App Rel Dep For Dummies

36 Understanding Credit Risk For Dummies, Graydon Special Edition
Monitor Customers with a CIP

Top‐notch credit information providers have monitoring sys-
tems for clients’ use. Many credit information providers have
Application
a monitoring system that automatically alters a rating (either
up or down) based on an event change – perhaps the filing
of new accounts or changes in directors. Using that system
can let you know if the credit limit you set for a customer six
months ago is still relevant. If your credit information pro-
Release &
vider doesn’t have a monitoring system in place, shop around
for a new one! And if you don’t have a credit information
provider, get one!
Loop in Line Management

Deployment Don’t keep that new information you’ve collected all to your-
self! Liaise with your boss and other senior management and
keep them apprised about the company’s clients. Voice your
concerns. No one likes nasty surprises! Here’s your chance to
become a hero – or at least to say, ‘I told you so!’
Continue
3rdto Fight
IBM LimitedFraud
Edition
Despite all your due diligence, you may still be taken in by a
fraudster. Fraud happens all the time, and no one is immune.
Commercial fraud is a multi‐billion‐pound threat that shows
no signs of abating. And it covers every industry sector, not
just fast‐moving consumer goods (FMCG). Don’t become
complacent. Ensure detection methods are in place or, better
by Eric Minick, Allan Wagner,
yet, utilise a credit information provider (such as Graydon UK
Claudia Ring
Ltd), which features a specialist fraud-detection team.
Stick to Your Guns

As a credit professional, you hold a great responsibility for
the good of your company. Never forget that! Refuse to be
rushed into opening an account – even if you have the head
of sales breathing down your neck. Be diligent and thorough,
ensure that everyone follows the procedures, and don’t agree
to credit account facilities until you’re 100 per cent sure. You
won’t totally avoid bad debts, but you’ll avoid most of them!
These materials are © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Any dissemination, distribution, or unauthorized use is strictly prohibited.
36
Application Release
Understanding & Deployment
Credit
3rd IBM Limited Edition
For Dummies
Risk For Dummies, ,
Graydon Special Edition ®

Published by
John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
111 River St.
Hoboken, NJ 07030-5774
www.wiley.com Top‐notch credit information providers have monitoring sys-
Copyright © 2017 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any
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of new
except as permitted underaccounts
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Act, without
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related if you
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or registered trademarks of
provider,
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Inc. and/or itsone!
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be used without written permission. IBM and the IBM logo are registered trademarks of
International Business Machines Corporation. All other trademarks are the property of their
respective owners. John Wiley & Sons, Inc., is not associated with any product or vendor

mentioned in this book.
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Don’t keep that new information you’ve collected all to your-
REPRESENTATIONS OR WARRANTIES WITH RESPECT TO THE ACCURACY OR COMPLETENESS OF
THE CONTENTSself!OFLiaise withAND
THIS WORK your boss and
SPECIFICALLY other ALL
DISCLAIM senior management
WARRANTIES, and
INCLUDING
keep them
WITHOUT LIMITATION apprised
WARRANTIES about FOR
OF FITNESS theAcompany’s clients. Voice
PARTICULAR PURPOSE. NO your
WARRANTY
MAY BE CREATED OR EXTENDED BY SALES OR PROMOTIONAL MATERIALS. THE ADVICE AND
STRATEGIES concerns. No one
CONTAINED HEREIN MAYlikes nasty
NOT BE surprises!
SUITABLE FOR EVERYHere’s your chance
SITUATION. THIS WORK IS to
become
SOLD WITH THE a hero THAT
UNDERSTANDING – or THE
at least to say,
PUBLISHER IS NOT‘IENGAGED
told you so!’
IN RENDERING LEGAL,
ACCOUNTING, OR OTHER PROFESSIONAL SERVICES. IF PROFESSIONAL ASSISTANCE IS REQUIRED,
THE SERVICES OF A COMPETENT PROFESSIONAL PERSON SHOULD BE SOUGHT. NEITHER THE
PUBLISHER NOR THE AUTHOR SHALL BE LIABLE FOR DAMAGES ARISING HEREFROM. THE FACT
Continue to Fight Fraud

THAT AN ORGANIZATION OR WEBSITE IS REFERRED TO IN THIS WORK AS A CITATION AND/OR
A POTENTIAL SOURCE OF FURTHER INFORMATION DOES NOT MEAN THAT THE AUTHOR OR THE
PUBLISHER ENDORSES THE INFORMATION THE ORGANIZATION OR WEBSITE MAY PROVIDE OR
RECOMMENDATIONS IT MAY MAKE. FURTHER, READERS SHOULD BE AWARE THAT INTERNET
Despite
WEBSITES LISTED allWORK
IN THIS yourMAY
due diligence,
HAVE you
CHANGED OR may stillBETWEEN
DISAPPEARED be taken in THIS
WHEN by a
fraudster.
WORK WAS WRITTEN FraudIThappens
AND WHEN IS READ. all the time, and no one is immune.
no signs
For general information on of
ourabating. Andand
other products it covers
services, every industry
or how to sector,
create a custom For not
Dummies book forjust fast‐moving
your consumerplease
business or organization, goods (FMCG).
contact Don’t
our Business become
Development
Department in the U.S. at 877-409-4177, contact info@dummies.biz, or visit www.wiley.com/
go/custompub. For information about licensing the For Dummies brand for products or services,
yet, utilise a credit information
contact BrandedRights&Licenses@Wiley.com . provider (such as Graydon UK
Ltd), which
ISBN: 978-1-119-41595-4 features
(pbk); a specialist fraud-detection
ISBN: 978-1-119-41594-7 (ebk) team.
Manufactured in the United States of America
Stick to Your Guns

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
Publisher’s
AsAcknowledgments
a credit professional, you hold a great responsibility for
Some of the rushed
people who
intohelped bring
opening an this book to
account market
– even include
if you havethe following:
the head
of sales
Project Editor: breathing
Carrie down your
A. Burchfield neck. Be
Business diligent and thorough,
Development
ensure that everyone follows the procedures, Sue
Representative: andBlessing
don’t agree
Editorial Manager: Rev Mengle
Acquisitions Editor: Steveavoid Production Editor: Siddique Shaik
Hayesbad debts,
won’t totally but you’ll avoid most of them!
36
Table of Contents
Understanding Credit Risk For Dummies, Graydon Special Edition

INTRODUCTION................................................................................................ 1
Top‐notch
About credit information providers have monitoring sys-1
This Book....................................................................................
tems for clients’ use. .Many
Icons Used in This Book. credit information providers have2
......................................................................
Beyond the Book................................................................................... 2
CHAPTER 1: What Drives Effective Release
and Deployment?
months ago is still relevant. .........................................................................
If your credit information pro- 5
Continuous
vider doesn’t Delivery
haveand Continuous
a monitoring Feedback...............................
system in place, shop around 5
for a new Integration
Continuous one! And if and you the don’t have a credit
Continuous Deliveryinformation
Pipeline...................................................................................................
provider, get one! 7
Deploying what you have, virtualizing what you don’t................ 8
Decreasing expensive failures........................................................ 9
Scaling complex releases and deployments.............................. 10
Eliminating the Release Weekend and Improving
Team Morale.
Don’t keep .that
......................................................................................
new information you’ve collected all to your- 12
CHAPTER 2: Best
keepPractices forabout
them apprised Deployment
the company’s clients. Voice your
Automation and
concerns. No one Release
likes Management
nasty surprises! ...................
Here’s your chance 13 to
become
The a hero
Four Pillars of–Gold-Standard
or at least to say, ‘I told you so!’
Deployment.............................. 13
Use the same process................................................................... 14
Automate, automate, automate.................................................. 15
Deliver incremental changes........................................................ 15
Release what you test................................................................... 16
Despite
The allEffects
Positive your due diligence, youDeployment.
of Gold-Standard may still be.......................
taken in by a16
fraudster. Fraud happens all the time, and
Automating and using the same deployment process.............no one is immune. 17
Performing incremental releases................................................ 17
Managing defects and decreasing risk........................................ 17
Release whatEnsure
complacent. you test...................................................................
detection methods are in place or, better 18
CHAPTER 3: The Next
Ltd), whichStep
featuresin Application
a specialist fraud-detection Deployment team.
Automation and Release Management
Adoption............................................................................................ 19
Stick to Your Guns
Understanding and Preparing for Changes..................................... 20
Defining roles and identifying changes in responsibilities....... 20
As a credit process
Modifying professional, you hold
to increase a great responsibility for
effectiveness
andgood
the efficiency.................................................................................
of your company. Never forget that! Refuse to be 21
won’t totally avoid bad debts, but you’ll Table
avoidofmost of them!iii
Contents
36 Which Deployment
Understanding Automation
Credit Risk Solution
For Dummies, Is Right
Graydon for You?...........
Special Edition 21
Supporting current and future technologies.............................. 22
Provisioning environments on demand...................................... 22

Selecting the Right Release Management Solution for You........... 24
We don’t need no stinkin’ spreadsheets..................................... 24
Understanding
Top‐notch creditthe impact of change.
information providers .........................................
have monitoring sys- 25
Making
tems for the auditors
clients’ use. happy.
Many .credit
.........................................................
information providers have 25
CHAPTER 4: Rolling Outbased
up or down) Solutions ...............................................................
on an event change – perhaps the filing 27
of new
Putting accounts
the or changes
Continuous DeliveryinPuzzle directors. Using that system 27
Together..........................
can let you know if the credit
Implementing an Application Deployment limit you set for a customer six
months ago
Automation is still..........................................................................
Solution. relevant. If your credit information pro- 29
vider
Choosedoesn’t havetime
the ideal a monitoring system in place, shop around
for deployment....................................... 29
for a newa one!
Ensure And if you environment.......................................
production-like don’t have a credit information 30
provider,
Design for get one!
production first........................................................... 31
Implementing a Release Management Solution............................. 32

Identify a realistic release model................................................. 32
Choose an implementation path................................................. 33
CHAPTER 5: Ten Myths

Don’t about
keep that Application
new information you’ve Release
collected all to your-
and Deployment.......................................................................... 35
Automating
concerns.Deployment
No one likesMeans Writing Scripts.............................
nasty surprises! Here’s your chance 35 to
Who NeedsaAn
become heroOps Team?.
– or ................................................................
at least to say, ‘I told you so!’ 36
Complex Releases Can Be Easily Managed without
Specialized Solutions.......................................................................... 37

Continuous Delivery Means Constant Production Releases.......... 37
Automation Compromises Controls like Separation
of Duties............................................................................................... 37
A Spreadsheet Is a Good Release-Management Tool..................... 38
One Large Release Is Less Risky Than Several Small Ones............ 39
Release Automation
no signs of abating. Is And
Separate fromevery
it covers the Build Process.
industry ..............
sector, not39
A Backlog of Deployables
just fast‐moving consumer Doesn’t goods Indicate
(FMCG). a DevOps
Don’t become
Problem................................................................................................
complacent. Ensure detection methods are in place or, better 40
Release Coordination Solutions Fix All Problems.
yet, utilise a credit information provider (such as Graydon UK . .......................... 40
Stick to Your Guns

iv Application
won’tRelease
totally& avoid
Deployment For Dummies,
bad debts, 3rd IBM
but you’ll Limited
avoid mostEdition
of them!
36
Introduction
S
oftware applications are large drivers of business revenue,
and the timely release and deployment of those applications
Top‐notch credita information
has become providers
critical part of havelife
the business monitoring sys-
cycle. After all,
tems for clients’ use. Many credit information providers
what good is it to create an innovative application if you can’t have
deploy it to test environments efficiently or deliver it to users on
schedule?
Traditionally, deployment automation is defined as applying a set
of application changes to an environment. Release management
encompasses the governance and coordination of delivering these
changes through environments seeking to ensure safe delivery
provider, get one!
into production. Release management and deployment automa-
tion differ but have the same objective: to continuously deliver

incremental change as quality applications to the end-user.
Because release management and deployment automation have

Don’t keep
similar that
goals, thenew information
terms you’ve
are often usedcollected all to your-
interchangeably. For
pself!
Liaise
urposes ofwith
thisyour
book,boss
weand other
refer senior management
to release managementand and
keep them apprised
deployment automation about the company’s
as defined clients. Voice
in the preceding your
paragraph
concerns.
and No one
distinguish likes
them asnasty surprises!
required Here’sthe
throughout your chance to
remainder of
become
this book.a hero – or at least to say, ‘I told you so!’
Throughout the book, we give you insight into the differences

between release management and deployment automation. We
also show you how to leverage release management and deploy-
ment automation
Despite solutions
all your due to help
diligence, youyour
mayorganization speed
still be taken in bytime
a
to market, drive
fraudster. Frauddown cost, all
happens andthe
reduce
time,risk.
and no one is immune.
About This Book just fast‐moving consumer goods (FMCG). Don’t become
We wrote
Ltd), whichthisfeatures
book to aserve as a relatively
specialist simple introduction
fraud-detection team. to
what can be a very complex topic. Use it as a reference, not as a
manual. If you’re interested in certain topics but not in others, feel
Stick to Your Guns

free to read only certain chapters. Also feel free to skip around.
You don’t have to read the chapters in order.

most of them! 1
won’t totally avoid bad debts, but you’ll avoidIntroduction
36
Icons Used in
Understanding This
Credit Book
Risk For Dummies, Graydon Special Edition

You’ll find the following icons in the margins of this book:
The Tip icon points out helpful information.

up or down)
Anything that based on an event
has a Remember change
icon – perhaps
is something thatthe filing
you’ll want
ofkeep
to new in
accounts
mind. or changes in directors. Using that system
You don’t have to read Technical Stuff material unless you want
deeper understanding of a topic.
provider, get one!

