HCL Informix Continuous Delivery

                                                                                                            Updated: 8/30/18
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I was looking through my archives recently, and found an old project plan from some years ago. Hard to believe now, but back then, we planned to release the product 10 months after ‘code freeze’. Think about it -- code we implemented for our clients sat on the shelf for 10 long months AFTER it was written!

Things certainly have changed since then, especially since we adopted Agile practices. The focus has been on getting new capabilities into our clients’ hand quicker and with improved quality. The latest step in our journey was our adoption of Continuous Delivery.

So, what is Continuous Delivery? The “know-all” Wikipedia defines it as “… an approach in which teams produce software in short cycles, ensuring that the software can be reliably released at any time. It aims at building, testing, and releasing software faster and more frequently.”

Continuous Delivery has huge benefits:

1. Better quality: with all the rigorous testing that Post Interim Drops (PID) and Fix Packs go through, they are a much better alternative to Special Builds (a.k.a. patches). With Continuous Delivery, we sweeten the deal, so you do not need to wait long for a PID or Fix Pack. 
2. New features: you get access to your requested features sooner. We get quicker feedback, which helps us fine-tune the new capability.
3. Improves efficiency: with the focus on best practices, it forces a review of what it takes to deliver a product. It increases efficiency and eliminates waste.

Based on our experience, the keys to moving to Continuous Delivery are:

1. Automate everything: this one’s a no-brainer. Manual tasks have a huge recurring cost. There is the cost to plan, execute and analyze manual tasks and results. A variety of propriety and open-source tools currently available make this very achievable.
2. Reporting & logging: every procedure and task should be logged, while the reports should stay clear of information overload. Reports should make it easy to monitor progress and identify bottlenecks. Critical failures must raise alarms and alert stakeholders.
3. Feedback loops: this part is often overlooked. We strive for perfection but there is always room for improvement. Retrospectives are important. There is always an answer to the question – “how can we make this better/faster?”.

Continuous Delivery is another step along the path to deliver better quality products, quicker. Since we adopted Agile practices, our data shows that we are doing this. We hope that you have feel the same way.
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Pradeep Kulkarni
Engineering Manager
HCL Informix
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