Software release workflow management

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11340870-B2
Application number	US-201815882426-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 29, 2018
Priority date	Mar 14, 2013
Publication date	May 24, 2022
Grant date	May 24, 2022

Abstract

A computer-implemented method for managing a release of a software product includes obtaining a request for the release, the request including workflow action parameter data to define a release pipeline involving a plurality of software engineering systems configured to process data indicative of the software product, and executing, with a processor, a workflow to implement the release pipeline in accordance with the workflow action parameter data. Executing the workflow includes sending a series of instructions to the plurality of software engineering systems. A successive instruction in the series of instructions is sent based on whether a gating rule for the release is met.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A computer-implemented method for managing a release of a software product, the method comprising:
obtaining a request for the release, the request comprising workflow action parameter data that defines a release pipeline involving a plurality of software engineering systems, each software engineering system of the plurality of software engineering systems being configured to provide a respective software release service that processes data indicative of the software product, the workflow action parameter data specifying that the release pipeline includes at least a build step;
providing a front-end user interface that enables creation of the workflow action parameter data including creation of the build step via the front-end user interface,
modification of the workflow action parameter data including modification of the build step via the front-end user interface, and
specification of options associated with display of metric data via a dashboard including specification of options associated with the build step via the front-end user interface, wherein the metric data is associated with the release pipeline; and
executing, with one or more processors, a workflow to implement the release pipeline in accordance with the workflow action parameter data;
wherein executing the workflow comprises providing release management services via a scalable plurality of instances of an orchestrator and scheduling an event for a time based on a state of the release monitored during workflow execution;
wherein providing the release management services comprises sending, by one or more of the instances of the orchestrator, a series of instructions to the plurality of software engineering systems, each instruction directing respective one of the plurality of software engineering systems to implement the respective software release service; and
wherein a successive instruction in the series of instructions is sent based on whether a gating rule for the release is met.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising accessing a configuration file that comprises data indicative of the gating rule, the configuration file being discrete from a data package in which the workflow action parameter data is stored, wherein the gating rule is applied in an automated manner.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising receiving the gating rule via a user interface during execution of the workflow.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the gating rule specifies a compliance parameter for approval of a respective step of the workflow.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the gating rule specifies a quality assurance policy.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of software engineering systems comprises a source control system configured to provide version control, a build system configured to compile source code data into binary code, and a validation system configured to validate operability of the binary code.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein each software engineering system of the plurality of software engineering systems comprises an interface configured to support data exchanges with one or more instances of the plurality of scalable instances of the orchestrator.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 7 , wherein the interface comprises an application programming interface (API).

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the workflow action parameter data specifies that the release pipeline includes a build step and a deployment step.

10. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein obtaining the request comprises receiving the workflow action parameter data via an application programming interface (API) of a respective instance of the orchestrator.

11. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the gating rule specifies a validation criterion for validation of the software product before releasing a build of the software product to a production environment.

12. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the gating rule specifies a code coverage threshold.

13. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein executing the workflow comprises interpreting workflow code by a workflow interpreter of a respective instance of the orchestrator.

14. Computer storage media for implementing a method of managing a release of a software product, the computer storage media having stored thereon computer-executable instructions that, when executed by one or more processors of a computing system, cause the computing system to perform the method, the method comprising:
receiving a request for the release, the request comprising workflow action parameter data that defines a release pipeline involving a plurality of software engineering systems, each software engineering system of the plurality of software engineering systems being configured to provide a respective software release service that processes data indicative of the software product, the workflow action parameter data specifying that the release pipeline includes at least a build step;
providing a front-end user interface that enables creation of the workflow action parameter data including creation of the build step via the front-end user interface, modification of the workflow action parameter data, and specification of options associated with display of metric data via a dashboard, wherein the metric data is associated with the release pipeline;
executing a workflow to implement the release pipeline in accordance with the workflow action parameter data and a policy schema;
wherein executing the workflow comprises providing release management services via a scalable plurality of instances of an orchestrator and scheduling an event for a time based on a state of the release monitored during workflow execution; and
wherein providing the release management services comprises:
sending, by one or more of the instances of the orchestrator, a series of instructions to the plurality of software engineering systems, each instruction directing a respective one of the plurality of software engineering systems to implement the respective software release service;
accessing a configuration file that comprises data indicative of the policy schema; and
applying a gating rule of the policy schema to determine whether a successive instruction in the series of instructions is sent.

15. The articic of manufacturc computer storage media of claim 14 , wherein the gating rule specifies a validation criterion for validation of the software product.

16. A device for managing a release of a software product, the device comprising:
at least one memory and at least one processor, wherein the at least one memory and the at least one processor are respectively configured to store and execute instructions for causing the device to perform operations, the operations comprising:
obtaining a request for the release, the request comprising workflow action parameter data that defines a release pipeline involving a plurality of software engineering systems, each software engineering system of the plurality of software engineering systems being configured to provide a respective software release service that processes data indicative of the software product, the workflow action parameter data specifying that the release pipeline includes at least a build step;
providing a front-end user interface that enables creation of the workflow action parameter data including creation of the build step via the fr

Assignees

• Microsoft Technology Licensing Llc

Inventors

• Jubran Marwan E
• Gershaft Aleksandr
• Libenson Maksim

Classifications

• G06F8/71 Primary

  Version control (security arrangements therefor G06F21/57); Configuration management · CPC title

• G06F8/77

  Software metrics · CPC title

• G06F8/00 Primary

  Arrangements for software engineering (testing or debugging G06F11/36; administrative, planning or organisation aspects of software project management G06Q10/06) · CPC title