Be sure to read anything marked with a Warning icon, which
alerts you to risk.
Beyond the Book keep them apprised about the company’s clients. Voice your
Throughout this book, we talk about the benefits of application
deployment automation, and release management solutions. We

include a few industry success stories as well as best practices.
As you begin your journey to grow deployment automation and
release management skills, we suggest that you take advantage of
the many assets available on IBM developerWorks in the Urban-
Code Developer Center website: http://developer.ibm.com/
urbancode
no signs of. Watch some
abating. Andofitthe manyevery
covers videos or read sector,
industry the technot
tips,
product documentation,
just fast‐moving and how-to
consumer guides toDon’t
goods (FMCG). grow become
skills quickly.
You can also find more information on application release and
deployment by visiting the following web pages:
»» IBM DevOps: http://ibm.com/devops

Stick to Your Guns
»» IBM UrbanCode Deploy product page: http://ibm.co/
UCDeploy
As»»aIBM
credit professional,
UrbanCode youproduct
Release hold a page:
greathttp://ibm.co/
responsibility for
UCRelease
2 Application
won’tRelease & Deployment
totally For Dummies,
avoid bad debts, 3rd IBM
avoid mostEdition
of them!
36 »» 7 Proven
Understanding Practices
Credit Risk FortoDummies,
Strengthen ReleaseSpecial
Graydon
http://ibm.co/7ProvenPractices
Management:
Edition
»» The ABCs of Continuous Release and Deploy in a DevOps

Approach: http://ibm.co/ABCsRaD
Finally, youcredit
Top‐notch can read other For
information titles
Dummieshave
providers from the sys-
monitoring IBM
Ltems
imited
forEdition eBook
clients’ use. Series.
Many Visit
credit information providers have
http://ibm.biz/devops
a monitoring system
dummiesbooks for titlesthat
suchautomatically
as alters a rating (either
»new
of » DevOps
accounts or changes
For Dummies, in Limited
3rd IBM directors. Using that system
Edition
»» Agileago
months
For Dummies, 3rd IBM Limited Edition
is still relevant. If your credit information pro-
»» DevOps
vider doesn’tfrom APIsatomonitoring
have z Systems Forsystem
Dummies,
in IBM Limited
place, shop around
for aEdition
new one! And if you don’t have a credit information
»»
provider, get one!
Service Virtualization For Dummies, 2nd IBM Limited Edition
»» Hybrid Cloud For Dummies, IBM Limited Edition

Stick to Your Guns

most of them! 3
won’t totally avoid bad debts, but you’ll avoidIntroduction

provider, get one!


Stick to Your Guns

4 Application
avoid mostEdition
of them!
IN THIS CHAPTER
36 Understanding Credit Risk»»For

Looking at theGraydon
Dummies, DevOps movement
Special Edition
»» Understanding the business benefits of
effective software delivery
Monitor Customers with a CIP »» Understanding the technical practices

that accelerate application delivery
»» Discovering
tems for clients’ use. Many credit the cultural implications
information providersofhave
automating software deployments
1
Chapter
What Drives
provider, get one!
Loop in LineRelease
Effective Management
and
Deployment? self! Liaise with your boss and other senior management and
I
n today’s competitive world, being first to market can be the

difference between success and failure. For companies focused
on developing software to achieve their business objectives,
many
Despiteareall
exploring
your duethe DevOps you
diligence, movement asbe
may still a taken
way toinachieve
by a
more
fraudster. Fraud happens all the time, and no one isand
reliable and repeatable deployment automation release
immune.
management
Commercial capabilities as they work to become
fraud is a multi‐billion‐pound threatmore
that agile
shows and
eliminate
no signs of abating. And it covers every industry sector, not a
waste. Being able to deliver software faster and at
just fast‐moving
lower consumer
cost is a competitive goods (FMCG).
advantage Don’t become
as companies look for ways
complacent.
to Ensuredisrupt
increase revenue, detection methods
the market or are in place
deliver or, better
that next inno-
yet, utilise
vative a credit
software information provider (such as Graydon UK
solution.
Continuous Delivery and

Stick to Your
Continuous Guns
Feedback
the good
What does of your company.
Continuous DeliveryNever forget that!Feedback
and Continuous Refuse tomean
be to
the business? Being able to quickly and efficiently release incre-
ments of software innovation to the market shortens the time in
won’tCHAPTER Whatbad
totally 1avoid Drives Effective
debts, but Release most of them!5
and Deployment?
you’ll avoid
36 Understanding Credithow
understanding Riskend-users
For Dummies, Graydon
view the Special
solution, Edition
use the solution,
and what enhancements they would like next. What a company
does with this new information and how it analyzes the feedback

is incredibility important. Delivering the minimal viable product
and capturing feedback for a release will expose whether you are
on the rightcredit
Top‐notch track or perhaps hit
information the “bull’s
providers haveeye.” This feedback
monitoring sys-
also indicates if there’s room for improvement. The
tems for clients’ use. Many credit information providers faster you
have
understand the sentiment of end-users, the faster you can
a monitoring system that automatically alters a rating (either react
and deliver
up or down)thebased
functionality they change
on an event crave. – perhaps the filing
Unfortunately, the ifeffort
can let you know to deliver
the credit limitapplications
you set for aiscustomer
often plagued
six
with numerous bottlenecks that manifest themselves
months ago is still relevant. If your credit information as delays
pro- in
the release
vider cycle
doesn’t due atomonitoring
have a variety ofsystem
reasons:
in place, shop around
»» Manualgetdeployments
provider, one! and hand-offs
»» Lack of environments for testing
»» Inconsistency between environments
»» Inefficient processes
»» Reliance
Don’t on the
keep that new“Super-Hero”
informationto save thecollected
you’ve day all to your-
keep them apprised
Automating about the
the deployment company’s clients.
of applications Voice your
and improving how
concerns.
teams No one
execute likesthe
against nasty surprises!
release plan Here’s your the
can reduce chance to
delays
become awith
associated heromanual
– or at handoffs.
least to say, ‘I toldinfrastructure
Treating you so!’ as code,
including leveraging cloud technologies to stand up (or tear down)
environments on demand, provides organizations the flexibility,
scalability, and reliability they need to succeed. Deploying with
consistency across the entire delivery pipeline can help organiza-
tions improve
Despite processes
all your and reduce
due diligence, yourelying on be
may still thetaken
“Super-Hero”
in by a
fraudster.
to Fraud happens
solve production issues. all the time, and no one is immune.
Adopting
no signs ofa solid automation
abating. deployment
And it covers solution sector,
every industry couplednotwith
continuous testingconsumer
just fast‐moving practices enables the delivery
goods (FMCG). team
Don’t to not only
become
measure the quality
complacent. Ensureofdetection
the software to be released,
methods butor,
are in place also vali-
better
yet, the
date utilise
meansa credit information
by which provider
that software (such
is being as Graydon UK
deployed.
Continuous Delivery is a term used to describe an approach to soft-
ware development where the delivery team incrementally pro-
Stick to Your Guns

duces new software functionality that can be released at any time.
This includes building, deploying, and testing the application to
be released with greater efficiency, accuracy, and consistency.
6 Application
avoid mostEdition
of them!
36 Understanding Credit
In a DevOps RiskContinuous
world, For Dummies, Graydon
Delivery Special Edition
is complimented by
related principal of Continuous Feedback. Continuous Feedback
the
closes the learning loop by quickly getting information about cus-

tomer experience back into the hands of business stakeholders
and the delivery team. This principle helps to improve decision
making,
Top‐notchleading to information
credit predictability with greater
providers accuracy.
have monitoringIt is sys-
hard
to achieve business objectives when you don’t consider
tems for clients’ use. Many credit information providers have how the
end-user
a monitoring system that automatically alters a rating (eitherin
reacts to your offering. Success is not only measured
developing
up or down) software
based onbetter, cheaper,
an event and –faster,
change but the
perhaps alsofiling
it must
delight
of newthe end-users
accounts who usein
or changes it.directors. Using that system
Continuous
months agofeedback isn’t limited
is still relevant. If yourtocredit
an exchange between
information pro- the
business and the end-user. In a DevOps world of experimenta-
tion
for aand
newlearning,
one! And continuous feedback
if you don’t have a across
credit the delivery pipe-
information
line is critical
provider, get for
one!more efficient execution during each phase of
the software development life cycle. The continuous delivery and
feedback cycles are shown in Figure 1-1.


FIGURE 1-1:
Despite allThe Continuous
your Delivery and
due diligence, you may still be taken in by a
Continuous
fraudster.Feedback loop.
Fraud happens all the time, and no one is immune.
Continuous Integration and the
Continuous Delivery Pipeline
The adoption of Agile and the need to become leaner, more effi-
cient, in the way that software is developed drove a need for con-
Stick to Your Guns

tinuous integration. A practice where a software change commits
to the trunk, creating a new version of that software, triggers the
execution of a build, the execution of unit tests (we hope) and
the creation of a deployable build package. This process improve-
ment through automation, while helping the programmers
become more efficient, exposed new bottlenecks further out in
won’tCHAPTER Whatbad
debts, but Release most of them! 7
and Deployment?
you’ll avoid
the delivery Risk For
pipeline. TheDummies, Graydon
first of which was Special
delays inEdition
the build package for the purposes of testing.
deploying

Continuous Integration is facilitated by the use of a solution that
automatically builds newly integrated changes when they’re
checked in. Often, automatic verification testing accompanies the
automatic build so that defects can be found and addressed faster.
This feature is especially powerful when combined with Continu-
ous Delivery, discussed in the next section.
Deploying
can let you knowwhat youlimit
if the credit have,
you set for a customer six
virtualizing what you don’t
Eliminating theAnd
for a new one! testing
if youbottleneck
don’t havecan greatly
a credit improve one’s
information
chances of get
provider, shortening
one! the delivery cycle and help organizations
get their innovative software products into the hands of the end-
user much faster than they could in the past.

