The ERO Release Life Cycle

The ERO release life cycle overlaps the package life cycle used in the base ChangeMan ZMF product. It consists of a number of steps where changed components move through the release areas for synchronizing and testing the changes. The last step installs from the final area into production and ripples the baseline libraries of the release applications.

The following steps trace a release life cycle in ERO:

1. Create a Release and Release Areas

You make ERO administration entries to create a release and its associated areas. These functions are typically performed by ERO release managers and ChangeMan ZMF administrators.

2. Add Install Approval Groups and Area Approvers

You add install approval groups after you create the release. Additional approvals may be dynamically added based on library types included in the release. You can also establish area approvers.

In the following diagram, the approval group DBA is dynamically added as Release Q1 contains DBRM components which reside in a DBR library type. This release will now require DBA approval, along with MGRS and OPER approval.

Figure 3-9. Approval groups can be dynamically added for installation.

3. Attach Change Packages to a Release

When you attach a change package to a release, it brings new or changed components into the ERO release life cycle. After you attach a package to a release, the components in the package remain under package control but proceed through the release life cycle. Prior releases’ final system libraries and all current release area libraries are included in the SYSLIB concatenation of compiles and links within the package.

4. Approve Area Check-in

The approval process begins with notification to the area check-in approvers. Check-in approval can be used to verify that release areas and applications are reviewed by the appropriate personnel. Check-in approval opens a release area for package or area check-in.

5. Check in a Package

When you check in a package attached to a release, components are brought into the starting area defined for that package. This step begins the integration of the package components with other release components, which are in development in other change packages of that release. With the appropriate rules in place, you audit, freeze, and approve packages before they are checked into a release.

Figure 3-10. Package check-in brings components into the release’s starting area.

6. Check-in an Area

You copy components from the libraries for one area into the libraries for another area with area check-in. Release components are advanced through the hierarchy of areas and progressively integrated.

You issue the check-in command on the current area, which copies the components from the current area to the next area. In the following diagram, the check-in command is issued on the Start Area to migrate components to the Unit Test Area.

Figure 3-11. Area check-in copies area libraries into libraries of another area.

7. Release Audit an Area

Release audit checks for out-of-sync conditions across releases. For example, if you modify a copybook after you have compiled the source that calls it, release audit will note that condition.

Release audit examines components in:

libraries for a particular release area
libraries for other areas in the release
libraries in prior releases
baseline libraries

It evaluates relationships between:

different versions of the same component
components and other components they include, such as copybooks and statically linked load modules
link control cards and the associated load modules

The Audit job records audit data and out-of-sync conditions in release audit tables.
Reports can be run against these tables, or queried using XML Services. The Release Audit report produced by the program CMNRARPT includes these sections:

Directory information for non-load components
Directory information for load components
Copybook within Source
NCAL Loads with composite loads
Object components within composite loads
Summary
Recommendations

Here is a sample report produced by CMNRARPT

...

