IBM UrbanCode from A Better Solution, Inc.

The IBM UrbanCode family of products helps organizations automate their Build, Release and Deployment processes to improve speed to market and lower error rates in your deployment. These tools integrate with many tools to help you implement continuous build, release and deployment processes.

IBM UrbanCode Deploy orchestrates and automates the deployment of applications, middleware configurations and database changes into development, test and production environments. This software enables your team to deploy as often as needed-on demand or on a schedule, and with self-service. UrbanCode Deploy can help your team to accelerate their time to market, drive down costs and reduce risk.

IBM UrbanCode Release manages the release of complex interdependent applications, infrastructure changes and simultaneous deployments of multiple applications. Urban Code Release transforms error-prone and chaotic release planning into streamlined release events that eliminates breakdowns in communication enabling more frequent lower risk releases. This software enables you to plan, execute and track a release through every stage of the lifecycle model. UrbanCode Release helps to reduce errors while making large releases faster and more agile.

IBM UrbanCode Build is a continuous integration and build management server optimized for the enterprise. Designed for teams that provide build management as a service to other groups, UrbanCode Build provides scalable configuration and management of build infrastructures with seamless integration in to development, testing and release tooling. This extensible, customizable build solution provides a wide range of plugins for most common tools and easily works within a customized framework.

IBM UrbanCode Deploy orchestrates and automates the deployment of applications, middleware configurations and database changes into development, test and production environments. This software enables your team to deploy as often as needed-on demand or on a schedule, and with self-service. UrbanCode Deploy can help your team to accelerate their time to market, drive down costs and reduce risk.

UrbanCode Deploy features:

• Deployment process automation - create automated deployment processes using the graphical editor; run processes on thousands of machines simultaneously.
• Environment and configuration managemeny - use powerful management features that permit configuration-only and traditional code-and-configuration deployments.
• Artifact repository - store deployment artifacts more securely to enable traceability.
• Middleware configuration management - detect IBM WebSphere^® Application Server configurations.
• Security, approvals and notifications - customize user permissions, define entrance criteria for environments, and inform stakeholders of deployment actions.

Typical Uses:

• Continuous Delivery: Integrate with build and test tools to automatically deploy, test and promote new builds.
• Production Deployments: Orchestrate a complex production deployments of applications and configuration.
• Self Service: Grant different teams rights to "push the go button" for different applications and environments.
• Incremental Updates: Deploy only the changes components or missing incremental (patch) versions.

IBM UrbanCode Release manages the release of complex interdependent applications, infrastructure changes and simultaneous deployments of multiple applications. Urban Code Release transforms error-prone and chaotic release planning into streamlined release events that eliminates breakdowns in communication enabling more frequent lower risk releases. This software enables you to plan, execute and track a release through every stage of the lifecycle model. UrbanCode Release helps to reduce errors while making large releases faster and more agile.

UrbanCode Release features:

• Collaborative release planning - includes a full set of capabilities designed to reduce the time spent in release planning meetings and reviews.
• Environment management - makes it easier to allocate environments to the development and testing phases in a release, providing better visibility and control.
• Streamlined release execution - provides processes to facilitate release tracking, email notifications and automatic promotion to early environments.
• Integration capabilities - enable interfaces with IBM Rational Team Concert^™ and IBM UrbanCode Deploy.

Typical Uses:

• Identify Release Dependencies: From initial planning through discovery in testing, easily identify and track release dependencies across applications and infrastructure.
• Release Planning and Tracking: Map applications, changes, and initiatives to releases, and track the completion of Application changes and attainment of quality certifications for applications in a release.
• Easier Release Days: Build an executable deployment plan that seamlessly notifies team members of work to do, and triggers automated tasks while providing up-to-date status that everyone can see.
• Handle More Releases: Accommodate a growing number of release using more templates, automatic rules, and visibility that mitigates risk.
• Multi-Application Continuous Delivery: Rules for automatic promotion across groups of applications enables applications to take advantage of continuous delivery techniques.

IBM UrbanCode Build is a continuous integration and build management server optimized for the enterprise. Designed for teams that provide build management as a service to other groups, UrbanCode Build provides scalable configuration and management of build infrastructures with seamless integration in to development, testing and release tooling. This extensible, customizable build solution provides a wide range of plugins for most common tools and easily works within a customized framework.

UrbanCode Build provides a continuous integration loop from detecting change to executing builds through delivering feedback:

• Centrally defined templates and processes simplify the addition of new projects by dispersed development teams.
• Global reporting extends beyond individual builds or projects to include access to all build activity across the worldwide enterprise.
• Dependency management and awareness facilitates complex project builds based on project relationships.
• Fine-grained access controls ensure a secure build environment.

Scales beautifully

Unlike common continuous integration tools that are easiest to implement for at the team level, UrbanCode Build is designed for an enterprise to setup a build as a service. The central team can easily setup standard security rules and build templates while the multitude of development teams have freedom to create projects and get rapid feedback within that framework.