Software Configuration Management Strategies and IBM® Rational® ClearCase®: A Practical Introduction (2nd Edition) [Paperback]

David E. Bellagio (Author), Tom J. Milligan (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0321200195 | ISBN-13: 978-0321200198 | Publication Date: June 2, 2005 | Edition: 2

"I wrote that the first edition of this book "communicates much of the experience, wisdom, and insight that was acquired along the way to discovering what SCM best practices are and how to implement/deploy them." The second edition is full of even more practical experience! It not only refines and expands upon earlier strategies and best practices, it also contains even more concrete "how-to" information about implementing and deploying them." --Brad Appleton co-author of Software Configuration Management Patterns: Effective Teamwork, Practical Integration "Read this book when you're getting started with configuration management (CM); read it again in six months and once more two years later. Software Configuration Management Strategies and IBM Rational ClearCase goes beyond the basics to provide a coherent review of CM strategies for projects of all sizes and complexities." --Jennie Brown, CM Specialist IBM Corporation "This book covers practical software configuration management (SCM), ClearCase UCM and ClearCase use for project teams. Every project lead and SCM specialist should (re)read this book before starting a project."--Roger Jarrett, Senior Software Engineer IBM Rational Software "This second edition captures vital Unified Change Management (UCM) features and concepts. It brings the entire UCM feature set full circle and lays the ground work for a successful UCM implementation; Bellagio and Milligan continue where the first edition left off. The inclusion of composite baseline concepts, single stream development, performance tuning, and other features and concepts make this the core of any old or new Unified Change Management implementation. It is rare that a second edition of a book can hold your interest like the first. This publication does just that...this continues to be the standard for users interested in Unified Change Management deployment." --Adam Levensohn, Manager IBM Rational Software Software Configuration Management (SCM) can help even the largest, most complex project teams manage change, so they can deliver higher quality products faster. The First Edition of Software Configuration Management Strategies and Rational ClearCase established itself as the definitive single source for guidance on both SCM best practices and the market's leading product, IBM Rational ClearCase.This fully updated Second Edition systematically addresses the latest ClearCase and ClearQuest(R) innovations, while offering even deeper insight into SCM strategy and management. The authors each draw on more than 15 years of SCM experience, and the knowledge of working with IBM Rational field teams in customer engagements worldwide. They systematically cover SCM planning and deployment, and SCM's use throughout the entire project lifecycle: development, integration, building, baselining, release deployment, and beyond. They offer practical guidance on addressing challenges that arise as projects grow in size and complexity, from managing geographically distributed teams to tracking change requests.Coverage includes * Understanding basic SCM concepts, and the role, value, and components of SCM systems * Mastering IBM Rational's Unified Change Management (UCM) model--including today's most effective usage models, strategies, and policy configurations * Creating ClearCase repositories and establishing UCM environments, step-by-step * Working as a project manager in the ClearCase environment * Leveraging new ClearCase MultiSite and ClearQuest technologies to full advantage * Using the new ClearCase Remote Client to access centralized repositories across WANs * Monitoring ClearCase and tuning it for maximum performance This book is valuable for everyone concerned with SCM: developers who wantSCM to be as intuitive and convenient as possible; project managers and technical leaders who must efficiently manage change; tools engineers; even IT managersevaluating SCM technologies. A(c) Copyright Pearson Education. All rights reserved.

Editorial Reviews

From the Back Cover

"I wrote that the first edition of this book "communicates much of the experience, wisdom, and insight that was acquired along the way to discovering what SCM best practices are and how to implement/deploy them." The second edition is full of even more practical experience! It not only refines and expands upon earlier strategies and best practices, it also contains even more concrete "how-to" information about implementing and deploying them."

—Brad Appleton co-author of Software Configuration Management Patterns: Effective Teamwork, Practical Integration

"Read this book when you're getting started with configuration management (CM); read it again in six months and once more two years later. Software Configuration Management Strategies and IBM Rational ClearCase goes beyond the basics to provide a coherent review of CM strategies for projects of all sizes and complexities."

—Jennie Brown, CM Specialist IBM Corporation

"This book covers practical software configuration management (SCM), ClearCase UCM and ClearCase use for project teams. Every project lead and SCM specialist should (re)read this book before starting a project."