********************************* TOP OF DATA ***************************************************************************************
Change Man Release Audit Report Friday April 01,2016 (2016/092) 17:57:04 PAGE: 1
***********************************(Release Area Processing)************************************
*Release Identifier ===> ALICE12 Created: 20150825 Release Install Date ===> 20151201 *
*Area Identifier ===> OUTAREA Area Status ===> BLOCKED *
*Component analysis type ===> Description of Member from Directory Entry for Lib Type-(LOD) *
************************************************************************************************************************************
*------------- P r e v i o u s  V e r s i o n -------------* *------------------ A r e a  L i b r a r y -----------------*
************************************************************ **************************************************************
Name Build Area Changed Release Tso-id Name Build Appl/Pkg# Changed Size VV.MM Tso-ID
________ ____ ________ ________________ ________ ________ ________ ____ __________ ________________ ____ _____ ________
BILLSUB1 1900-01-01 00.00 " BILLSUB1 CHER000169 2015-08-25 06.13 06.01 ACHERNA
Change Man Release Audit Report Friday April 01,2016 (2016/092) 17:57:04 PAGE: 2
***********************************(Release Area Processing)************************************
*Release Identifier ===> ALICE12 Created: 20150825 Release Install Date ===> 20151201 *
*Area Identifier ===> OUTAREA Area Status ===> BLOCKED *
*Component analysis type ===> Description of Member from Directory Entry for Lib Type-(LST) *
************************************************************************************************************************************
*------------- P r e v i o u s  V e r s i o n -------------* *------------------ A r e a  L i b r a r y -----------------*
************************************************************ **************************************************************
Name Build Area Changed Release Tso-id Name Build Appl/Pkg# Changed Size VV.MM Tso-ID
________ ____ ________ ________________ ________ ________ ________ ____ __________ ________________ ____ _____ ________
BILLSUB1 2016-02-01 09.19 SERS BILLSUB1 CHER000169 2015-08-25 06.13 06.01 ACHERNA
Change Man Release Audit Report Friday April 01,2016 (2016/092) 17:57:04 PAGE: 3
***********************************(Release Area Processing)************************************
*Release Identifier ===> ALICE12 Created: 20150825 Release Install Date ===> 20151201 *
*Area Identifier ===> OUTAREA Area Status ===> BLOCKED *
*Component analysis type ===> Description of Member from Directory Entry for Lib Type-(SRC) *
************************************************************************************************************************************
*------------- P r e v i o u s  V e r s i o n -------------* *------------------ A r e a  L i b r a r y -----------------*
************************************************************ **************************************************************
Name Build Area Changed Release Tso-id Name Build Appl/Pkg# Changed Size VV.MM Tso-ID
________ ____ ________ ________________ ________ ________ ________ ____ __________ ________________ ____ _____ ________
BILLSUB1 2016-02-01 09.19 ACHERNA ERR0417! BILLSUB1 CHER000169 2015-08-25 06.13 06.01 ACHERNA
Change Man Release Audit Report Friday April 01,2016 (2016/092) 17:57:04 PAGE: 4
***********************************(Release Area Processing)************************************
*Release Identifier ===> ALICE12 Created: 20150825 Release Install Date ===> 20151201 *
*Area Identifier ===> OUTAREA Area Status ===> BLOCKED *
*Component analysis type ===> Description of Member from Directory Entry for Lib Type-(LOD) *
************************************************************************************************************************************
*------------- V e r s i o n  L i b r a r y --------------* *----------------- A r e a  L i b r a r y -----------------*
************************************************************* *************************************************************
Name Size Linkdate Setssi Build Area Release Name Appl/Pkg# Build Size Linkdate Setssi AC
________ ________ __________ ________ ____ ________ ________ ________ __________ ____ ________ __________ ________ __
NO DIRLOD RECORDS FOUND
Change Man Release Audit Report Friday April 01,2016 (2016/092) 17:57:04 PAGE: 5
***********************************(Release Area Processing)************************************
*Release Identifier ===> ALICE12 Created: 20150825 Release Install Date ===> 20151201 *
*Area Identifier ===> OUTAREA Area Status ===> BLOCKED *
*Component analysis type ===> Copybook (CPY) Members within Source (SRC) Code *
************************************************************************************************************************************
*------------- V e r s i o n  L i b r a r y --------------* *----------------- A r e a  L i b r a r y -----------------*
************************************************************* *************************************************************
Copybook Source Copybook Lib
Name Build Area Changed Release Tso-id Name Name Type Build Appl/Pkg# Changed Tso-id
________ ____ ________ ________________ ________ ________ ________ ________ ____ ____ __________ ________________ ________
NO COPS RECORDS FOUND
Change Man Release Audit Report Friday April 01,2016 (2016/092) 17:57:04 PAGE: 6
***********************************(Release Area Processing)************************************
*Release Identifier ===> ALICE12 Created: 20150825 Release Install Date ===> 20151201 *
*Area Identifier ===> OUTAREA Area Status ===> BLOCKED *
*Component analysis type ===> NCAL (NCL) Loads within Composite Load Module (LOD) *

...

