A framework for cut-over management

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to provide a governance structure for IT-related projects in order to assure a safeguarded and timely transition to a productive environment. This transitioning, which rarely exceeds a weekend, is colloquially called ‘cut-over’, ‘rollout’ or ‘deployment’. The governance structure is defined in accordance with a set of project-specific deliverables for a cascade-type procedural project-management model, which is integrated within an Information Technology Infrastructure Library (ITIL)-orientated service organization. This integration is illustrated by the use of a semi-agile release model. Due to the release model selected, which is particularly characterized by its bundling of projects for a release-specific rollout (as it is referred to in the project documentation), a new definition and interpretation of deployment from a generic ITIL perspective is required. The facilitated release model requires a distinction between a project-specific cut-over and a release-specific rollout. This separation gives rise to two types of go-live scenarios: one for each participating project and one for each release. Additionally, an interplay between cut-over planning for a project and rollout planning for a release becomes apparent. Projects should already incorporate cut-over related deliverables in the initial planning phase. Even though consulting methodologies such as ASAP (Accelerated SAP), recommend scattered, project-specific deliverables useful for cut-over planning, this publication offers an integrated approach on how to prepare systematically for a project-specific cut-over with all required deliverables. The framework provided maps out ITIL’s release and deployment process by means of IT projects; furthermore it allows IT projects to interface easily with the ITIL change-management process.