What is Application Deployment?
Application Deployment, also known as Software Deployment, is the
process of installing, configuring, updating, and enabling one application
or suite of applications that make a software system available for use, like
facilitating a certain URL on a server.
What are the benefits of Application Deployment?
Some of the major advantages of Application Deployment are:
Saving Time. Application deployment can occur rapidly within hours
and installation quickens, too.
Stronger Security. The software deployment process can configure
permission roles to protect sensitive computational resources, as well as
enforcing task groups.
Enhanced Visibility. By utilizing app deployment, operators gain
invaluable insight into user activities and activity analysis can occur
seamlessly.
Simpler Software Updates. App deployment automates tedious software
updates and other maintenance tasks in real-time.
Why is Application Deployment Important?
Application Deployment is one of the most important stages of the
software development process as the strategy that is used to build, test,
and deploy will directly impact how fast an application can respond to
changes in constituent preferences or requirements, and most importantly
—the quality of each change.
What is the Application Deployment Process?
The Application Deployment Process involves nine main steps:
Plan. This stage is what gets development and operations teams on the
same page. This is where the deployment schedule is mapped out, the
current infrastructure is assessed, and changes are made if necessary.
Build and Release Automation. Enabling automation is key to a
successful app deployment process, as the possibility for human error
needs to be decreased as much as possible. Developing script and hearty
servers will help ease deployment across the network later.
Develop Continuous Integration / Continuous Delivery (CI/CD).
Working to reduce the degree of change in each application update will
help teams spot breakdowns in the future. When deployments are
minimally impactful, your system will be able to carry out more frequent
ones easier.
Create and Test Scripts. Identify environmental changes and differences
by running test scripts on a backup copy of production before moving to
the final release.
Identify Key Metrics. Make sure your team is clear on key performance
indicators (KPIs) from one application to another. This step is simple:
make sure KPIs are set, visibility is enabled, and any potential errors in
the application set are troubleshot swiftly.
Test. Set up synthetic transaction tests, and make sure key items like log-
in pages are working correctly. Go into your deployment with confidence.
Develop Deployment Tracking. Enable and implement tracking services
to make sure ops teams can easily track when deployments occur (or
when they’re scheduled to), and to immediately identify when errors
occur and how to fix them.
Alert Users and Colleagues. This is an often-overlooked step, but when
it applies, alert necessary constituents as to when an application is
expected to deploy. This will help coordinate throughout the process, set
expectations, and backtrack if there were any errors.
Monitor and Iterate. Once the application is deployed, it will be as
equally as important to monitor deployment and correct as needed.
Application Deployment Methodologies
There are a variety of techniques that can be used when it comes to
Application Deployment. Some can be achieved through load balancers
which have become essential for modern app development based on
microservices and Kubernetes containers. The following strategies are
commonly used:
Recreate: Version A is terminated, and Version B is then deployed.
Ramped: Version B is slowly rolled out and it replaces Version A.
Shadow: Version B receives real-world traffic in conjunction with
Version A. The traffic sent to Version B doesn’t impact the response.
Blue/Green Deployment: Version B is released alongside Version A,
and then the traffic is switched over to Version B.
A/B Testing: Version B is released to a particular subset of users under
specific conditions.
Canary: Version B is released to a subgroup of users, then proceeds to a
full rollout