Unfortunately, for many organizations, Testers could spend up
to 50 percent (or more) of their time standing up test environ-
ments which may or may not be an accurate representation of the
production environment — the environment where this software
will eventually reside.
Organizations need to be able to start testing their software end
to end much sooner to validate quality and get feedback to the

programming team so that the delivery team, programmers, and
testers are working in sync.
ADespite
deployment automation
all your solution
due diligence, youcan go astill
may long beway to eliminat-
taken in by a
ing this bottleneck
fraudster. and enabling
Fraud happens all the teams to begin
time, and no one testing earlier
is immune.
Commercial
or fraud to
shifting testing is athe
multi‐billion‐pound threat that
left. Using infrastructure shows
as code and
no signs of abating.
blueprinting to stand And
up (orit tear
covers
down)every industry sector,
environments not
on demand
justquickly
can fast‐moving consumer
provide a productiongoods (FMCG).
like Don’t become
test environment. The time
complacent. Ensure detection methods
sink testers faced is eliminated. External systems,are in place or, better
or parts of the
yet, utilise
system that aaren’t
credityet
information
ready can beprovider
modeled(such
using asaGraydon UK
service vir-
Ltd), which
tualization features a specialist fraud-detection team.
solution.
Using a deployment automation solution which offers integration
Stick to Your Guns

with test data management functionality, service virtualization
technologies and test automation can shorten the test cycle giv-
ing
As feedback on the qualityyou
a credit professional, of the latest
hold buildresponsibility
a great at speeds never seen
for
before.
8 Application
avoid mostEdition
of them!
36 Understanding
Imagine aCredit
world Risk For
where Dummies,
a code Graydon
commit Special
from an Edition
application devel-
oper automatically triggers a build in your automated build solu-
tion. The automated build is run including the execution of unit

tests. The build passes and is shared to a deployment automation
solution
Combined with Agile development practices, Continuous Inte-
gration is another step toward high-frequency, high-quality
releases. It allows development teams to produce testable builds
at a very high rate. It also puts more pressure on operations teams
to deploy
can more
let you frequently
know to later
if the credit environments.
limit you set for a customer six
A deployment automation solution integrated with the other
technologies delivers what modern test teams need:
provider, get one!
»» The ability to reset the test databases as a step in the
deployment automation process
Loop»in
» Line ManagementThe ability to activate virtual services and simulate missing
software and services for end-to-end testing
»» Thekeep
Don’t that
ability to new information
launch you’ve tests
a set of automated collected all to
validating theyour-
self! functionality
Liaise with of your boss and other
an application end tosenior
end management and
concerns.
Now No one likes
stop imagining, nastythis
because surprises! Here’s
capability your chance
is available today to
in
become
the a hero – ordeployment
IBM UrbanCode at least to say, ‘I told you
automation so!’
solution.
With the right application release and deployment methods, both

upstart and established companies can quickly and consistently
deploy their application on demand. As effective software delivery
is a key toallbecoming
Despite your dueleaner and business
diligence, you maysuccess, equipping
still be taken in byyour
a
release and Fraud
fraudster. deployment
happensteams
all with the right
the time, and people,
no one process,
is immune.and
tools can make
Commercial theisdifference
fraud between long-term
a multi‐billion‐pound success
threat that shows and
failure.
Decreasing
complacent. Ensure expensive failures
detection methods are in place or, better
The cost
Ltd), of a features
which deployment failure depends
a specialist on the environment
fraud-detection team. in
which the failure occurred. For the most part, failures in early
environments, such as DEV and SIT, are far less expensive than
Stick to Your Guns

failures in production. Finding an application error in these
environments allows you to make a correction that may prevent
a critical break in production — or worse, a critical breakdown
for users. Forbes.com noted that in the summer of 2013, Amazon
experienced
rushed intoaopening
30-minute outage that
an account resulted
– even if youinhave
a projected loss
the head
of $66,240 per minute, or almost $2 million in total lost
of sales breathing down your neck. Be diligent and thorough, revenue.
CHAPTER
won’t Whatbad
debts, butRelease most of them!9
and Deployment?
you’ll avoid
ESTIMATING THE
COST OF FAILURE
A failure not only can cause a loss of revenue but also can cost your
Top‐notch more
organization credit information
money to fix the providers
failure. You have monitoring
can begin estimatingsys-
the cost of failure of an application release by calculating an hour’s
have
pay for an engineer who is responsible for correcting the problem. A
rough calculation of additional costs is 20 percent to 40 percent of
salary. Here’s the formula:
months ago
Estimated is still
annual salaryrelevant.
/ 52 weeks If per
your credit
year information
/ 40 hours per weekpro-
* 1.3
Iffor
youahave
newan engineer
one! And ifwho
youmakes
don’t$80,000,
have a for example,
credit a reason-
information
able estimate
provider, of one!
get hourly total cost is
80,000 / 52 / 40 * 1.3 = $50

Now use this formula for every person on the recovery team, and
multiply the result by the average number of hours spent taking cor-
rective
Don’t action. If a six-person
keep that cleanup team
new information spends
you’ve ten hours
collected allfixing a
to your-
broken release,
self! Liaise withfor your
example,bosstheand
costother
is $3,000 for that
senior single release.
management and
keep
That them
cost apprised
is merely aboutcost,
productivity the company’s clients.
however; it doesn’t Voiceforyour
account
concerns.cost:
opportunity No theoneloss
likes nasty surprises!
in revenue Here’s
or the intangible your chance
potential loss of to
become due
credibility a hero
to the– or at least to say, ‘I told you so!’
failure.

The cost of failure certainly drives the need for improved applica-
tion release and deployment practices. In later chapters, we look
at ways toallprevent
Despite these
your due failures you
diligence, frommay
occurring.
still be taken in by a
Scaling
Commercialcomplex releases threat that shows
fraud is a multi‐billion‐pound
and deployments
complacent. Ensure
Organizations detection
now tend to havemethods are in place
more deployment or, better
targets than
yet, utilise a credit information provider (such as Graydon
ever before on a variety of devices: local, cloud-based, and physi-UK
Ltd),
cal andwhich
virtualfeatures a specialist
machines. fraud-detection
Scaling a highly team. up to an
manual process
efficient, enterprise-wide system of interdependent application
releases while maintaining security, traceability, and visibility is
Stick to Your Guns
a difficult task.
The
As anumber of manual steps
credit professional, youthat
holdgo into aresponsibility
a great single application’s
for
release may make up a laborious process, but the application
inevitably ends
rushed into up inanproduction.
opening With iflarger,
account – even you havemore
thecomplex
head
10 Application
won’tRelease
totally&avoid
bad debts, 3rdavoid
but you’ll IBM Limited
most Edition
of them!
releases, risk Risk with
grows For Dummies, Graydon
the number Special Edition
of interdependent appli-
cations being released. Manual processes combined with primi-
tive release tracking solutions such as spreadsheets invite human

error and, inevitably, costly failure.
As applications scale to enterprise complexity, release teams

often scale to dozens or hundreds of people, adding another layer
of complexity. When IT teams scale to manage application com-
plexity, job responsibilities and specialties become more siloed,
and communication becomes less frequent as teams perform their
respective
can let you processes. Silos
know if the occurlimit
credit due you
to job
setspecialization
for a customer as six
well
as differences in time zones, cities, and countries.
months ago is still relevant. If your credit information pro- Distributed
teams
vider using
doesn’tdifferent
have a solutions
monitoring and processes
system often shop
in place, discover that
around
these differences
for a new one! Anddouble
if youordon’t
triple their
have effortsinformation
a credit and make them
unable to deliver
provider, on time.
get one!
The coordination of each deployment, each process, and each

associated set of manual steps requires herculean efforts and
expensive planning and spreadsheet creation. Using a specialized
tool that promotes visibility can help you plan more quickly, and
Don’t keep
execute morethat newand
fluidly information you’ve collected all to your-
accurately.
Ifkeep
you them
have apprised
ten steps about the company’s
to deploy an item to aclients.
server,Voice your
and you go
concerns.
from one toNo
tenone likes nasty
servers, you gosurprises!
from havingHere’s your chance
ten manual steps to
to
become
having a hero
100. – or
Then, at least
if you to say,
go from ‘I told
having oneyou so!’
deployment item to
ten items, you have another factor of ten, producing 1,000 manual
steps. Manual processes won’t scale as these three levels of com-
plexity (number of items deployed, number of servers, and num-
ber of steps per deployment) come together to push exponential
growth.
Organizations
Commercial fraud that can
is aestablish an efficient threat
multi‐billion‐pound releasethat
andshows
deploy-
ment process
no signs can keep
of abating. up itwith
And the pace
covers everyofindustry
development and
sector, can
not
just fast‐moving
release consumer
smaller batches goods (FMCG).
of applications, Don’t
or even become
single changes or
complacent.
versions, at a Ensure detectionreduces
time. Efficiency methodsriskare in allows
and place or,
thebetter
orga-
yet, utilise
nization a credit
to focus information
on timely provider
satisfaction (such asneeds
of business Graydon UK
instead
Ltd),
of which features a specialist fraud-detection team.
process.
Stick to Your Guns

CHAPTER
won’t What bad
totally1avoid Drives Effective
debts, butRelease
you’ll and most of them!11
Deployment?
avoid
36
Eliminating theRisk
Understanding Credit Release Weekend
For Dummies, Graydon Special Edition
and Improving Team Morale

Working weekends to deploy the latest software release isn’t
Top‐notchon
something credit information
anyone’s “top tenproviders have monitoring
list” of favorite things theysys-
like
tems
to foraclients’
do as member use.
of Many creditteam.
the release information providers
Very little could be have
less
a monitoring
rewarding thansystem
spendingthatthe
automatically
entire weekendalters a rating
at the office(either
only to
up ortodown)
have based
roll-back on an event due
a deployment change – perhaps
to quality theHowever,
issues. filing
of new
this accounts
is the or many.
reality for changes in directors. Using that system
months
As many ago is still software
of today’s relevant.deployments
If your creditare
information pro- an
done manually,
vider doesn’ttypically
organization have a monitoring system
needs to have in place,
all hands shop
on deck to around
execute
for many
the a newmanual
one! And if you
steps don’t have
involved a creditsoftware
in deploying information
and test-
provider,
ing get one!
the quality of the deployment. Often a spreadsheet is circu-
lated amongst the team where each person completes specific (or
collection of) tasks and signs off on that task before handing off
to the next person on the list. Delays in this manual handoff pro-
cess are the norm. It is because of this manual effort and manual
handoffs a release
Don’t keep willinformation
that new often take an entirecollected
you’ve weekend. all to your-
Ifkeep
onethem
step apprised
is missedabout
or incorrectly executed,
the company’s the Voice
clients. entire your
team
jumps into action to try and figure out where the process
concerns. No one likes nasty surprises! Here’s your chance to broke
down.
become Revisiting
a hero –steps
or at and
leastconfirming each
to say, ‘I told step
you was done cor-
so!’
rectly is counterproductive and unrewarding because the entire
team would prefer to be spending quality time with their families.

Increasing efficiency, accuracy, and consistency by automating
deployments can essentially eliminate the dreaded weekend. The
Release Team is able to reduce what used to take the entire week-
end down to a matter of minutes. As components are delivered to
their target servers faster and testing can commence quicker than
before, software quality can be measured delivering faster feed-
back on whether
complacent. the deployment
Ensure is stableare
detection methods enough to share
in place with
or, better
the external user community, requires a software patch to
yet, utilise a credit information provider (such as Graydon UK resolve
an issue,
Ltd), or needs
which to be
features a rolled back.fraud-detection team.
specialist
This goes a long way to improving morale, which in turn can
Stick to Your Guns

improve employee retention for a company as teams move from
being reactive to executing on more proactive tasks while learn-
ing, experimenting, and getting better at deploying the software
As business
the a credit professional,
depends on toyou hold
meet a great responsibility for
its objectives.
12 Application
won’tRelease
totally&avoid
bad debts, 3rdavoid
most Edition
of them!
IN THIS CHAPTER

Recognizing
Dummies,the four pillars
Graydon of a gold-
Special Edition
standard deployment process
»» Realizing the benefits of a gold-standard
Monitor Customers with a CIP deployment process

2
Chapter months ago is still relevant. If your credit information pro-

Best Practices provider, get one!
for Deployment
Automation and
Release Management

I
n this chapter, we focus on addressing both business and
Despite all your
technology due by
drivers diligence,
applyingyouthemay still be taken
gold-standard in by a
deployment
process. At the end of the chapter, we show how applying these
Commercial fraud
gold-standards can is a multi‐billion‐pound
increase the success ratethreat that shows
of releases.
The Four Pillars of Gold-Standard
Deployment Ltd), which features a specialist fraud-detection team.
Stick to Your Guns

