Workflow Extension

Once companies have successfully integrated Release management tools, they seek to capitalize on thatr investment and optimize their organizations. To do so, they need to create and manage their workflow processes. Defining, and enforcing, workflow is essential to improving organization and information flow. It also offers key support for your software quality, productivity, and security initiatives. Release management involves many staff members of different technical levels performing a variety of tasks throughout the release processes. Rapidly evolving technical environments and compliance mandates mean that release processes require flexibility, transparency, security, and traceability. An automated tool makes it much easier to create, adapt, and participate in complex workflows. Managers can create a workflow and easily administer roles and authority levels. The deployment staff can view the entire workflow and their roles at any point in the process. In addition, they will have ready access to reports and other indicators.

THE SOLUTION

ARCAD has now expanded its software suite to include organizational tools. The Workflow extension is a graphical workflow manager with a Web application portal that offers access and visibility to all those involved in the change process. It can be easily customized to accommodate your unique workflow.

The Workflow extension provides visibility and control over the release management process:

• Connectors provide access to data or tasks in ARCAD release management.
• Triggers for specific tasks keep all parties informed of changes.

ARCAD Connectors: The ARCAD connectors are designed to manage the majority of tasks related to the functional areas managed by the ARCAD solutions. They are designed to ensure maximum interoperability with the main workflow engine, and they offer extensive access to components and tasks involved in implementing workflow management. They can be a "selection" or an "execution." The first retrieves information in the ARCAD database (properties, statements, or roles for example). An “execution” performs tasks.

ARCAD Events: The ARCAD Events carry out an action when a particular element that is a part of the application lifecycle changes. Their main function is to alert the workflow process of any changes to the application. These triggers are also used in conjunction with ARCAD internal processes to set up a personalized communication strategy.

THE ADVANTAGES

This Workflow extension was created based on ARCAD methodology and industry best practices. It is tried, tested, and proven by a host of ARCAD users. It establishes key application management processes and includes a default workflow engine. For companies that do not yet have a workflow process, ARCAD offers a pre-configured version. It allows you to tailor your processes graphically, with drag and drop features, and includes a portal for easy implementation and monitoring. These tools provide rapid implementation of an initial project, enabling users to focus on tailoring the solution to their needs.
The Workflow extension ensures maximum interoperability with the all workflow engines on the market, the ARCAD Connectors are available in the form of Java classes that can be instantiated or called directly from the command line. Feedback is in XML, and the user can redefine this format. The ARCAD technology provides flexibility and visibility over the entire technical infrastructure. This infrastructure can be called either from the management process or from state change information.
Furthermore ARCAD offers new customizable workflow capabilities through the use of the Open source BPM tool. This integration technology with BONITA has already been proven, in April 2010, it was used to customize and demonstrate a specific customer Workflow for ticket management.