System and method for a web-based application development and deployment tracking tool

• US 20040261053A1
• Filed: 03/01/2002
• Published: 12/23/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 03/01/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bellsouth Intellectual Property Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Bellsouth Intellectual Property Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Payne, Christopher, Dougherty, Charles B.
• Granted Patent: US 7,069,541 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 717/101
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/20 Software design

Abstract

A tool for automating management of software development and deployment processes. The tool is made up of a series of lists or databases tracking various information related to the software releases and individual software components making up the releases. The tool includes a user interface for receiving build requests from users. When a build request is received from a user, the tool checks a user list to verify that the user'"'"'s role allows the request, and the tool executes the build script associated with the component, and updates a status associated with the build request. Builds are automatically sent to target nodes in pre-determined environments for testing or for operational deployment. The tool stores the code in the correct directory locations and install the code for use. The tool further allows tester to grade software and provide feedback and test results to the developers and configuration managers for further development.

Claims

1. A development and deployment tracking tool for managing a plurality of software releases, said development and deployment tracking tool comprising:

a first list comprising the plurality of software releases, wherein for each software release, the first list includes a release identification and a source type;

a second list comprising a software components, wherein for each component, the second list includes a build script and a script type;

a third list comprising a plurality of application operating environments, wherein for each application operating environment, the third list includes an environment type;

a fourth list comprising a plurality of nodes, wherein for each node, the fourth list includes an environment selected from the third list;

a fifth list comprising a plurality of users, wherein for each user, the fifth list includes a predetermined role, wherein the predetermined role defines the user'"'"'s access rights to the development and deployment tracking tool;

a user interface for receiving a build request from a user, said build request including a release name, a component name, and a target environment, wherein the release name is selected from the first list, the component name is selected from the second list, and the target environment is selected from the third list;

wherein when a build request is received from a user, the development and deployment tracking tool checks the fifth list to verify that the user'"'"'s role allows the request, and the development and deployment tracking tool executes the build script associated with the component, and updates a status associated with the build request.

2. The development and deployment tracking tool of claim 1, wherein when the build request is complete, the development and deployment tool sends an email message to a user.

3. The development and deployment tool of claim 1, wherein the environment type is selected from a group comprising a common development environment, a pre-production environment, a production environment, a sandbox environment, a system test environment, and an undetermined environment type.

4. The development and deployment tool of claim 1, wherein the role is selected from a group comprising a developer, a configuration manager and a quality assurance tester.

5. The development and deployment tool of claim 1, further comprising a user interface for receiving a test approval result.