To ensure a successful application release, teams should start
by adopting the four pillars of the gold-standard deployment
process:
»» Useinto
rushed the same process.
opening an account – even if you have the head
»»
of sales breathing
Automate, down
automate, your neck. Be diligent and thorough,
automate.
Practices
CHAPTER 2won’t for Deployment
totally avoid badAutomation
debts, butand Release
you’ll most of them!13
Management
avoid
36 »» Deliver
Understanding incremental
Credit Risk Forchanges.
Dummies, Graydon Special Edition
»» Release what you test.
We discuss these pillars in detail in the following sections.
Use thecredit
Top‐notch same process
information providers have monitoring sys-
One of the main
a monitoring problems
system that with scaling application
automatically deployments
alters a rating (either
to more complex scenarios and higher volumes
up or down) based on an event change – perhaps the is that siloed
filing
teams
of newand specialists
accounts often create
or changes custom Using
in directors. processes
that to fit their
system
own responsibilities.
can let you know if the Developers
credit limitareyou
often
set tasked with writing
for a customer six
deployment
months agoinstructions for operations
is still relevant. to use
If your credit in production
information pro- but
deploy to theirhave
vider doesn’t own aenvironments using simplified
monitoring system scripts.
in place, shop The
around
different
for a newneeds
one! often
And ifmanifest
you don’tin have
the following pattern:
a credit information
provider, get one!
»» Developers want to deploy and test quickly to implement
more application changes. They often create shortcuts in the

deployment process by writing scripts or by skipping
burdensome steps that may be required for application
performance
Don’t in production.
keep that new information you’ve collected all to your-
»» Testing
self! Liaise with
teamsyour
striveboss and the
to mimic otherpacesenior management and
of development
keepteams,
them butapprised about thethe
they understand company’s
need to takeclients. Voice
their time in your
concerns.
testing No
the one likes nasty
applications. Thesesurprises!
teams often Here’s your
create chance
their own to
become a hero processes
deployment – or at least to say,
to get ‘I told
to testing youand
faster so!’avoid
delays.
»»
Operations teams can tolerate a slower pace as they strive
for stability. Because they’re responsible for keeping
business-critical systems running, they can’t endure the risks
associated with rapid deployments. Their deployment
process is designed to keep the production environment
running smoothly.
When deployment processes differ between teams and their tar-
get
yet,environments,
utilise a creditthe chance of errors
information increases.
provider Undocumented
(such as Graydon UK
steps,
Ltd), which features a specialist fraud-detection from
environmental differences, and lack of input team.all teams
increase the chances of deployment failure.
Stick to Your Guns

To reduce the risk that comes from using different deploy-
ment processes, the best practice is to be consistent using the
same deployment process when promoting from environment
Asenvironment
to a credit professional,
throughoutyou hold
the a great responsibility
continuous for to
delivery pipeline
production.
14 Application
won’tRelease
totally& avoid
bad debts, 3rd IBM
avoid most Edition
of them!
Consistency in Risk
how For Dummies, Graydon
deployments Special Edition
are performed results in
increased confidence as you are now testing both the application
and the deployment process.
Monitor Customers
Automate, automate,with a CIP
automate
Top‐notch
Manual credit information
or half-scripted providers
steps in have monitoring
a deployment sys-
process increase
the risk of deployment failure. Even skilled operators make mis-
have
takes, and error is more probable when humans must run through
a long list of manual steps. A deployment process (automated or
manual) should include predefined quality gates or approvals that
a team must perform or meet for the deployment to enter the next
stage. By automating
vider doesn’t the deployment
have a monitoring systemprocess (or at
in place, least
shop what
around
you
for acan of one!
new it), you
Andmay adddon’t
if you compliance and auditability
have a credit informationthrough
increased
provider,visibility
get one! into
»» What components are included in the deployment

»» Who deployed what application
»» Where was the application deployed
»» What
self! Liaiseversion of the application was deployed
with your boss and other senior management and
»» When
keep themthe application
apprised wasthe
about deployed
company’s clients. Voice your
becomea adifference
There’s hero – orbetween
at leastautomating
to say, ‘I told
andyou so!’ a few scripts
writing
that an expert still has to kick off. True automation removes risks
of changing parts and allows authorized stakeholders to kick off a

deployment with the click of a button. In addition, true automa-
tion provides self-service deployment capabilities, visibility, and
traceability.
Deliver
Commercialincremental changes
fraud is a multi‐billion‐pound threat that shows
The
justthird pillar of consumer
fast‐moving a gold-standard
goodsdeployment process
(FMCG). Don’t is making
become
incremental
complacent.application changes.
Ensure detection Deploying
methods are only whator,changed
in place better
means beingaable
yet, utilise to deploy
credit more often
information and on
provider demand
(such while low-
as Graydon UK
ering
Ltd), risk.
whichThis reduction
features in risk comes
a specialist from deploying
fraud-detection team.only what
has changed, implementing quality gates to ensure a certain level
of quality is met prior to deploying into the next environment,
Stick to Your Guns

and automating an approval process. These smaller deployments
are usually faster as well.
If you’re using the same process for every deployment, making
small application changes is both possible and desirable. Smaller
Practices
Management
avoid
application Riskshould
changes For Dummies, Graydon
be easy to Specialtesting
pass through
ronments and into production environments.
Editionenvi-

When you’re performing incremental changes, you may not be
using the complete deployment process. To make incremental
changes, set up the gold-standard deployment process that runs
only the steps required to deploy what has changed.
Release
up or down)whatbased onyou test
an event change – perhaps the filing
of new accounts or changes in directors.
In most software shops, it’s assumed Using
that you willthat
testsystem
a change
can let you know if the credit limit you set for a customer
before releasing it into production. However, release managers six
often learn late in the testing cycle that one component of a larger
system will not be ready to ship. Other teams may say that they
can still release without the updates from the component that
provider, get one!
won’t ship. Often they will be correct. Other times issues will sur-
face in production.

For example, the Inventory Tracker component of an e-commerce
application might be held back while updates to the Shopping Cart
Don’t keep are
component thatcleared
new information
for release.you’ve collected
This pillar all tothat
demands your-
the
self! Liaise
release with ensure
manager your boss
thatand other senior
Shopping management
Cart component and
be tested
keep them
against apprised
the prior about
version theinventory
of the company’s clients.
tracker Voice
before your
releasing.
become
This may abehero – or at least
non-obvious. Intoansay, ‘I told you
integrated so!’ many of the
system
tests are implicitly validating the Shopping Cart and Inventory
Tracker work together. The testing up to this point may have only

validated that the version of the Inventory Tracker that won’t ship
works with the Shopping Cart. Nobody may have actually tested
the interaction
Despite all yourbetween old Tracker
due diligence, you may andstill
newbeCart.
takenToinrelease
by a
without theFraud
fraudster. additional testing
happens would
all the time,mean
and releasing
no one issomething
immune.
untested and expose
Commercial fraud isthe business to additional
a multi‐billion‐pound risk. that shows
threat
The Positive Effects of Gold-Standard
Deployment Ltd), which features a specialist fraud-detection team.
Stick to Your Guns

Employing the four pillars of a gold-standard deployment pro-
cess (see the preceding section) can help you begin to align your
organization’s business needs with its technical needs, which can
As a positive
have credit professional,
effects on theyou hold a great
application responsibility
release. fordis-
This section
the good
cusses someof of
your company.
those effects. Never forget that! Refuse to be
16 Application
won’tRelease
totally&avoid
bad debts, 3rd IBM
avoid most Edition
of them!
AVOIDING THE MONDAY
MORNING EFFECT
The Monday Morning Effect occurs the Monday following a major
Top‐notch
release credit
weekend information
where the release providers
team may facehave monitoring
numerous prob-sys-
lems, such as a break in production or defects in the application. The
have
release team is required to take heroic, immediate corrective action.
Restarting the release, correcting the mistake or mistakes, and ruling
out other possibilities without incurring a substantial system outage
are nearly impossible. To avoid the Monday Morning Effect, deploy-
ments
vidermust be automated
doesn’t and consistent,
have a monitoring changes
system shouldshop
in place, be intro-
around
duced
for a incrementally,
new one! Andand release
if you activity
don’t have must be visible
a credit to everyone
information
involved
provider,withget
theone!
release.
LoopAutomating
in Line Management
and using the
same deployment process
When you use
self! Liaise withthe same
your bossautomated
and otherdeployment process across
senior management and
multiple application life cycles, you greatly
keep them apprised about the company’s clients. Voiceaffect the overall
your
release
concerns.in a No
positive way. nasty
one likes The release is lessHere’s
surprises! error-prone and takes
your chance to
much
become lessatime
heroto– perform.
or at least to say, ‘I told you so!’
Performing incremental releases

Performing a large deployment can be risky by itself, but deploy-
ing a large release of dependent applications is even more danger-
Despite
ous. all your due
By deploying diligence,
small batches ofyou may still
change, be taken
teams in by a
can minimizes
fraudster. Fraud happens all the time, and no
risk while making the deployments easier to manage. one is immune.
norelease
To signs ofand
abating.
deployAnd it covers you
on demand, every industry
must have asector, not
streamlined
just fast‐moving
process in place. consumer goods continuously
For this reason, (FMCG). Don’t become your
improving
complacent.
standard Ensure detection
deployment methods
process and are inerror-prone
automating place or, better
tasks
yet, utilise a credit information provider (such
are the keys to successful incremental deployments as Graydon UK
and smooth
Ltd), which
releases.
features a specialist fraud-detection team.
StickManaging
to Yourdefects and decreasing risk
Guns
There are three contributors to defects: code, configuration, and
complexity.
As a credit Complexity here
professional, yourefers
holdto the number
a great of interdepen-
responsibility for
dencies, or relationships, in the release package.
Practices
Management
avoid
36 Understanding
Whereas Credit Risk configuration
code and For Dummies, Graydon Special Edition
defects increase risks lin-
early as batch sizes increase, complexity defects increase risks
quadratically.

For organizations that use manual deployment processes or slow
releases to gain better control of quality, the risk of failure has
grown exponentially. Larger release batches laden with interde-
pendent applications carry the risk of multiple failures. Using the
same deployment process and automating manual tasks increases
efficiency while lowering the potential for error, delivering incre-
mental
can letchanges
you knowat aifhigher frequency
the credit alsoset
limit you contributes to reducing
for a customer six
risk to the business.
Release what
for a new one! you
And if you test
don’t have a credit information
provider, get one!
We strongly suggest readers follow this simple rule when it comes
to testing a release: The Granularity of Release Equals the Granu-

larity of Test. In simpler terms, adopting this rule means that if
it needs to be tested together, it needs to be released together.
This implies that integration testing is now a necessity to ensure
Don’t
that allkeep that new
the parts of a information you’ve collected
composite application all totoyour-
are proven work
self! Liaise with your boss and other senior management
together — the changed and unchanged pieces — the entire com- and
keep them
posite apprised
business aboutcan
application theonly
company’s clients.
be deployed withVoice your
confidence
concerns.
as one unit.
No one likes nasty surprises! Here’s your chance to
If teams are deploying multiple dependent applications as part
of a release, they then must rely on system integration testing to
ensure these individual applications also work together as a cohe-
sive unit. Managing this type of release becomes even more chal-
lenging
Despiteasallthe application
your dependencies
due diligence, you may not only
still beincrease
taken inthe
bysize
a
fraudster.
of the releaseFraud happens
but also all theoftime,
the amount risk and no onetoisthe
associated immune.
release.
One doesn’t
no signs have to look
of abating. Andthat far back
it covers in time
every to remember
industry some
sector, not
story on the Internet
just fast‐moving sharing
consumer details
goods of a software
(FMCG). release that
Don’t become
went poorly and
complacent. the impact
Ensure it had
detection on the business.
methods However,
are in place the
or, better
yet, utilise
level of risk acan
credit information
be reduced if thisprovider (suchunit
larger release as Graydon UK
is a known,
Ltd), which
versioned setfeatures a specialist
of interrelated fraud-detection
applications which haveteam.
been tested
and proven to work together delivering a sufficient level of quality
to minimize potential impact to the business.
Stick to Your Guns