************************************************************************************************************************************
*------------- V e r s i o n  L i b r a r y --------------* *----------------- A r e a  L i b r a r y -----------------*
************************************************************* *************************************************************
Called Module Calling Called Lib
Module Size Linkdate Setssi Build Area Release Module Module Type Appl/Pkg# Build Size Linkdate Setssi
________ ________ __________ ________ ____ ________ ________ ________ ________ ____ __________ ____ ________ __________ ________
NO CLOD RECORDS FOUND
Change Man Release Audit Report Friday April 01,2016 (2016/092) 17:57:04 PAGE: 7
***********************************(Release Area Processing)************************************
*Release Identifier ===> ALICE12 Created: 20150825 Release Install Date ===> 20151201 *
*Area Identifier ===> OUTAREA Area Status ===> BLOCKED *
*Component analysis type ===> Object (OBJ) Components within Composite Load Module (LOD) *
************************************************************************************************************************************
*------------- V e r s i o n  L i b r a r y --------------* *----------------- A r e a  L i b r a r y -----------------*
************************************************************* *************************************************************
Object Changed Date Module Calling Object Lib Changed date Module
Name Size /Linkdate Setssi Build Area Release Module Name Type Appl/Pkg# Build Size /Linkdate Setssi
________ ________ __________ ________ ____ ________ ________ ________ ________ ____ __________ ____ ________ __________ ________
NO COBJ RECORDS FOUND
Change Man Release Audit Report Friday April 01,2016 (2016/092) 17:57:04 PAGE: 8
***********************************(Release Area Processing)************************************
*Release Identifier ===> ALICE12 Created: 20150825 Release Install Date ===> 20151201 *
*Area Identifier ===> OUTAREA Area Status ===> BLOCKED *
*Component analysis type ===> LCT Components which generate named executables *
************************************************************************************************************************************
*------------- V e r s i o n  L i b r a r y --------------* *----------------- A r e a  L i b r a r y -----------------*
************************************************************* *************************************************************
Target Module Change/ LCT Target Lib Change/
Module Size Linkdate Setssi Build Area Release Cmponent Module Type Appl/Pkg# Build Size Linkdate Setssi
________ ________ __________ ________ ____ ________ ________ ________ ________ ____ __________ ____ ________ __________ ________
NO CLCT RECORDS FOUND
Change Man Release Audit Report Friday April 01,2016 (2016/092) 17:57:04 PAGE: 9
***************************(Release Area Processing - HFS Components)***************************
*Release Identifier ===> ALICE12 Created: 20150825 Release Install Date ===> 20151201 *
*Area Identifier ===> OUTAREA Area Status ===> BLOCKED *
*Component analysis type ===> Description of Member from Directory Entry for Lib Type-(SRC) *
************************************************************************************************************************************
*-------------- P r e v i o u s  V e r s i o n ---------------* *---------------- A r e a  L i b r a r y ----------------*
*************************************************************** ***********************************************************
Component Name
Release Area Changed ID Appl/Pkg# Changed Size ID
________ ________ ___________________ ________ __________ ___________________ _________ ________
NO DIRSRC HFS RECORDS FOUND
Change Man Release Audit Report Friday April 01,2016 (2016/092) 17:57:04 PAGE: 10
***************************(Release Area Processing - HFS Components)***************************
*Release Identifier ===> ALICE12 Created: 20150825 Release Install Date ===> 20151201 *
*Area Identifier ===> OUTAREA Area Status ===> BLOCKED *
*Component analysis type ===> Description of Member from Directory Entry for Lib Type-(LOD) *
************************************************************************************************************************************
*-------------- P r e v i o u s  V e r s i o n ---------------* *---------------- A r e a  L i b r a r y ----------------*
*************************************************************** ***********************************************************
Component Name
Timestamp Size Release Area Appl/Pkg# Timestamp Size
___________________ _________ _______ _______ __________ ___________________ _________
NO DIRLOD HFS RECORDS FOUND
Change Man Release Audit Report Friday April 01,2016 (2016/092) 17:57:04 PAGE: 11
***************************(Release Area Processing - HFS Components)***************************
*Release Identifier ===> ALICE12 Created: 20150825 Release Install Date ===> 20151201 *
*Area Identifier ===> OUTAREA Area Status ===> BLOCKED *
*Subcomponent relationships to libtype-(HFS) *
************************************************************************************************************************************
*-------------- P r e v i o u s  V e r s i o n --------------* *---------------- A r e a  L i b r a r y -----------------*
************************************************************** ************************************************************
>>Component Name -> Subordinate Name
Timestamp Size Area Release Libtype Appl/Pkg# Timestamp Size
___________________ _________ _______ _______ _______ __________ ___________________ _________
NO CLOD HFS RECORDS FOUND
Change Man Release Audit Report Friday April 01,2016 (2016/092) 17:57:04 PAGE: 12
Legend and Summary Report
The area level of audit chosen at this point is 0 -
Audit is recommended but entirely optional.
Error Conditions Detected:
ERR0417! (VERSION REGRESSION) ===> 0001
Highest return code encountered ===> 12
Area OUTAREA passed the Audit with a return code of 12.
Change Man Release Audit Report Friday April 01,2016 (2016/092) 17:57:04 PAGE: 13
Recommendation Summary Report
Listed below are some solutions to resolving error situations that have
been detected within this audit report.
ERR0417! THE FIRST OCCURRENCE OF THIS COMPONENT IN THE RELEASE
AREA/BASELINE CONCATENATION (CONSOLIDATED BASELINE) HAS BEEN CHANGED SINCE THE
COMPONENT IN THE AUDITED AREA WAS CHECKED OUT. THESE LATER CHANGES MADE TO THE
CONSOLIDATED BASELINE VERSION OF THIS COMPONENT MAY NOT BE REPRESENTED IN THE
AUDITED AREA.
CHECK-OUT THE UPDATED LATEST VERSION IN MOTION OF THE COMPONENT FROM THE
CONSOLIDATED BASELINE AND MERGE IT WITH THE VERSION IN THE AUDITED AREA.
End of job; RC = 12
Audit Report produced by CMNRARPT dated 07/08/14 07.32.02
******************************** BOTTOM OF DATA ************************************************************************************

