RELEASE MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS AND METHODS

• US 20100017784A1
• Filed: 01/06/2009
• Published: 01/21/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 07/15/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Oracle International Corporation (Oracle Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Oracle International Corporation (Oracle Corporation)
• Inventors: Raman, Suneesh, O'MAHONY, James, Tagalog, Sylvio, Garg, Archit, Subramanian, Jagannath
• Granted Patent: US 9,495,132 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 717/101
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/20 Software design

Abstract

Progress of a development cycle, such as for the development of a release of a software product, is tracked and managed using a release management system. Such a system allows groups and managers to retain any project planning or status files, in any appropriate structure. A manager can simply upload the file to the system as information is updated, and the system will apply appropriate templates and store the information in such a way that reporting and tracking can be done for any aspect of the development process at any level. For example, a single system can provide a high-level executive overview down to a detail level view of a particular group, using substantially current data for all aspects the process.

Claims

1. A method for tracking information relating to a development process, comprising:

receiving a development file from each of a plurality of sources, each of the plurality of sources responsible for an aspect of the development process, each development file capable of having a data structure that is unique to a respective source;

applying a template to data in each received development file in order to allow the data in each development file to be stored using a common structure;

validating the data after applying the template and notifying the respective source when at least some of the data is determined to be invalid;

storing the validated data for each received development file; and

allowing an authorized user to run reports against the stored data, the reports capable of including an overview of a status of the entire development process down to a detailed view of a status for each source.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein:

the reports include substantially current information for each source based on stored data for each source.

3. A method according to claim 1, wherein:

the development process relates to development of a version of a software product.

4. A method according to claim 1, wherein:

each development file is uploaded by a user or application.

5. A method according to claim 1, wherein:

a determination of whether the data is valid is based at least partially upon rules determined for the development process.

6. A method according to claim 1, further including:

providing a user with an ability to highlight an issue relating to the development process; and

allowing a user to run a report for the issue using the stored data.

7. A method according to claim 1, further comprising:

allowing a first of the sources to indicate a dependency upon data of a second source; and

utilizing the dependency information when running a report for the first source, the dependency information capable of being used to determine projected status and completeness information.

8. A method according to claim 7, further comprising:

storing the dependencies as mappings in a table.

9. A method according to claim 1, further comprising:

upon receiving data for a source, automatically updating related data for any other source.

10. A method according to claim 1, further comprising:

allowing a user to submit a change request for an aspect of the development process, a report capable of being run for the change request.

11. A method according to claim 1, further comprising:

providing a user with an ability to view an upload and download history for the development process.

12. A system for tracking information relating to a development process, comprising:

a processor; and

a memory device including instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to;

receive a development file from each of a plurality of sources, each of the plurality of sources responsible for an aspect of the development process, each development file capable of having a data structure that is unique to a respective source;

apply a template to data in each received development file in order to allow the data in each development file to be stored using a common structure;

validate the data after applying the template and notifying the respective source when at least some of the data is determined to be invalid;

store the validated data for each received development file; and

allow an authorized user to run reports against the stored data, the reports capable of including an overview of a status of the entire development process down to a detailed view of a status for each source.

13. A system according to claim 12, wherein:

the reports include substantially current information for each source based on stored data for each source.

14. A system according to claim 12, wherein:

the development process relates to development of a version of a software product.

15. A system according to claim 12, wherein:

a determination of whether the data is valid is based at least partially upon rules determined for the development process.

16. A system according to claim 12, wherein the memory device further includes instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to:

provide a user with an ability to highlight an issue relating to the development process; and

allow the user to run a report for the issue using the stored data.

17. A system according to claim 12, wherein the memory device further includes instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to:

allow a first of the sources to indicate a dependency upon data of a second source; and

utilize the dependency information when running a report for the first source, the dependency information capable of being used to determine projected status and completeness information.

18. A computer program product embedded in a computer readable medium for tracking information relating to a development process, comprising:

program code for receiving a development file from each of a plurality of sources, each of the plurality of sources responsible for an aspect of the development process, each development file capable of having a data structure that is unique to a respective source;

program code for applying a template to data in each received development file in order to allow the data in each development file to be stored using a common structure;

program code for validating the data after applying the template and notifying the respective source when at least some of the data is determined to be invalid;

program code for storing the validated data for each received development file; and

program code for allowing an authorized user to run reports against the stored data, the reports capable of including an overview of a status of the entire development process down to a detailed view of a status for each source.

19. A computer program product according to claim 18, wherein:

the reports include substantially current information for each source based on stored data for each source.

20. A computer program product according to claim 18, wherein:

a determination of whether the data is valid is based at least partially upon rules determined for the development process.

21. A computer program product according to claim 18, further comprising:

program code for allowing a first of the sources to indicate a dependency upon data of a second source; and

program code for utilizing the dependency information when running a report for the first source, the dependency information capable of being used to determine projected status and completeness information.