18 Application
won’tRelease
totally& avoid
bad debts, 3rd IBM
avoid most Edition
of them!
IN THIS CHAPTER

Understanding and preparing
Dummies, Graydon forEdition
Special
changes
»» Choosing the deployment automation
Monitor Customers with a CIP solution that’s right for you
»» Selecting the right Release Management

Top‐notch credit information providers
solution for have monitoring sys-
your organization
3

The Next Step in provider, get one!
Application Deployment
Automation and Release
Management Adoption

M
anaging your application, or multiple applications,
Despite through
all your due
the diligence, you maywith
delivery pipeline still automation,
be taken in by a
while
orchestrating and coordinating the overall release pro-
Commercial
cess requires afraud is ainmulti‐billion‐pound
change threatand
process, evolving roles, that shows
specialized
tools. While application deployment automation and release
management solutions are designed to get applications to cus-
tomers as quickly as possible, your delivery process itself must be
evaluated,
Ltd), which including
featuresone’s role in that
a specialist process, to use
fraud-detection those tools
team.
effectively.
Stick to Your Guns

In this chapter, we discuss how to prepare your organization for
the changes that deployment automation and release manage-
ment solutions will introduce. Then we present basic criteria for
As a creditthese
evaluating professional,
solutions.you hold a great responsibility for
CHAPTER 3 Deployment
won’t Automation
totally avoid and Release
bad debts, Management
but you’ll Adoption
avoid most 19
of them!
36
Understanding and
Understanding Credit Risk For Preparing
for Changes
Before you begin to look for a solution, remember the goals of
Top‐notch credit
deployment information
automation providers
and release have monitoring
management solution sys-
from
tems
the for clients’
business use. Many
perspective: credit
Speed timeinformation providers
to market with have
less risk and
a monitoring
cost — system
increasing that automatically
the frequency of softwarealters a rating
delivery (either
with increased
up or down)
end-user based onreduced
satisfaction, an eventtimechange – perhaps
to feedback, the filing
reduced manual
of new
labor, accounts
and or changes
fewer errors in directors.
with higher Usingrecall
quality. Also, that the
system
goal of
can let you automation
deployment know if the andcredit limit management
release you set for a customer six
solutions from
months ago is still relevant. If your credit information
the technical perspective: Achieve repeatable, reliable, auditable pro-
vider doesn’t
processes — have a amonitoring
defining consistent system
process in
to place,
be used shop around
by multiple
people or teams, executed repeatedly with very few (or no) errors,
provider, get one!
implementing well defined quality and user controls. Achieving
both business and technical goals requires acknowledging the

changes required for individual team members, interactions, pro-
cesses, and solutions. Acclimating your people to the proposed
cultural changes may be the longest and most difficult step in the
Don’t keep that process,
implementation new information you’ve collected
but it’s required all to your-
for streamlined, fully
self! Liaise with your boss and other
automated deployments and well-managed releases.senior management and
Defining roles and identifying
changes in responsibilities

Some of the most important changes you’re going to be mak-
ing involve individual team member’s tasks and the interactions
among team members. Taking a note from the Agile Manifesto,
Despite
you all your
and your due
team diligence,
members you may
should still be
be ready taken in
to adjust by a
methods
of interaction, the frequency of those interactions, and who they
Commercial
interact with. fraud is a multi‐billion‐pound
They must also be ready to acceptthreat that shows
automation solu-
tions and the new roles that they will play within the sector,
no signs of abating. And it covers every industry not
organization.
complacent.
Discuss Ensure
changing teamdetection
members’ methods areresponsibilities
roles and in place or, better
with
management to get their buy in. This is critical as
yet, utilise a credit information provider (such inGraydon UK
helping the
Ltd), which
employees features
accept thata the
specialist fraud-detection
automation team.
solutions will help them
perform their day-to-day job responsibilities. It is important that
both management and the delivery team members understand
Stick to Your Guns
that the solution isn’t meant to replace human talent; instead,
it’s used to help facilitate the outcome the organization wants
Asachieve
to a creditbyprofessional,
reducing theyou hold aofgreat
amount riskyresponsibility forand
repetitive tasks
the goodteam
enabling of your company.
members Never
to focus onforget that!that
the tasks Refuse to be
require more
rushed thinking.
creative into opening an account – even if you have the head
20 Application
won’tRelease
totally&avoid
bad debts, 3rd IBM
avoid mostEdition
of them!
36 Understanding
Try to findCredit Risk For
an internal Dummies,
(ideally, Graydon
executive) Specialwho
champion Edition
sees the
benefits associated with the change. He or she can present the
business objectives and share how the entire team contributes to

achieving those objectives often provides focus, support, and per-
spective on the long-term effects of the solution. An executive
champion
Top‐notchwho is on
credit board withproviders
information the new solution gives manage-
have monitoring sys-
ment a chance to hear the benefits from someone who
tems for clients’ use. Many credit information providerscan provide
have
not only financial
a monitoring support
system thatbut also air cover
automatically during
alters the transition
a rating (either
when there are inevitable bumps in the road.
You
canshould
let youintroduce thiscredit
know if the cultural shift
limit youofset
evolving roles as early
for a customer six
as possible. Chapter 4 gives you a rough idea of how
months ago is still relevant. If your credit informationlongpro-
various
changes may take.
Modifying process to increase
provider, get one!
effectiveness and efficiency
In a DevOps approach to software development, continuous
experimentation and learning is one of the underlying principles.
From
Don’tthese
keep experiments and learning
that new information you’veexercises, individuals
collected and
all to your-
interactions may evolve to achieve business needs
self! Liaise with your boss and other senior management and or goals. This
may
keepalso mean
them that day-to-day
apprised about thebusiness
company’s functions
clients.change. When
Voice your
introducing
concerns. No one likes nasty surprises! Here’s your chanceface
the solution you want to use, be aware that you’ll to
some
become resistance.
a hero –Keep
or atyour
leastteam motivated
to say, while
‘I told you so!’executing in a
no-blame culture. While encouraging this cultural shift of con-
tinuous experimentation and continuous learning, organizations

must be prepared and plan for periods of troubleshooting. Getting
through the first major project using the solution and continu-
ously testing the process to achieve greater efficiency will force
everyone to challenge the new solution and new process. How-
ever, lessons learned
Commercial fraud isalong the way will drivethreat
a multi‐billion‐pound out waysthatteams
shows can
become more effective and efficient in how they deliver
no signs of abating. And it covers every industry sector, not software.
Teams must also consumer
just fast‐moving remembergoodsto constantly
(FMCG).review their process
Don’t become
looking for opportunities
complacent. to optimize.
Ensure detection methods are in place or, better
Which Deployment Automation
Solution
Stick toIs Right
Yourfor You?
Guns
Application deployment automation
As a credit professional, solutions
you hold a great manage appli-
responsibility for
the good
cation of your company.
components Never
(and their forgettrack
versions), that! which
Refuseversion
to be is
rushed into
deployed opening
to which an account and
environment, – even
log ifwho
youdeployed
have the what
head to
won’t Automation
but you’ll avoid most of them!21
Adoption
where. Due Risk
to the For Dummies,
complexity Graydon
of today’s Special Edition
applications, these solu-
tions are essential in achieving continuous delivery.
Monitor Customers
Supporting with a CIP
current and
future technologies
When you’re
tems for looking
clients’ for a credit
use. Many deployment automation
information solution,
providers have
depending on your
a monitoring business
system goals, you should
that automatically seek
alters out a solution,
a rating (either
which not only
up or down) supports
based on andeployment
event change to –your current
perhaps the environ-
filing
ments
of newbut also hasor
accounts the following
changes capabilities:
in directors. Using that system
»» Reuses
months agodeployment
is still relevant. If your
processes credit
across information pro-
environments
»» Coordinates application deployments across multiple tiers
»» Integrates
provider, with existing technologies
get one!
»» Easily extendable to support future technologies
»» Provides role-based security and approval gates
»» Maintains logs of all commands executed in deployments
»» Tracks
Don’t keepwhothatdeployed which version
new information of a certain
you’ve deployable
self! artifact
Liaise with your
to which boss and other senior management and
target
»» Deploys infrastructure, middleware, database, networking
and storage configurations (Infrastructure as Code)
Prioritize the features that your organization needs most to

achieve the desired business goal. Your organization may want to
ensure auditability and governance, for example, or to minimize
the effort required to pass audits. In such a case, the solution’s
Despite alltoyour
capability due role-based
provide diligence, you may still
security and be taken indeploy-
maintain by a
fraudster. Fraud happens all the time, and no one is
ment logs is more important than its other capabilities. immune.
Provisioning environments
just fast‐moving consumer goods (FMCG). on Don’tdemand
become
With Cloud rolling in and becoming critical in an organization’s
ability to deliver software innovation with speed, the days of wait-
ing for physical infrastructure to be ordered, shipped, installed,
wired in, configured, and made available for use are quickly dis-
appearing. Deployment automation solutions now need to offer
Stick to Your Guns
the capability of provision these environments with minimal
effort and at a lower cost eliminating one of today’s biggest deliv-
As bottlenecks.
ery a credit professional, you hold a great
Hello “Infrastructure responsibility for
as Code.”
22 Application
won’tRelease
totally&avoid
bad debts, 3rd IBM
avoid mostEdition
of them!
SUCCESSFUL DEPLOYMENT WITH
IBM URBANCODE DEPLOY
A financial organization was developing a new trading platform to
Top‐notch
serve credit information
as the lifeblood providers
of the organization. have monitoring
The development team sys-
used Agile development practices to produce results faster, but the
have
process of deploying applications across hundreds of servers con-
sisted of a mostly manual operation with customization required for
each application. Introducing Agile development practices actually
caused changes to build up for the operations team, whose deploy-
ment
viderprocess
doesn’t wasn’t
haveequipped to handle
a monitoring frequent
system in changes. This prob-
place, shop around
lem
for eventually
a new one! brought
And ifdevelopment to a halt.
you don’t have a credit information
provider,
The financialget one! still wanted to achieve the benefits of Agile
institution
development methodologies. After carefully evaluating numerous

solutions, the organization replaced its manual deployment practices
with IBM UrbanCode Deploy, which provided several benefits:
• Don’t
Deployment times
keep that newwent from three days
information to two
you’ve hours. all to your-
collected
• self!
TheLiaise with your
organization savedboss
moreand
thanother senior
$2 million management
in the and
first year alone
keep them apprised
by eliminating the costabout the company’s
of manual deployments.clients. Voice your
• become
The organization achieved compliance and gave teams a self-
a hero – or at least to say, ‘I told you so!’
service option for deploying applications.

