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ReleaseTEAM Newsletter
                                                                                                                                                        April 2008
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Dear Beth,

Have you received your FREE configuration management assessment from ReleaseTEAM yet?
 
Ask yourself:
Where are the inefficiencies in your build and release process? Are you using the best CM tools available to you to the highest level of support? Are all of your software development teams running at full capacity?

Call or email me today to schedule your
FREE CM REPORT!
 
Sincerely,

Beth Maxim
Sales Manager
ReleaseTEAM
bmaxim@releaseteam.com
720-887-0489 
In This Issue
ReleaseTEAM at RSDC 2008
Part Two- Top 10 Tips for Outsourcing Success
IBM News and Tech Notes
Partner News


rsdc            RT Logo                                      
ReleaseTEAM at RSDC 2008
Key Note Speakers including William Shatner

Join ReleaseTEAM for our 6th consecutive appearance as an IBM Rational Business partner at the Rational Software Development Conference!


It's time to join the League of Extraordinary Software Developers at the IBM Rational Software Development Conference 2008, June 1-5, at the Walt DisneyWorld Swan and Dolphin Hotel. Yes, Rational User, look to the skies! The R-Signal is sweeping across the clouds with the challenge: R-U Ready to Save the Day?


Click here for more info


Top 10 Tips for Outsourcing Success - Part two of article
Please see the original article by Keith R. Crosley

Outsourcing part of the Software Development Life Cycle can be intimidating, and ensuring you get ROI on the assignment is absolutely necessary. ReleaseTEAM is a premiere SCM consulting firm, with experience serving large Fortune 1000 and Department of Defense companies as well as development teams with just 2 people. No matter your size or specific needs, ReleaseTEAM is here to help support your project with expertise and keep you running at (or under!) budget. Here are some key points to consider when looking at outsourcing.

6. Start small
When engaging with a service provider for the first time, start with a project that is relatively small and simple in scope. This will give you a better idea of the provider's style and capabilities before you entrust a "mission critical" project to them.

7. Tie payment to clearly defined project milestones
Just as you should be clear about project scope, make sure that you define a work plan for your outsourced project with clearly defined milestones. Having scheduled checkpoints where you review the status of the project as it works toward completion-is an easy way to ensure that you meet your final deadline and that the final product meets your standards. Tie the vendor's payment to these milestones. A good guideline for IT and software development projects is to pay no more than 20% to 30% of the total project price up front, with the rest of the payments awarded based on the completion of 3 or 4 milestones.

8. Negotiate ownership of work up front
For any type of outsourced project, make sure that you are clear about who owns the resulting work product and any important components of that product. Make sure the service provider understands how you intend to use the deliverables that they are agreeing to provide. For example, the development of a custom software application for your personal use would be substantially different from the development an application that you intend to package and re-sell.

9. Don't forget about support after the project is complete
For technology projects, it's a good idea to specify a warranty or support clause so that you are assured of some amount of continuing support from the vendor after the project is complete. It's much easer to negotiate a support clause before the service provider begins work, rather than after the completion of the project. Even creative or business services can benefit from a support clause. Suppose you need some changes to a business plan based on feedback that you get from potential investors. Or maybe you find that you need that snazzy new logo delivered in a new type of file format. Specifying some amount of free support or negotiating discounted prices for future modifications can save you time, money and headaches later on.

10. Get it in writing
During the course of a service engagement, the scope of the project, deliverables or even the agreed upon price may change. Make sure that you clearly communicate any schedule, scope or payment changes to your service provider and get confirmation from them - in writing - that they understand and agree to the changes. Similarly, keep a record of any agreement changes requested by the service provider and whether you accept or reject those modifications. Save copies of any email exchanges that you have.

You can access top-notch expertise any time you need it without the overhead of hiring full-time staff. By staying focused on your core competencies and hiring expert freelancers for your other needs, you can compete with the delivery capabilities of larger organizations while maintaining your independence.

