Configuring Approval Processes and Notification in IBM DevOps Deploy

In IBM DevOps Deploy, approval notifications play a crucial role in controlling deployments that require manual review before execution. They ensure that only authorized users approve or reject deployment actions. 

This blog will guide you through setting up approval processes and configuring notifications to streamline your deployment pipeline.

Overview of Approval Notifications

Approval notifications are triggered in two key scenarios:

1. Deployment Pending Approval: When a deployment requires manual approval before proceeding.

2. Approval Granted or Rejected: When an approval request has been granted or rejected.

These notifications ensure that stakeholders are kept in the loop and that only designated users can authorize or reject deployment actions.

Prerequisites for Configuring Notifications

Before you start configuring notifications in DevOps Deploy, ensure that you have the following prerequisites in place:

1. Roles and Permissions: Ensure that users receiving notifications have the appropriate roles. You can find details on this in the Managing Security section of the documentation.

2. Valid Email Addresses: All recipients of notifications must have valid email addresses on the Deploy server. 

Please note that email addresses are automatically imported from external servers such as LDAP only when the appropriate fields are configured correctly. You can manage this through Settings --> Authentication.

3. Email Client Configuration: Ensure the server settings are configured to use an email client capable of sending out notifications. You can refer to System Settings from IBM DevOps Deploy for more information about the Mail Server settings.

Configuring Notifications

Step 1: Configure Event Notifications

Event notifications are used to alert users when certain deployment events occur.

To configure event notifications in DevOps Deploy, follow these steps:

Navigate to the Notification Scheme: Go to Settings -->System --> Notification Schemes.

Create/Edit Notification Scheme: You can create a new notification scheme or modify the existing default scheme. This scheme will define when and how notifications are triggered. 

For this example, I have created a new notification scheme named Test.

Within the Notification scheme, you can add or modify notification entries by selecting the event type, target role, role name, and email template.

• Select the event type (e.g., Process Success, Process Failure, etc.).

• Choose the target level (component, environment, application).

• Select the role name that will receive the notification.

• Choose the corresponding email template for the event.

For instance, I have created a notification entry to alert users in an Automation Engineering role for the Application's Teams with Standard Application type when an approval task is completed.

Once you have configured the notification settings, save the scheme and apply it to the relevant applications. 

For detailed guidance you can refer to Designing Notification Schemes in IBM DevOps Deploy: A Step-by-Step Guide blog.

Note: 

• The appropriate templates for approvals are Approval Completed and Approval Failed as this would trigger an approval notification email when the process is triggered. Approval notifications will notify users when approval is granted or rejected.

•  Notification emails are provided for informational purposes only, and do not affect the execution of the deployment. They do not require user intervention. You can refer to the Creating Notifications in a Notification Scheme section from the documentation.

Step 2: Create an Approval Process for a Deployment

1. Create or Edit the Environment: Edit the environment where you want to enable approvals for your deployment and ensure the Require Approvals checkbox is enabled.

For Example, I have an application named Test having an environment named DEV. 

To enable approval process for this application environment:

Edit the environment and enable the Require Manual Approval checkbox and click on Save.

Once the Require Manual Approval checkbox is enabled and saved, you will see an Approval Process tab in the environment settings. 

Navigate to the Approval Process tab and drag and drop the relevant approval steps from the list of available targets. 

These approval steps correspond to scopes defined at the application, environment or component level.

For this blog, I have selected Application Approval Task and provided the following details:

After configuring the manual approval task, click on Save.

Note: 

• The only appropriate template for Manual approval Task is Approval Created as this would trigger an approval notification email when the process is triggered.

• Approval notifications will notify users when approval is pending.  You can refer to Working with Notifications section of the documentation for your reference. 

For this blog, the approval step is configured to be Application Approval. As a result, the depl

oyment will not proceed until the approval is granted. 

Sample Output

Upon initiating a deployment that requires approval, a notification will be triggered, indicating that approval is pending.

After the approver clicks Approve, a follow-up notification will be sent, confirming that the approval process was successful and including information about the deployment. 

Conclusion

By setting up approval processes and notifications in IBM DevOps Deploy, you gain better control over your deployment pipeline. Manual approval steps help ensure that deployments are reviewed and authorized by the right people, while notifications keep everyone informed at every step of the process. This system promotes better governance, security, and communication within your DevOps workflow.