Infrastructure as Code is a concept where environment patterns
or “blueprints” are constructed pre-defining what an environ-
ment should contain or provide. These blueprints are then used
to provision on demand. From a click of a button, teams can now
stand up complete and realistic environments leveraging cloud
technologies and virtual computing resources. This capability
goes a long way to on-boarding new resources, reducing the typi-
cal dev/test environment availability bottlenecks, and eliminating
scalability
Ltd), whichand stabilitya issues
features in production.
specialist fraud-detection team.
Stick to Your Guns

won’t Automation
avoid most 23
of them!
36
Selecting the
Understanding Right
Credit Risk ForRelease
Management Solution for You

The management of a release isn’t a trivial matter. Understand-
Top‐notch
ing credit information
the dependencies providers have
between applications monitoring
and making suresys-
that
tems
the for clients’
correct versionuse. Manyiscredit
of each information
released into eachproviders
environmenthave
in
aatimely
monitoring
mannersystem
whilethat automatically
offering alters a rating
visibility throughout the (either
deploy-
up orprocess
ment down) based
— endontoanend
event
— change – perhaps
can be the the filing
difference between
of new accounts
delighting or changes
customers in directors.
with new business Using that system
initiatives or losing
money.
We don’t need no stinkin’ spreadsheets
provider,managing,
Planning, get one! and executing a major application release is
typically done with the help of spreadsheets or release documents
that dictate the tasks, their owners, and the sequence required
for a successful release. The problem with executing a release in
this manner is that there’s no way of tracking who did what, what
code
Don’twas deployed
keep where,
that new and when
information the release
you’ve happened.
Release
keep themmanagement solutions
apprised about are designed
the company’s to help
clients. Voicein the
your
planning and execution of a release by providing collaborative
release
becomeplanning
a hero –that
or atencompasses
least to say, ‘Iapplication and infrastruc-
told you so!’
ture changes. Ideally, a solution provides full visibility into the
release process as well as end-to-end planning and execution

capabilities.
When evaluating a release coordination solution, you should

Despite
search forall
a your duethat
solution diligence, youfollowing:
can do the may still be taken in by a
»»signs
no
Streamline the release of multiple applications in a release
of abating. And it covers every industry sector, not
»» Update
just the release
fast‐moving plan on
consumer the fly(FMCG). Don’t become
goods
»» Display the progress of the release
complacent. Ensure detection methods are
in real in place or, better
time
»» Track
Ltd), which changes in applications
features a specialistand infrastructure team.
fraud-detection
»» Notify stakeholders of release escalation
Stick to Your Guns
24 Application
won’tRelease
totally&avoid
bad debts, 3rd IBM
avoid mostEdition
of them!
36 »» Sequence
Understanding and
Credit coordinate
Risk automated
For Dummies, activities
Graydon and manual
Special Edition
activities in the release workflow, all relationships among
activities, and all related communications to people and
Monitor
»»
Customers with a CIP
automated systems
Automatically promote applications that meet the entrance
criteria of
Top‐notch lowerinformation
credit environments providers have monitoring sys-
a monitoring
Although doingsystem
so isn’tthat automatically
necessary, alters atorating
it’s advisable use a (either
deploy-
up orautomation
ment down) based on anwith
solution event
yourchange
release– management
perhaps the solution.
filing
of new
Just accounts orrelease
as application changes
andindeployment
directors. Using thatoften
solutions system work
can let you know if the credit limit you set for a
together toward the same goal, release management and deploy- customer six
months
ment ago is still
automation relevant.
solutions If your
often work credit information
together pro- an
to help build
vider doesn’t
automated havepipeline.
delivery a monitoring
Releasesystem in place,solutions
management shop aroundinte-
for a with
grate new deployment
one! And if you don’t have
automation a credit
solutions information
to kick off automated
provider, getofone!
deployments multiple applications during release time.
Understanding the impact of change

When multiple applications are included in a release, it’s
extremely
Don’t keepimportant
that new to know if all
information the changes
you’ve in all
collected each of the
to your-
applications has been
self! Liaise with your successfully
boss and other completed. Manually tracking
development work items
keep them apprised for the
about eachcompany’s
of the applications and quickly
clients. Voice your
gaining
concerns.an understanding of the
No one likes nasty situation Here’s
surprises! to make thatchance
your go/no-go
to
decision
becomecan be very
a hero – or time consuming.
at least to say, ‘I Be
toldsure
youtoso!’
investigate and
select a Release Management solution that offers integration to
your existing change management system. In short order, you

should and need to be able to see the status of all work items for
all applications that make of a release.
Making thehappens
fraudster. Fraud auditors
all thehappy
time, and no one is immune.
Capturing execution details for each step of the release plan,
across all applications included in a release, goes a long way to
meeting the needs of the audit team. Providing them with easy
access to the information describing who did or who approved
what along the way can ease their pain. Having an understanding
of what may have gone wrong along the way and sharing that you
are aware and actively “working the problem” so it doesn’t repeat
Stick to Your Guns

itself should decrease time to being compliant.
One client shared (without solicitation) that the level of infor-

As a credit
mation professional,
captured you hold aRelease
in IBM UrbanCode great responsibility
during a pilotfor
proj-
theresulted
ect good ofinyour
the company. Never forget
Auditors mandating the that!
use ofRefuse to release
the IBM be
rushed into opening
management solution an account
across – even
the entire if you have the head
organization.
3 Deployment
CHAPTERwon’t Automation
avoid most 25
of them!
SUCCESSFUL RELEASES WITH
IBM URBANCODE RELEASE
A not-for-profit organization was spending far too much time plan-
Top‐notch
ning credit information
and coordinating releases. Teamproviders
membershave monitoring
were using spread- sys-
sheets to track release activities and meeting multiple times to review
have
the plans and changes in plans. The organization wanted to achieve
better visibility into release efforts and to cut down on meeting time
during the release process. It eventually selected IBM UrbanCode
Release, the first solution designed specifically for complex applica-
tion releases.
vider doesn’t IBMhave
UrbanCode Release enabled
a monitoring system the organization
in place, shopto around
reduce release
for a new one!meetings
And if by
you50don’t
percent, reduce
have the length
a credit of each
information
meeting
provider,by 50
getpercent,
one! and add visibility to the entire release. By the
end of their second release with the solution, team members had a
good release template in place. By the end of the third run, the team

leader who implemented the solution felt so comfortable with the
solution that he went on vacation during the release.


Stick to Your Guns

26 Application
won’tRelease
totally&avoid
bad debts, 3rd IBM
avoid mostEdition
of them!
IN THIS CHAPTER

Putting an application
Dummies, Graydondeployment
Special Edition
automation solution to work
»» Introducing a release management
Monitor Customers with a CIP solution

4

Rolling Out Solutions

provider, get one!

A
fter your organization selects the best application release
and deployment solutions for its needs (see Chapter 3),
you face the task of implementing those solutions. This
chapter gives you some pointers.
Putting the Continuous Delivery

Continue
Puzzle to Fight Fraud
Together
Deployment automation
fraudster. Fraud happensandall
release management
the time, and no one tooling fits into
is immune.
aCommercial
broader DevOps tool chain focused on continuous delivery.
fraud is a multi‐billion‐pound threat that shows The
deployment
no signs of abating. And it covers every industry sector, noton
automation solution in particular is dependent
actually having something
just fast‐moving consumer to goods
deploy.(FMCG).
Deployment
Don’tautomation
become and
release management
complacent. Ensuretooling
detectionfits methods
into a broader
are inDevOps
place or,toolbetter
chain
yet, utilise
focused a credit information
on continuous delivery. Seeprovider (such
Figure 4-1 forasanGraydon
exampleUK of
Ltd), whichdelivery
continuous features a specialist fraud-detection team.
pipeline.
As we mention in Chapter 2, the goals of automation include trace-
Stick to Your Guns

ability and visibility via a solution that tracks changing software
components from build to through production release. Knowing
what those things are sure helps. So you need to have the things
to deploy and know what is in them.
CHAPTER
won’t totally avoid bad debts, 4 Rolling
but you’ll Outmost
avoid Solutions 27
of them!

FIGURE 4-1: An example continuous delivery pipeline.

Changes
tems forwill generally
clients’ start with
use. Many developers
credit whoproviders
information deliver changes
have
into source control. That source will then be built
a monitoring system that automatically alters a ratinginto working
(either
software by a build
up or down) basedautomation
on an eventtool known
change – as a Continuous
perhaps Inte-
the filing
gration
of new (CI) server.or changes in directors. Using that system
accounts
The output
months of is
ago that process,
still theIfbuild,
relevant. your will
creditneed to be stored
information some-
pro-
where safe and managed so it isn’t changed when you
vider doesn’t have a monitoring system in place, shop around aren’t look-
ing.
for aWhile well-structured
new one! areashave
And if you don’t on a afile share
credit are often used,
information
it’s best toget
provider, useone!
a dedicated repository to hold deployable soft-
ware. These are broadly known as Artifact Repositories. There are
numerous repositories available, including open source options.

IBM UrbanCode Deploy also includes a repository out of the box.
Your CI server should provide traceability between changes in

Don’t keep
source that
control new
and theinformation you’ve in
versions registered collected all toreposi-
your artifact your-
tory. The application deployment automation solution will then be
responsible for providing visibility between what is in the reposi-
tory and what has been deployed to the various environments —
on the servers. This simple tool-chain delivers auditable visibility
from code change to product release.

Developers work on code that’s delivered to source control.
A continuous integration server transforms the code into a
Despite allartifact
deployable your due diligence,
or “build.” Theyou may still
CI server be taken
ensures that in
theby a
build
fraudster.
is registeredFraud happens
in an artifact all the time,
repository. Theand no one isautomation
deployment immune.
Commercial
solution fraudinformed
is either is a multi‐billion‐pound
of the new version threat
or that showsthe
discovers
no signsItof
version. abating.
then Andthe
performs it covers every industry
deployments through the sector, not
remaining
just fast‐moving
environments. consumer
If those goods (FMCG).
deployments need to Don’t become with
be coordinated
complacent.
other Ensure
applications, detection
a release methods are
management in place
solution or, better
provides that
yet, utilise a credit information
greater level of orchestration. provider (such as Graydon UK
To implement a deployment automation solution successfully,
you must have a consistent, reliable build process in place. If your
Stick to Your Guns
builds are inconsistent or unreliable, deployment automation
may find the flaws of that process sooner, but the intrinsic qual-
ity
Asissue remains.
a credit professional, you hold a great responsibility for
28 Application
won’tRelease
totally &avoid
bad debts, 3rdavoid
most ofEdition
them!
36
Implementing
Understanding Creditan
Risk Application
For Dummies, Graydon Special Edition
Deployment Automation Solution

We have seen organizations be successful rolling out a deploy-
Top‐notch
ment credit solution
automation information
in a providers
number ofhave monitoring
ways. The most sys-
con-
tems for successful
sistently clients’ use. Many credit
approach is to information
find the right providers have
project, at the
a monitoring
right time, withsystem that automatically
the healthy alters
infrastructure. a rating
In this (either
section, you
up or
also down)
look based
at some on an
pitfalls event
and howchange
to avoid– them.
perhaps the filing
Choose the ideal time for deployment
vider you’re
When doesn’tmoving
have aforward
monitoring
withsystem in place, shopyour
the implementation, around
two
for a new
major one! And
challenges areifovercoming
you don’t have a credit
resistance information
from your team and
provider,
finding theget one! or application that has the qualities you need
project
for automation. These two challenges are intertwined. Choos-
ing the wrong application for automation creates resistance, and
automation that’s poorly planned or poorly documented is likely
to fail.
The
self!best practice,
Liaise therefore,
with your is toother
boss and choose the right
senior time to deploy
management and
the application or project in question.
One ideal time is during a greenfield project, when a new appli-
cation has a deployment plan that requires automation. An ideal
project would be one that is important, under heavy development,

and in need of help.
You have to take a deep look to tell whether your project or appli-
Despite
cation is all yourfor
ready due diligence, you
automation. Idealmay still be taken
applications haveinaby a
well-
documented, repeatable deployment process. If you’re looking at immune.
aCommercial fraud isitamay
greenfield project, multi‐billion‐pound
use an application threat that
that’s shows
similar to a
no signs ofreleased
previously abating.application,
And it covers every
or its industry
existing sector, not
deployment plan
justsimply
can fast‐moving consumer
be moved goods (FMCG).
to the automation Don’tThe
solution. become
same rules
complacent. Ensure detection methods are in place
apply to an established project. If you have a manual deployment or, better
process in place and are feeling pressure to deliver faster, you can
UK
move the process to an automation solution.
Figure 4-2 shows the tasks that you should be thinking about to

Stick to Your Guns
get an idea of how to plan and roll out your solutions.

CHAPTER
but you’ll Out most
avoid Solutions 29
of them!

