Use Your ESP to Test Software Packages (Continued)

Release Management
Once all testing is complete, the final package is released for distribution. It is inserted into the package repository and released to the software deployment process.

Each of these five testing phases is important. If, for any reason, a product fails at any testing stage, it must be rolled back to the previous stage, or even earlier stages, and corrections must be applied.

Use the 80/20 rule when preparing packages; that is, 80 percent package preparation and testing, and 20 percent package implementation. This means that software packaging must use a structured testing strategy. The more your packaging strategy resembles the activities included in the ESP cycle, the more your packages will reduce your support costs once they are deployed in your network.

Software packaging does not end with the release of the final package to the production network; it goes on to manage the package throughout its lifecycle in the network. This is why organizations should put an ESP environment in place.

Several market products support this type of environment (see Resources). You should take the time to review your needs and select the tool that is appropriate for you. Whichever tool you use, you should use the ESP cycle to ensure that you control software and application events within your corporate network. Following strict guidelines and rigorous testing procedures will make final packages more productive and will avoid most support issues. This is one of the major reasons for implementing an ESP strategy.

Note: Portions of this article were drawn from the authors' upcoming book: Enterprise Software Packaging Patterns and Practices, Packaging with Wise Package Studio.

About the Authors
Danielle Ruest and Nelson Ruest (MCSE) just released their third book, Windows Server 2003 Pocket Administrator (Osborne McGraw-Hill, 2003), an everyday administration reference. Their second book, Windows Server 2003, Best Practices for Enterprise Deployments (Osborne McGraw-Hill, 2003), is a step-by-step guide for designing enterprise networks with this new operating system. They are also authors of Preparing for .NET Enterprise Technologies (Addison-Wesley, 2001), a book on mastering change in the enterprise. Both work for Resolutions Enterprises (www.reso-net.com), a small Canadian consulting firm that provides services in the information architecture and change management fields. Both can be reached through infos@reso-net.com.