One of the major value we assigned the tool is it's a agent-based deployment tool. Our job is pushing code through all, consistently, 24/7 so we want the tool to handle our deployment volume.
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One of the major value we assigned the tool is it's a agent-based deployment tool. Our job is pushing code through all, consistently, 24/7 so we want the tool to handle our deployment volume.
The benefits: we are able to deliver more. Our release volume doubled up but our release window went down by 80% so we deliver more and faster.
The release orchestration and release automation tool. The automation tool is a very good deployment engine but it's not fitting our release orchestration process so we have to go for another tool to handle the orchestration, integrate the tool with the release automation. I'm looking for more features in the release orchestration.
The product is very stable. We had minor performance issues but we contacted CS Support. They gave us a solution to fix the issue.
Scalability is a good question. We started with one application automation. Now, we automate around 400 applications. We installed close to 2,000 agents.
The level 1 support is awesome, okay. Whenever we open a ticket with CS Support, we got a email response, a phone call, within 2 to 4 hours. If level 1 is not able to address the issue, they escalate to level 2 and level 3 and we get the solution very quickly.
We bought two solutions together. One is Release Automation, because our release planning team had a very strong gating process. We have to go through a approval process. They have a very strict change management process. The release automation tool did not fit really well into the process, that's why we need to go for another solution.
Our application portfolio is growing and our release window is doubled but our customers start complaining, okay when you do release software, we have to take our production system down. We want a tool to move core faster so we can bring down our release window and take a very brief outage in the production.
The reason I'd rate it 8/10 is because it is a very strong, stable deployment engine. It's very scalable. It fits really well with our deployment process.
Recommendations: first look at their current processes. How they do the release, how they do the deployments. Look for all the tools. What tool will fit into their process? When you buy new tools, you want to make sure it fits very well to the process.
The measurement we take is only two factors. The number of changes going into production and how long it takes. We are able to deliver more. We doubled our release volume but stayed within the same release window. We are able quickly, on board application for automation. Previously, it used to take weeks and months to automate an application because they're all skill based application. Repeatable and reusable process in the tool, we build a deployment process. We just onboard an application to the automation.