—Roger Jarrett, Senior Software Engineer IBM Rational Software

"This second edition captures vital Unified Change Management (UCM) features and concepts. It brings the entire UCM feature set full circle and lays the ground work for a successful UCM implementation; Bellagio and Milligan continue where the first edition left off. The inclusion of composite baseline concepts, single stream development, performance tuning, and other features and concepts make this the core of any old or new Unified Change Management implementation.

It is rare that a second edition of a book can hold your interest like the first. This publication does just that...this continues to be the standard for users interested in Unified Change Management deployment."

—Adam Levensohn, Manager IBM Rational Software

Software Configuration Management (SCM) can help even the largest, most complex project teams manage change, so they can deliver higher quality products faster. The First Edition of Software Configuration Management Strategies and Rational ClearCase established itself as the definitive single source for guidance on both SCM best practices and the market's leading product, IBM Rational ClearCase. This fully updated Second Edition systematically addresses the latest ClearCase and ClearQuest® innovations, while offering even deeper insight into SCM strategy and management.

The authors each draw on more than 15 years of SCM experience, and the knowledge of working with IBM Rational field teams in customer engagements worldwide. They systematically cover SCM planning and deployment, and SCM's use throughout the entire project lifecycle: development, integration, building, baselining, release deployment, and beyond. They offer practical guidance on addressing challenges that arise as projects grow in size and complexity, from managing geographically distributed teams to tracking change requests.

Coverage includes

• Understanding basic SCM concepts, and the role, value, and components of SCM systems

• Mastering IBM Rational's Unified Change Management (UCM) model—including today's most effective usage models, strategies, and policy configurations

• Creating ClearCase repositories and establishing UCM environments, step-by-step

• Working as a project manager in the ClearCase environment

• Leveraging new ClearCase MultiSite and ClearQuest technologies to full advantage

• Using the new ClearCase Remote Client to access centralized repositories across WANs

• Monitoring ClearCase and tuning it for maximum performance

This book is valuable for everyone concerned with SCM: developers who wantSCM to be as intuitive and convenient as possible; project managers and technical leaders who must efficiently manage change; tools engineers; even IT managersevaluating SCM technologies.

© Copyright Pearson Education. All rights reserved.

About the Author

David E. Bellagio has been involved in software development for the last 25 years, ever since he got addicted to it in high school. After realizing that he would not be a professional baseball player, he went on to receive his Bachelor of Science and Master of Science degrees in computer science, with honors, from Chico State University, California. David worked previously at CSC, Tandem Computers, ADP, and HP. He first began using ClearCase in 1994, and he spent the next four years deploying ClearCase to many developers while employed at ADP and HP. In 1998, he joined Rational Software as a technical field representative in the Pacific Northwest.

David currently is a Worldwide Community of Practice Leader for Enterprise Change Management at IBM, Rational Software. He works with customers and IBM teams to ensure successful deployment and adoption of Rational SCM solutions. David works with Rational field teams delivering workshops, seminars, and assessments to help improve software process and customer results. He also works onsite with customers around the world to define and manage successful deployment of Rational Software solutions.

David has presented these topics at Rational User Conferences:

1995: "Building Software with Clearmake on Non-ClearCase Hosts"

1996: "ClearAdmin—A Set of Scripts and Processes for Administrating ClearCaseSites"

2004: "UCM Stream Strategies and Best Practices"

David has also led the UCM Hands on Workshop sessions at the 2003 and 2004 Rational User Conferences.

David currently resides in Washington with his wonderful wife and three children. When time allows, he also enjoys brewing fine ales and mead. He can be reached via e-mail at [e-mail].

Tom Milligan is a Senior SCM Technical Marketing Engineer on IBM Rational Software's Worldwide Technical Marketing team. Prior to this assignment he worked in Rational Software's Western Region Consulting Organization.

Prior to joining Atria Software in 1995, Tom worked in Electronic Design Automation, Software QA, software tools acquisition and development as well as real-time embedded software development. Tom holds a B.A (Honors College) in Computer Science from the University of Oregon (1978).