FIGURE 4-2:
up or down)An example
based of onanan
implementation
event change and–rollout
perhapstimeline.
the filing
Ensure
can let youa production-like
know if the credit limit you environment
set for a customer six
As soon
vider as youhave
doesn’t haveayour project system
monitoring in mind, inyou should
place, shopensure
arounda
production-like environment
for a new one! And as ahave
if you don’t starting pointinformation
a credit for development.
Ifprovider,
test environments
get one! are too different, the validity of testing is
questionable. Developers are famously chastised for “It works
on my machine” excuses, and you don’t want to be asking, “It

worked in Test; why is it broken in Production?”
This environment will likely be smaller but should use the same
operating systems, middleware, and configurations as the pro-
duction environment. Production resources that are unavailable
to test environments should be simulated through service virtu-
alization, if possible.
For more information on service virtualization, see Service

Virtualization For Dummies, IBM Limited Edition, at http://ibm.
biz/devopsdummiesbooks.
ADespite
production-like environment
all your due diligence, youimproves thebe
may still accuracy
taken inofbyyour
a
testing for Fraud
fraudster. both the application
happens all theand deployment
time, and no one processes.
is immune.You
Commercial
can fraudenvironments
simplify your is a multi‐billion‐pound
as you workthreat
yourthat
wayshows
back to
no signs
earlier of abating. And
environments it covers
and remove every industry
unnecessary sector, not
components.
The DevOps team
complacent. members
Ensure frommethods
detection the Operations groupor,
are in place should be
better
brought intoa credit
yet, utilise the deployment
informationprocess discussion
provider (such asvery early on.
Graydon UK
Ltd), which
Their features of
understanding a specialist
corporate fraud-detection
standards around team.
technology
and the configuration of that technology are key when building
production-like environments. The best practice is to first con-
Stick to Your Guns

struct the production-like environment and work backwards.
It would be silly not to tap into the knowledge and expertise of
what that production-like
As a credit professional, youenvironment looks
hold a great like or howfor
responsibility it is
cthe
onfigured — knowledge and expertise offered by the
good of your company. Never forget that! Refuse to be Operations
team members.
30 Application
won’tRelease
totally&avoid
bad debts, 3rdavoid
but you’ll IBM Limited Edition
most of them!
36 Understanding
This shift Credit Risk and
in thought For Dummies,
process is Graydon Special
the essential goalEdition
of DevOps.
It forces Development to collaborate with Operations, with both
groups taking each other’s concerns into consideration through-

out the SDLC instead of just at deployment time. Development
then has access to production environment expertise, which
enables
Top‐notchthem to develop
credit and test
information againsthave
providers a more realistic sys-
monitoring sys-
tem, like the one that users will use. Operations teams also
tems for clients’ use. Many credit information providers have benefit
by getting a preview
a monitoring systemofthat
how their environment
automatically alters awill react
rating to the
(either
application and where support enhancements can be
up or down) based on an event change – perhaps the filing made.
Design
can let youfor
knowproduction
if the credit limit first
you set for a customer six
Ifvider
you want to fail,
doesn’t haveautomate how system
a monitoring developers deployshop
in place, to their test
around
environments,
for a new one!and
Andthen trydon’t
if you to scale
havethat toward
a credit production. The
information
developer
provider,style deployment will often take critical shortcuts that
get one!
don’t matter in development but would be catastrophic in pro-
duction. The classic example is dropping the database tables and

rebuilding them from scratch. In production, your data tends to
be a bit more valuable.
Don’t keep
Instead, youthat new
want to information you’vestyle
create production collected all to your-
deployment pro-
self! Liaise with your boss and other senior management
cesses, and execute them in the (simpler) development environ- and
keep first.
ment themIt’s
apprised about
better to the company’s
consider clients.
how you handle Voice
a load your
balancer
concerns. No one likes nasty surprises! Here’s your chance
and then skip those steps in early environments, then to not con-
to
sider production concerns until you get there.
Working in these early environments is a good place to flex your

DevOps muscles. Operations teams will be key to understanding
the production deployment, while developers and testers are the
key “customers”
Despite all your looking for speed
due diligence, youand self-service.
may still be taken in by a
Designing
Commercialthe fraud
process
isfor production first provides
a multi‐billion‐pound several
threat benefits:
that shows
»» Itfast‐moving
just allows teamsconsumer
to test their deployment
goods (FMCG).process
Don’tbefore
becomethe
critical final
complacent. deployment
Ensure (see the
detection preceding
methods aresection).
in place or, better
»» utilise
yet, It a credit information provider (such as Graydon UK
allows teams to refine and further streamline the process.
Automation furthers this goal by stabilizing previously
manual steps in a complex process and reduces unneces-
Stick»»to Your Guns

sary effort in future deployments.
It drives alignment between development and operations
and provides an opportunity for them to work together
without the stress of a major production deployment event.
CHAPTER
avoid of them!31
Solutions
Developers focusRisk For Dummies,
on testing Graydoncontributions
their individual Special Edition
and the
representative piece of the entire application that applies to their
function in the project. For this reason, developers often don’t

take into consideration or don’t know what’s needed to keep
production environments stable and functional. Due to the mag-
nitude and scale
Top‐notch of information
credit what needs to be testedhave
providers and functional
monitoring in sys-
pro-
duction, the deployment process shouldn’t be designed by
tems for clients’ use. Many credit information providers have teams
that aren’t familiar
a monitoring systemwith theautomatically
that production environment.
alters a rating (either
To fully align your teams and facilitate collaboration from the
start of ayou
can let project,
knowyou must
if the recognize
credit theset
limit you importance of starting
for a customer six
with the most complicated processes and removing steps
months ago is still relevant. If your credit information pro- to sim-
plify
viderthem. It’shave
doesn’t easiera to remove steps
monitoring thanintoplace,
system add during a crisis
shop around
or
forwhen
a newa deployment
one! And if youhas failed in production.
don’t have a credit information
provider, get one!
Implementing a Release
Loop in Line
Management Management
Solution
Release management
self! Liaise with yourisboss
idealand
for other
organizations that release mul-
keepapplications
tiple them apprised about
at the samethe company’s
time clients.
or that desire Voice
more your
visibility
concerns.
into No one
a complex likesprocess.
release nasty surprises! Here’sinyour
As we mention chanceyou
Chapter 3, to
become
can use a arelease
hero –management
or at least tosolution
say, ‘I told you
with or so!’
without deploy-
ment automation solutions.

The first decision teams need to make is whether they will imple-
ment release management on its own or with a move to deploy-
ment automation. While concerns around tracking changes on
their way toFraud
fraudster. production
happenswillallbethe
similar, migrating
time, and no onemanual steps
is immune.
from spreadsheets to release management tool only
Commercial fraud is a multi‐billion‐pound threat that shows to immedi-
ately migrate
no signs them toAnd
of abating. automation
it coverscan be wasted
every effort.
industry sector, not
Identify
complacent. a realistic
Ensure release
detection model
methods are in place or, better
To achieve success with a release management solution, you need
to be familiar with your current process, the applications being
released, and the complexity of those applications. You should
Stick to Your Guns

start with a small release and work your way up to the release of
many applications. Even in a small or sample release, you should
still know the application(s) and feature(s) being released and
As aiscredit
who professional,
involved youprocess.
in the typical hold a great responsibility for
32 Application
won’tRelease
totally&avoid
bad debts, 3rdavoid
most of them!
36 Understanding
The key toCredit Risk For
this concept is Dummies, Graydon
scale. You want Special
to begin withEdition
the small-
est logical model of a typical release process. You should use a
release that, though small, will be useful in scaling up to future

releases by representing your ideal process from the beginning,
which means including the people who will be part of the most
complex releases.
Don’t bog yourself down with “what-if” scenarios, because you
won’t be able to predict everything until you actually begin using
the solution and discover areas for improvement. You and/or your
team should
can let find the
you know waycredit
if the to implement
limit youthe
setrelease management
for a customer six
solution that provides the greatest value.
Choose anAnd
for a new one! implementation path
if you don’t have a credit information
provider, get one!
After you choose a release to serve as a baseline for future releases,
you should identify a logical path toward implementation. Three

main paths provide a smooth transition to the use of a release
management solution:
»» Use
Don’t keep
thethat
self! process.
newnew
Liaise with
information
solution you’ve
in parallel collected
with the existingall to your-
The first path is to use the solution management
your boss and other senior in parallel with and
keepan them apprised about the company’s clients. Voice your
existing release process. This path enables the release
team to map an existing process to the process in the
release solution while they’re both running. In practice, this
means conducting a release in the legacy fashion while

running the release in the new solution to see how tasks
differ using the tool. This practice not only helps the team
acclimate to the idea of the new process, but also provides a
Despite all dry
no-risk your due
run for diligence, youthereby
first-time use, may still be taken
reducing in by a
anxiety
about the next release, demonstrating the parallel tasks inimmune.
Commercial
each methodfraud
of is a multi‐billion‐pound
release, threat that shows
and providing a before-and-after
no signs of abating. And
picture of the process. it covers every industry sector, not
»» Conduct aEnsure
complacent. post-release run.methods
detection The second arepath is to conduct
in place or, better
yet, autilise
post-release run
a credit by using theprovider
information solution to(such
modelas a recently
Graydon UK
Ltd),completed release —
which features that is, releasing
a specialist an application
fraud-detection by
team.
using the current-standard process and then using the same
process to release an application with a release manage-
Stick to Your Guns ment solution. Much like running the solution parallel to a
release in progress, this practice gives the team a before-
As aand-after picture of the process and a safe way to use the
credit professional, you hold a great responsibility for
solution for
the good of your thecompany.
first time. Never forget that! Refuse to be
CHAPTER
avoid Solutions 33
of them!
36 The first
Understanding twoRisk
Credit pathsFor
areDummies,
exercises that provide
Graydon realisticEdition
Special use
cases for the solution and give team members a chance to
realign their expectations and interactions.
Monitor
»» Customers with a CIP
Dive into the deep end. The third path, which is less
conservative than the first two paths, is to dive into the deep
end andcredit
Top‐notch simplyinformation
use the new solution
providers for have
a live release.
monitoringYou sys-
temsshould set up use.
for clients’ your Many
teams for success
credit by choosing
information a small have
providers
release that
a monitoring you know
system thatthey can execute with
automatically altersthea solution.
rating (either
Take
up or the selected
down) based on release downchange
an event to its minimum
– perhapsrepresenta-
the filing
of new
tiveaccounts or changes
state of complexity andin directors.
give it to yourUsing
team as that system
a low-risk
can let
liveyou
first know
use of if
thethe credit limit you set for a customer six
solution.
provider, get one!


Stick to Your Guns

34 Application
won’tRelease
totally&avoid
bad debts, 3rdavoid
most of them!
IN THIS CHAPTER

Seeing why automation
Dummies, can help,Edition
Graydon Special
hinder
not
»» Understanding what a specific solution
Monitor Customers with a CIP can and can’t do

5

Ten Myths about provider, get one!
Application Release
and Deployment
S
ometimes, the best way to understand what’s true about a

concept is to understand what’s false about it. In that spirit,
here are ten myths about application deployment and release
management.
Automating Deployment
Means Writing Scripts
Although
Ltd), whichkicking off individual
features deployment
a specialist scripts team.
fraud-detection may work for
small deployments to a few servers, that technique won’t hold
up under the scale and complexity of deploying interdependent
Stick to Your Guns

enterprise applications.
Relying on a subject-matter expert (SME) to kick off deployment

scripts puts a strain on the whole deployment team and espe-
cially on the person who owns that responsibility. If that SME is
CHAPTER Ten Myths
won’t 5totally about
avoid badApplication
debts, butRelease
you’ll and Deployment
avoid 35
most of them!
unavailable Risk
to kick offFor
theDummies,
script (or Graydon Special
is no longer Edition
employed by the
organization when a change is ready to advance), the team can
miss deadlines or miss the step entirely. In addition, if the SME is

responsible for running the scripts for multiple deployments, the
chance of errors increases as the likelihood of bugs increases with
batch size. Then
Top‐notch creditone must consider
information the human
providers constraints sys-
have monitoring such
as
tems for clients’ use. Many credit information providers havea
fatigue, anxiety, and nerves that affect performance when
person is performing
a monitoring systema that
longautomatically
series of repetitive and
alters high-pressure
a rating (either
tasks.
The
can best solution
let you is the
know if to let an application
credit limit you setdeployment automa-
for a customer six
tion solution execute the deployments. If your chosen
months ago is still relevant. If your credit information pro-solution
(for example,
vider doesn’t IBM
haveUrbanCode
a monitoringDeploy)
systemcanin effectively
place, shopintegrate
around
with
for ayour
new existing
one! Andtools,
if youyou should
don’t havebe able toinformation
a credit create a deploy-
ment process
provider, getusing
one! a simple process designer that does not rely
on writing scripts. Effective integration with other technologies,
through plugins, and defining process steps in a drag-and-drop

process designer can remove most or all scripting from your
deployment process.