 


IBMIBM News and Tech Notes




IBM News
--------
IBM acquires Telelogic

The Telelogic acquisition brings the following tools into the Rational brand.
Focal Point, DOORS, System Architect, Tau, Change Synergy, Logiscope, DocExpress, Rhapsody

For the full press release click here.

---
Rational Technotes, Redbooks and Downloads
Rational Build Forge
Redbooks
2008-03-04    Redbooks - IBM IT Governance Approach: Business Performance through IT Execution
             http://www.redbooks.ibm.com/abstracts/SG247517.html?Open

Technotes(FAQs)

2008-03-20    About the license key types in Build Forge
             http://www.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?uid=swg21298058

2008-03-27    Build Forge Agent default port is 5555
             http://www.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?uid=swg21286566

2008-03-27    Version information for the Build Forge Management Console
             http://www.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?uid=swg21246376

2008-03-26    The size of bf_messages can impact the query performance
             http://www.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?uid=swg21298515

2008-04-01    Build Forge ClearQuest Adaptor is coming back as build canceled
             http://www.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?uid=swg21288246

2008-04-01    Listing all table indexes in a Build Forge database
             http://www.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?uid=swg21296860

2008-03-31    Client API Software and Installation Instructions for Build Forge
             http://www.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?uid=swg21255413
               ****************


Rational ClearCase
Redbooks
2008-03-04    Redbooks - IBM IT Governance Approach: Business Performance through IT Execution
             http://www.redbooks.ibm.com/abstracts/SG247517.html?Open
Technotes(FAQs)

2008-03-08    How to properly run disk defragmentation utilities on disk volumes that are used for VOB and view storage
             http://www.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?uid=swg21126900

2008-03-06    Size option with cleartool find command
             http://www.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?uid=swg21296399

2008-03-13    Additional examples of the cleartool find command
             http://www.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?uid=swg21124425

2008-03-13    Cross-product shared environments (shell sharing) information about Rational Software
             http://www.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?uid=swg21279139

2008-03-13    Setting up identity management for UNIX or Linux clients which access Windows VOBs using Rational ClearCase File Service (CCFS)
             http://www.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?uid=swg21285812

2008-03-22    Upgrading ClearCase and ClearQuest to version 7.0.1
             http://www.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?uid=swg21298162

2008-03-20    Support Policy for Microsoft Windows Vista
             http://www.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?uid=swg21257224

2008-03-19    Visual Studio.NET metadata files and the function they serve when integrated with ClearCase
             http://www.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?uid=swg21129630

2008-03-18    Knowledge Collection: ClearCase and 64 bit architectures
             http://www.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?uid=swg21296323

2008-03-29    Changing the font size of xclearcase
             http://www.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?uid=swg21135957

2008-03-29    Location of the on-line Help for ClearCase vendor integrations
             http://www.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?uid=swg21146955

2008-03-23    About files under source control and the write bit
             http://www.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?uid=swg21199204

2008-03-22    Upgrading ClearCase and ClearQuest to version 7.0.1
             http://www.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?uid=swg21298162

2008-04-05    Removing the ClearCase and VS .NET Integration
             http://www.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?uid=swg21299853

2008-04-05    Support Policy for High Availability clustering and ClearCase
             http://www.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?uid=swg21127354

2008-04-05    Support Policy for Visual Studio .NET 2005 Integrations with ClearCase
             http://www.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?uid=swg21246968

2008-04-03    Location of the on-line Help for ClearCase vendor integrations
             http://www.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?uid=swg21146955

2008-04-02    About the MAGIC_PATH variable
             http://www.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?uid=swg21127381

2008-04-01    About disabling persistent VOB mounts on Windows
             http://www.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?uid=swg21231111

2008-03-29    Changing the font size of xclearcase
             http://www.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?uid=swg21135957
            Downloads and drivers

2008-03-29    Test Fix for defect APAR PK58474 and APAR PK56842 for 7.0.1.1
             http://www.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?uid=swg24017978