8. Block an Area

Blocking an area locks the area down to prevent further changes to area components. When an area is blocked, you cannot check-in or retrieve components. The area owner can set rules for blocking, such as requiring an audit before an area is blocked.

If subsequent area changes are necessary, you can unblock the area. Unblocking an area unlocks the area for further changes to area components.

9. Approve Area Check-off

Check-off approval is an administrative function that grants permission to check-in the contents of area libraries to the next area. You begin the process by notifying check-off approvers. The requirement for check-off approval is determined by the area approval rule. A check-off approval signifies successful completion of the area testing as a step of the release life cycle.

10. Block a Release

Blocking a release locks down the release and its areas in preparation for install. All areas in a release must be blocked before a release can be blocked, and all packages attached to the release must be approved. When you attempt to block a release, ERO executes a pre-install test to validate the release and the contents of the final release area.

The installation JCL is built for each package attached to the release when the release is blocked.

11. Approve a Release for Install

After a release is blocked, all install approvers must enter their approvals before the release is installed. When the last approval is entered, the release status is changed to Approve (APR).

12. Install a Release

Packages are installed from their final system area libraries. This differs from the base ChangeMan ZMF product, where package install occurs from the package staging libraries. Each package is installed based on its own install date and time information. Promotion area libraries are cleaned out during the installation process, and package area components are baselined.

Figure 3-12. Packages are installed from the final system area.

13. (Optional) Back Out a Release

Release backout first verifies that all packages attached to the release are in a state that permits package backout, then submits package backout jobs for the entire release. When complete, the packages and the release are in backout (BAK) status. Both packages and release can then be reverted for further development.

14. (Optional) Revert a Release

When you revert a release, it clears all release install approvals, unblocks the release, and changes the status of the release from approve (APR) or backout (BAK) to development (DEV) status. The status of release areas is not changed, and packages attached to the release are not automatically reverted. This allows you to selectively unblock areas and revert specific packages to rectify the problems before a next attempt to install the release is made.

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