Davy Hua's Agile Software Configuration Management with Build & Release

Benefits of Having a Collaboration Framework

Davy Hua on Dec 10 2007 | Filed under: Collaboration Framework

Collaboration Framework (CFW): Many organization lack this or have it in one form or another but does not really utilize it to it’s full potential. A properly enforced, maintained, and updated CFW fulfills the following:

1. Focal Communication Point (think: TWiki)

2. Robust and Scalable Backend to Ensure Proper Archiving (think: mySQL)

3. Provides Detail Content for Various Groups Within the Org

4. Gives the Automated Capabilities for Extracing, Exchanging, Storing, Updating, Processing, Broadcasting of Information

5. Helps Streamline and Enforce Software Processes/Procedures

6. Provides Automated Reporting Mechanisms

Think of the CFW as a centralized location where most if not all groups within the Org stores and maintains their development activities and schedules. A lot of the companies are beginning to maintain an internal TWiki site, but oftentimes these sites becomes a big mess with outdated and irrelevant information. Imagine the usefulness factor when it is properly structured, maintained, updated, and enforced based on the list of framework requirements above.

All SCM Groups Should Have a Vision

Davy Hua on Nov 29 2007 | Filed under: SCM Basics

An SCM group just isn’t serious without proper vision statements and lofty goals. Even if you’re the lone SCM Engineer within your group, you should still strife for certain milestones. The software field is constantly evolving which means SCM should closely mirror that evolution.

It should be the ultimate goal of an SCM Engineer to automate him/herself out of a job. This may not make sense to some of you, but when you think about it–it should make perfect sense. Our specialties are to enforce, streamline, and automate all software development activities. Forget the notion of ‘job security‘ by holding on to a certain build process that ONLY you know how to perform because at the end, it will only be detrimental to your career.

By sharing, automating, cross-training, and documenting all the processes, tools, and activities within the SCM group; you free yourself from a lot of manual tasks and at the same time, you become a leading edge industry expert within your field because you’ve worked with the latest and greatest.

This is my vision statement or somewhat of a professional credo, so to speak:

SCM is the singular working entity within [insert org name] that is responsible for planning, designing, defining, implementing, and managerial duties of the SCM build and release infrastructure, hardware and software architecture, processes, and activities by which to support the life-cycle of any Software Development Group/Project/Process.

Now, what’s yours?

Follow-up Post of ‘AllSCM.com in Print Media’

Davy Hua on Nov 06 2007 | Filed under: SCM Basics, Tools and Processes

This is the list I contributed to the articles of “Ch-Ch-Changes” in issue 185 of SD Times. Some were left out, but the few that were used carry tremendous values as well.

SCM Best Practices:

A. Continuous Integration - This build model is a must for any agile SCM team as the benefit of automation will greatly enhance the team’s overall productivity output.
B. Daily Stand Up Meetings - Designed to be short (5-15mins) which explains the stand up part. These meetings are meant resolve obstacles any of the team members may be experiencing at the moment quickly and efficiently. No more phone/Email tagging!
C. Iteration: Maintain an iteration schedule, the shorter the better (about 2 weeks to a month is a good range).
D. Accurate Iteration Planning: Only bite what you can chew. Same holds true for any SCM team — plan only a limited number of projects the team can realistically finish in an iteration.
E. Service Agreement: Whether this is an agreement between the IT group regarding server management of the build farm servers or with the QA group for release management; having such agreements will help to enforce processes and define roles with precision.

SCM Common Pitfalls:

A. Lack of Documentation: The evolution of an agile SCM team is continuous and intense. Without proper and detail documentation, organizations open themselves up for potential problems down the road should the SCM team/person leave the company without giving it enough time to train or hire a replacement.
B. Staffing Resources: SCM activities and services can expand rapidly and if the company lacks proper resources to hire more SCM, the current ones will be inundated and soon the company may find themselves with two-weeks notices. The same can be said for equipment resources as well.
C. Lack of Backup Plans: Backup plans such as the ability to reproduce a specific build for audit or bug fixing purposes are crucial. Companies often overlook the needs for these plans.

AllSCM.com in Print Media!

Davy Hua on Nov 01 2007 | Filed under: Random Thoughts

Yours truly got mentioned in the latest issue of SD Times (Software Development Times news magazine for development managers). You can download the issue in its entirety via their distribution page here. You can find the article in issue 185 with the piece titled “Ch-Ch-Changes.” The article was written by Susan Messenheimer and Carol Weiszmann with a focus on the various changes that SCM groups faces including the ever evolving tools and its customization.

Within it, Messenheimer and Weiszmann gave a very detailed outline from both the tools vendors and SCM Engineers’ prospectives of the evolution of SCM, more specifically, the tool set as it relates to this field. I found the best practices and pitfalls advice near the end of the article particularly useful for organizations/groups wanting to implement a new SCM infrastructure. Another reason is because I contributed a handful of those best practices and pitfalls as well.