Application Packaging Discovery

In end user computing (EUC) world managing applications is a tedious process. Managing corporate applications becomes more challenging when there are no process and procedures in place.

In my previous roles, I have worked in environments where there were no documents available and I had requested to package an application and deploy using SCCM. Well, packaging and deployments are not the issue, but the issue is how we will be managing the deployment? What are the end user expectations from IT? And what the deployment team will be expecting from the end user? etc. These types of questions need to be answered, before an application packager starts packaging an application and integration starts. This is where discovery document comes into action. The discovery document has to come from the SME or business owner with all the relevant information of the requested application.

A typical discovery document contains different sections to action by various people as below;
        SME: will provide the information about the application, Configuration, target users etc
        Packager: Will provide the technical information of the packaging component, SCCM
        collections and AD groups
       Deployment: Will perform the test/pilot deployments by following the information which was
       filled by the packager
       Testing/ UAT: Desktop teams / Business will perform the testing and get the UAT signoff
       Production Deployment: The application will be deployed to the production users / devices  
       based on the SME information.

I have put together a sample discovery document for application packaging and integration with SCCM. The same will work for many other deployment tools as well.

Application Discovery Document

[App Title]

Part 1: Application Discovery (To be completed by SME / Discoverer)
Section – 1 Requester details (These details will be used to communicate with the requester directly)
Requester Name
Requester Contact Information (Phone/Email)
Business Segment
Business Unit

Section – 2:  Product and Vendor Details (These details will be used to communicate with vendor in case of any issues with the                                                                                                       application)
Product name
Product Version
List the pre-requisites required
Vendor Details
Product Functionality(What it does)
List any currently Known Product Issues or limitations

Section – 3:  Integration (These details will be used in package development)
Is this application connects to any devices (List the devices eg: Printers, Scanners, PDA’s etc)
Does this product need to interface with any existing / new business applications?
Any other connectivity / setup information known (like ODBC, Mainframe, database etc) – please list
Additional Information

Section – 4:  Deployment (These details will be used in developing a deployment scenarios)
Is this a 1.       New product installing first time or 2.       Replace / upgrade an existing application – Please provide existing application details
Size of the deployment group or number of users
Is it a forced install or optional install?
If end user Communication required, please attach the user communication
Additional Information to customize the deployment as needed

Section – 5 Product Support (SME or support personnel information)
Primary Support team
Contact details
Secondary Support team
Contact Information
Additional Information

Section – 6: Provisioning details (Who will be providing the application source files or original vendor media)
Contact person for provisioning
Contact details for provisioning person
Date provided
License controlled?
License key

Section – 7: Installation and Configuration - Include any specific installation and configuration details (These instructions will be used to customize the package)
Step: 1
Step: 2
Step: 3
Step: 4

Section – 8: Functional test plan (For the product to be packaged) (Provide a brief test plan how this product is used in the production. The packager will test the application based on this test plan)
Step: 1
Step: 2
Step: 3
Step: 4

Part 2: Application Packaging  (To be completed by Application Packager)
Section – 1 Discovery validation (Review and validate the provided discovery information by SME / Discoverer / Requestor)
All the questions answered?	Yes / No
Source files provided?
Licensing information provided?
Any Additional Information

Section – 2 Software pre-package validation – Manually (Validate the provided application works as explained in                                                                                                                                            discovery section)
Software installed
Software successfully launched
Validated provided functional test plan
Additional notes:

Section – 3 Package development (Automation of discovery information) Section – 3.1 Package information
Package name
Package version
Methodology used
Any deviations from the discovery? Why?
Any deviations from the standards? Why?

Section – 3.2 Package integration to SCCM (2007 / 2012) Section - 3.2.1 – Install
Install package name
Install collection name
Install AD Security group name
Additional Information:

Section - 3.2.2 – Uninstall
Un-Install package name
Un-Install collection name
Un-install AD Security group name
Additional Information

Section – 3.3 Deployment test (Performed on a VM, same architecture platform as the production machine)
Deploy to a VM as a new install
Deploy to a VM as re-install
Deploy to a VM as an upgrade
Cleanly uninstalls in a VM
Able to install after clean uninstall
Additional deployment notes

Part: 3  UAT (To be completed by SME / Discoverer / End user)
Application installed without any errors
Application installed without any prompts
Application launched without any errors
Application passed the functional test
UAT accepted – signed off
Additional comments:

  

Part: 4 Product Release (To be completed by SME / Discoverer / End user/ PM / Deployment Engineer) (List any considerations or issues identified in UAT, that my impact end users because of this release)
Consideration 1
Consideration 2
Consideration 3

Part: 5 First day support information  (To be completed by Packager/Deployment team/Tester )
Known issue & Workaround 1
Known issue & Workaround 2
Known issue & Workaround 3