   ****************
Rational ClearCase LT
Technotes(FAQs)
2008-03-13    Additional examples of the cleartool find command
             http://www.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?uid=swg21124425

2008-03-08    How to properly run disk defragmentation utilities on disk volumes that are used for VOB and view storage
             http://www.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?uid=swg21126900

2008-03-21    Creating a snapshot view from the command line in ClearCase LT
             http://www.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?uid=swg21121208

2008-03-20    Support Policy for Microsoft Windows Vista
             http://www.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?uid=swg21257224

2008-03-23    About files under source control and the write bit
             http://www.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?uid=swg21199204
                          2008-04-05    Support Policy for Visual Studio .NET 2005 Integrations with ClearCase
             http://www.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?uid=swg21246968

2008-04-02    About the MAGIC_PATH variable
             http://www.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?uid=swg21127381

2008-04-01    Creating a snapshot view from the command line in ClearCase LT
             http://www.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?uid=swg21121208

   ****************
Rational ClearCase MultiSite
Technotes(FAQs)
2008-04-05    About ClearCase MultiSite mastership of global types
             http://www.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?uid=swg21266993

                        ****************
Rational ClearQuest
Product documentation
2008-04-03    Featured documents for Rational ClearQuest
             http://www.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?uid=swg27006847

Downloads and drivers

2008-03-08    IBM Rational Functional Tester, version 7.0.1.2
             http://www.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?uid=swg24018092

2008-03-08    IBM Rational Functional Tester, version 7.0.1.2
             http://www.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?uid=swg24018092

Redbooks

2008-03-04    Redbooks - IBM IT Governance Approach: Business Performance through IT Execution
             http://www.redbooks.ibm.com/abstracts/SG247517.html?Open

Technotes(FAQs)

2008-03-06    Retrieving SMTP host information using the ClearQuest API
             http://www.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?uid=swg21292113

2008-03-13    Cross-product shared environments (shell sharing) information about Rational Software
             http://www.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?uid=swg21279139

2008-03-09    How to enable Eclipse logging for ClearQuest
             http://www.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?uid=swg21296212

2008-03-22    Upgrading ClearCase and ClearQuest to version 7.0.1
             http://www.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?uid=swg21298162

2008-03-18    ClearQuest - TestManager: Build Field in ClearQuest is not updated with Builds from TestManager
             http://www.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?uid=swg21297007
            2008-03-25    Ability to copy and paste a query's filter in the ClearQuest Eclipse client
         http://www.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?uid=swg21295515

2008-03-25    How to get the comments of schema versions into a file
         http://www.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?uid=swg21298546

2008-03-22    Upgrading ClearCase and ClearQuest to version 7.0.1
         http://www.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?uid=swg21298162

2008-04-01    Build Forge ClearQuest Adaptor is coming back as build canceled
             http://www.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?uid=swg21288246


Partner News

AccurevlogoClick HERE to go to the AccuRev web site

If you missed our joint webinar with ReleaseTEAM titled, "Lessons Learned: Taking Control of your Development Process" on April 10th, you can still view it. AccuRev stores all of our pod casts, webinars and white papers on the website for easy access and repeat viewing.

Click here to be redirected to the AccuRev web page with links to all our previous information events.

 
Island TrainingClick HERE to go to the Island Training web site

 Island Training Solutions Offers New Courses for its Customers!

In order to better serve its customers, Island Training Solutions has recently released several new courses.  Courses now available include:

  • ClearCase Remote Client (Base, UCM or UCM/CQ):  1 Day 
  • ClearQuest Test Manager for Windows: 1 Day
  • Build Forge Fundamentals: ½ Day
  • Build Forge Intermediate: 1 Day
  • Build Forge Advanced: 1 Day
For more information, please contact Jan Pigeon at jan@islandtraining.com or 919-401-8485


Thank you for your time and interest in ReleaseTEAM. We look forward to hearing from you soon.

Best,
Beth Maxim
Sales Manager
720-887-0489