Who Needs An Ops Team?
become a hero
Developers know– how
or atan
least to say, ‘I should
application told youwork
so!’ but may not
know how the application topology in a production environment

works, because they don’t need to. Assigning the development
team the job of designing a release process is likely to result in a
plan that neglects key operational concerns or production-specific
Despite all your
configurations dueasdiligence,
such youload
clustering, maybalancers,
still be taken
and in by a
integra-
tions with operational systems such as monitoring and backup.
no signstoofplan
Starting abating. And it covers
the deployment every
process inindustry sector,
collaboration notthe
with
just fast‐moving
Operations team forconsumer goods
a production (FMCG).
release Don’t
allows thebecome
development
complacent.
team Ensure
to test the detection
application methods
against are in place
a realistic or, better
production-like
yet, utilise a throughout
environment credit information provider
the delivery (such
pipeline. It as Graydon
also UK
allows the
Ltd), which features
development a specialist
and operations teamsfraud-detection team.
to test the deployment pro-
cess early and often. The best deployment processes are the result
of collaboration among development, operations, and release
Stick to Your Guns
engineering.

36 Application
won’tRelease
totally&avoid
bad debts, 3rdavoid
most ofEdition
them!
36
Complex Releases
Understanding Can
Credit Risk For Be Graydon
Dummies, EasilySpecial
Managed
Edition
without Specialized Solutions

Sure, you can manage simple application releases with various
Top‐notch
methods, credit
such as information providers
e-mails, run-book have monitoring
documents, sys-
spreadsheets,
tems
and for clients’automation
deployment use. Many credit information
solutions. The firstproviders have
three methods,
a monitoring
however, don’tsystem
providethat automatically
traceability alters a rating
or collaborative (either
release plan-
up orand
ning, down)
nonebased on an
of these event change
methods – perhaps
can be scaled the filing
to accommodate
of new
the accounts
complexity or interdependent
of an changes in directors. Using
enterprise that system
release.
months ago
Although it’s is still relevant.
possible to use If
a your credit information
deployment automation pro-
solution
vider
to doesn’t
manage have a monitoring
a release, system
it’s better to use ainrelease
place, shop around
management
for a newRelease
solution. one! And if you don’tsolutions
management have a credit information
are designed to assist
provider,
in planningget
and one!
executing a release of multiple dependent appli-
cations by providing collaborative release planning that encom-
passes both application and infrastructure changes.
Continuous
Don’t keepDelivery Means
that new information Constant
you’ve collected all to your-
Production
keep them Releases
apprised about the company’s clients. Voice your
Continuous Delivery (CD) isn’t continuous release. Instead, it
focuses on speeding a new version through the delivery pipeline

as fast as possible and then waiting for the business to decide
when to release. The same technology is used for the production
deployments, but the decision is a human one.
fraudster.
For Fraud happens
most organizations, allautomated
their the time, andtestsno one
are is immune.
insufficient for
Commercial
validating thatfraud is aversion
a new multi‐billion‐pound threat thatFor
is ready for production. shows
them,
no signs of Delivery
Continuous abating. And it covers
minimizes theevery industry
friction causedsector, not
by moving
just fast‐moving
versions through consumer
environments goods and(FMCG).
maximizes Don’t
thebecome
productivity
complacent.
of Ensure detection methods are in place or, better
testing teams.
Automation Compromises Controls
Stick
like to Your
Separation of Guns
Duties
Automation boosts quality because it leverages computing capa-
bilities to consistently run repetitive tasks that can be botched
when performed manually.
CHAPTER Ten Myths
debts, butRelease and Deployment
you’ll avoid 37
most of them!
Controls are Risk
also For Dummies,
improved. Graydon Special
The deployment buttonEdition
is behind
role-based security, and approval and quality-gate rules can be
enforced automatically. When you have a full audit trail showing

who configured a process and who ran it, you know exactly what
happened at all times.
A Spreadsheet Is a Good
Release-Management Tool
months
Many ago isteams
release still relevant.
manage toIf your credit
function byinformation pro-
using spreadsheets,
but this method of coordination almost always results in around
vider doesn’t have a monitoring system in place, shop human
for a new
error and one!
delay.And if you don’t do
Spreadsheets have a credit
enable informationof the
management
provider, get one!
release process at the highest level, but they do not automate
the tasks, which increases the chance of error, and they also

require constant maintenance to ensure that all members of the
release team are on track. Finally, as team locations vary, teams
grow, and applications become more complex and inter-reliant,
Don’t keep that
spreadsheets new information
become you’veand
more error-prone collected all tobecause
less useful your-
self! Liaise with your boss and other senior
they don’t scale with release complexity. management and
concerns.
Unlike No one likesrelease
spreadsheets, nasty surprises!
management Here’s your chance
solutions to
capture
become a hero – or
interdependencies andatdetermine
least to say,
the‘I most
told you so!’ deployment
effective
strategy. They also alert members of the release time when cer-
tain milestones in the process have been met or when certain

team members’ skills are required.
Release management solutions are highly advised for organiza-

tions that have
fraudster. Frauda happens
complex release process
all the time, andornodistributed teams,
one is immune.
or that have tried and failed to manage their release process
Commercial fraud is a multi‐billion‐pound threat that shows with
spreadsheets. This will also make your auditors happy.
Release management solutions can be used without deployment
automation solutions,
yet, utilise a but it’s advisable
credit information to use
provider both
(such as to reduce the
Graydon UK
risks associated with repetitive manual tasks and
Ltd), which features a specialist fraud-detection team.to speed time
to market.
Stick to Your Guns

38 Application
won’tRelease
totally&avoid
bad debts, 3rdavoid
most of them!
36
One Large Release
Understanding IsDummies,
Credit Risk For Less Graydon
RiskySpecial Edition
Than Several Small Ones
In fact, large releases carry increasingly higher risk with the num-
Top‐notch
ber credit information
of interdependencies providers
included have frequent
than small, monitoring sys-
releases
tems
do. for streamline
If you clients’ use. Many
the credit
release andinformation
deployment providers
process by have
using
a monitoring
automation system you
solutions, thatfree
automatically
your peoplealters a rating
to improve the(either
process
up orand
itself down) based
enable the on an event change
organization – perhaps
to get feedback the the
from filing
end-
of new
user accounts
faster insteadorof changes in directors.
experiencing the delays Using that system
associated to having
can
to let youhighly
perform knowrepetitive
if the credit limit tasks.
manual you set for a customer six
vider doesn’t
Smaller have
releases a monitoring
have system
fewer pieces in place,
and fewer shop around
independencies.
for a new
Errors one! by
caused Andmisunderstanding
if you don’t have aorcredit information
poorly accounting for
provider, get one!
interdependency are dramatically reduced in a smaller release.
Incremental changes through true CD are the ultimate goals of

any organization that wants to deliver value by delivering new
features at a faster rate than its competitors do. Small, frequent
changes delivered
Don’t keep through
that new automation
information solutions
you’ve are the
collected first
all to step
your-
in reducing
self! Liaise the
withcost and
your riskand
boss associated with traditional
other senior management releases.
and
Release Automation Is Separate
from the Build Process

Unfortunately, until you reach the minimum requirements of a
Despite artifact
working all yourrepository,
due diligence, you maymanagement,
dependency still be takenand in by a
high-
fraudster.
quality Fraud
output happens
from all the
your build time, and
process, you’reno not
oneready
is immune.
to look
Commercial
into deployment fraud is a multi‐billion‐pound
automation. threat must
Deployment items that shows
be ver-
no signs
sioned or of abating.
ready to beAnd it covers
versioned to every
allow industry
for trackingsector, not
of what’s
just fast‐moving
being deployed and consumer
where the goods (FMCG).item
deployment Don’tisbecome
deployed. To
complacent.
complete Ensure releases
successful detectionthatmethods
providearevisibility
in place across
or, better
the
entire delivery pipeline, you need to make sure that dependencies UK
are manageable, visible, and evident as part of your build process.
You usually can achieve the required minimum state with the
Stick to Your Guns

help of a Continuous Integration (CI) server that also provides
versioning and self-service capabilities for deploying to test-
ing
As aenvironments. Manualyou
credit professional, forms
holdofaCI can responsibility
great give you a leg for
up on
deployment automation but lack the full visibility that
the good of your company. Never forget that! Refuse to be we recom-
mend
rushedachieving. The primary
into opening goal –ofeven
an account a streamlined
if you havebuild
the process
head
CHAPTER Ten Myths
debts, butRelease
you’ll and Deployment
avoid 39
most of them!
is to create Risk For
working Dummies,
builds that areGraydon Special
versioned Editionto
and ready
deployed through a number of testing stages onto production.
be

Some application deployment automation solutions provide a
versioning capability with a proprietary artifact repository. This
capability allows you to skip versioning your own builds and use
the application deployment automation solution to incorporate
that step. One such solution is IBM UrbanCode Deploy.
A Backlog of Deployables Doesn’t
Indicate a DevOps Problem
Ifprovider,
you claimget
to one!
be practicing CD, but your operations team is fac-
ing a huge backlog from development, you have a DevOps prob-
lem, and you aren’t really practicing CD. DevOps practices and
solutions help you seize market opportunities and reduce time
to customer feedback by enabling true CD. When you decide to
implement
Don’t keeprelease andinformation
that new deploymentyou’ve
solutions, you should
collected all toprepare
your-
to work
self! in a with
Liaise DevOps culture,
your which
boss and involves
other seniorchanges for individu-
management and
keep
als, them apprised
interactions, aboutand
processes, the solutions
company’s clients.
(see Voice
Chapter 1 foryour
more
concerns.
on DevOps).No one likes nasty surprises! Here’s your chance to
When you’ve minimized differences between development and
operations environments, standardized your release and deploy-

ment process, and automated most or all of your manual tasks,
you have a DevOps solution in place. This DevOps solution accel-
erates software delivery; reduces time to customer feedback;
improves
fraudster.governance; and balances
Fraud happens quality,
all the time, andcost, andisspeed.
no one immune.
Release Coordination Solutions
Fix All Problems yet, utilise a credit information provider (such as Graydon UK
The move from a completely or mostly manual release and
deployment process to an automated one is difficult, and it
Stick to Your Guns
requires several considerations. One of the most important long-
term changes is in the culture of your organization. Your people
As ainteractions
and credit professional, you hold
must be aligned a great
with responsibility
the new method offor
work
40 Application
won’tRelease
totally &avoid
bad debts, 3rdavoid
most ofEdition
them!
36 Understanding Creditshifting
and potentially Risk Forresponsibilities.
Dummies, Graydon Specialprepare
You should Editionyour
teams for the shift, expect resistance, empower them to make
decisions, and remain aware of what works and what doesn’t

work for your organization.
When you’ve selected the right project to implement applica-

tion deployment automation and release management capabili-
ties, your teams will have no choice but to collaborate. Preparing
them as much as possible for the change, however, will make the
transition easier and will help you reach your business objec-
tives. Just
can let as know
you addressing
if the build
creditand CI you
limit issues
setreduce bottlenecks
for a customer sixin
deployment
months ago is still relevant. If your credit information pro- for
and CD, you may begin to see other opportunities
improvement
vider doesn’tin your
have SDLC after you
a monitoring introduce
system deployment
in place, and
shop around
release solutions.
provider, get one!


Stick to Your Guns

CHAPTER Ten Myths
won’t 5totally avoidabout
bad Application
debts, butRelease and Deployment
you’ll avoid 41
most of them!

provider, get one!


Stick to Your Guns

42 Application
won’tRelease
totally &avoid
bad debts, 3rdavoid
most ofEdition
them!
36 Notes

provider, get one!


Stick to Your Guns

36 Notes

provider, get one!


Stick to Your Guns

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36 Understanding Credit Risk For Dummies, Graydon Special Edition

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CHAPTER 5: Ten Myths

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Because release management and deployment automation have

Throughout the book, we give you insight into the differences

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As a credit professional, you hold a great responsibility for

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36 Understanding Credit Risk»»For

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Continue to Fight Fraud

Stick to Your Guns

80,000 / 52 / 40 * 1.3 = $50

Loop in Line Management

Continue to Fight Fraud

Monitor Customers with a CIP

As applications scale to enterprise complexity, release teams

Loop in Line Management

Stick to Your Guns

and Improving Team Morale

Continue to Fight Fraud

Stick to Your Guns