Tom has spoken at the Rational User Conference several times:

1997: "Integrating ClearCase NT with Third-Party Applications"(specifically, integrating ClearCase with Microsoft Word)

1999: "Integrating Requisite Pro and DDTs"

2001: "Using Perl with the ClearCase Automation Library (CAL)"

2003: "ClearCase Performance Analysis, Monitoring and Tuning"

2004: "Fundamentals of Good Software Configuration Management, ClearCase Performance Analysis, Monitoring and Tuning"

Tom has also published the following articles:

The Rational Edge

November 2001: "Using Perl with Rational ClearCase Automation Library (CAL)"

September 2002: "Using Perl with the Rational ClearQuest API"

July 2003: "ClearCase Performance Analysis, Monitoring and Tuning (part 1)"

September 2003: "ClearCase Performance Analysis, Monitoring and Tuning (part 2)"

Websphere Advisor

July/August 2003: "7 Attributes of Highly Effective SCM Systems"

Rational Developer Network

"ClearCase Cheat Sheet"

Tom was also keynote speaker at the 2003 Association of Configuration and Data Management (ACDM) Conference.

Tom resides on the central coast of California with his most excellent wife and three children. In his spare time Tom enjoys playing Ultimate (also known as Ultimate Frisbee), watching his kids play volleyball and soccer, and staying up late with his telescope. He can be reached via e-mail at [e-mail].

© Copyright Pearson Education. All rights reserved.

Product Details

• Paperback: 384 pages
• Publisher: IBM Press; 2 edition (June 2, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0321200195
• ISBN-13: 978-0321200198
• Product Dimensions: 9.5 x 6.8 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #657,826 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Just the right info, just the right time, January 11, 2007

By 

C. Stewart (Baltimore MD) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Software Configuration Management Strategies and IBM® Rational® ClearCase®: A Practical Introduction (2nd Edition) (Paperback)

I purchased this book as a new Configuration Manager to the Rational suite of tools. I have used other 'big' CM tools in the past, but was unfamiliar with ClearCase. The book is very well laid out, has very good information and definitions that I have used in other presentations as I prepare to roll out a ClearCase solution to my team. After reading the first 1/2 of the book, I felt very versed on the tool, and was able to refer to my knowledge in conversations with other team members about how ClearCase is to work. I recommend that if you are new or even experienced with ClearCase, that you purchase this book for yourself. You will find in no time that you will mark many pages with yellow sticky's and highlight passages that you'll refer to many times!

8 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Second Edition - lots of new information, August 8, 2005

By 

Jim Tykal "scm consultant" (Hoffman Estates, IL USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Software Configuration Management Strategies and IBM® Rational® ClearCase®: A Practical Introduction (2nd Edition) (Paperback)

As a long-time ClearCase user, consultant, Rational field rep, and all-around proponent of SCM, I found this book to be a wonderful update of Brian White's first edition. Tom and Dave have an extremely readable style of writing that you don't often find in technical publications. For the uninitiated, this book will serve as a great introduction to SCM concepts, ClearCase and the Unified Change Management process. For the experienced SCM administrator, this book is full of tips and practical "how-to" based on Tom and Dave's decades of experience in the SCM field.

7 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Must have for SCM practitioners with ClearCase UCM, August 19, 2005

By 

Frank Schophuizen (Netherlands) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Software Configuration Management Strategies and IBM® Rational® ClearCase®: A Practical Introduction (2nd Edition) (Paperback)

Was the first edition mostly a repeat of the UCM manual that comes with the installation, this second edition brings more valuable, strategic information about SCM and ClearCase UCM. It is a must-read for SCM practitioners working with UCM or considering a step towards UCM. In fact, the SCM strategies covered in this book are a must-read for any SCM practitioner. Issues like quality promotion, parallel development and composite configurations are becoming quite common to modern software development organizations.
Subjects that I am missing are activity management (as part of project management), reporting and audit trails, customizations (e.g. role based permissions, automation, triggers) and integration with other development tools (e.g. requirements and test assets).

It is very difficult to find just the right book about SCM, with the right balance between theory and practice. Well, this book is it for Unified Change Management.