborative development.
Google Cloud Build: Automates CI/CD pipelines for seamless deployments.
Kubernetes: Container orchestration with rolling updates and rollback capabilities.
Sentry: Tracks and reports exceptions during testing and post-deployment.
Google Cloud Monitoring: Monitors system performance and health metrics.
9. Contact Information
For questions about the release process or to report deployment issues, contact:
Email: [email protected]
This policy guarantees a secure, efficient, and client-focused release management process, enabling Howwe to deliver continuous value while maintaining high system reliability.