Understanding Source Repositories
Source Versioning vs. Managing Change with an IBM i-centric Solution
As you explore available options for source versioning, it is important to understand the differences between the capabilities of an IBM i-centric change management solution like MDChange and tools like Git and SVN.
Source version control tools keep track of code modifications in a repository. These track changes to the source code, but they are not build or deployment tools.
Understanding Source Repositories for the IBM i Platform
Source control is only a portion of the functionality required for successful implementation of an IBM i application. Many IBM i-based executables such as ILE bound programs and service programs may have no associated source and complex build processes. A full test environment for IBM i applications requires a database that is in sync with the program objects and must be able to accurately represent how a production environment will perform. An auditable process must also include quality gates, trackable and repeatable build processes, and test environment transparency.
MDChange Gives You Options
MDChange provides the build of the executables and relationship/ dependency alerts that are essential to an IBM developer. While it handles the IBM i-centric functions needed for successful builds and deployments, MDChange can coordinate with other tools such as Git.
This means that development teams in your organization can use source version control tools or take advantage of the robust internal source versioning in MDChange. For teams that wish to store their source code in Git, MDChange generates an object request when they do a commit to bring that source under robust change management.
No matter where your source resides − in traditional source members, in the IFS, or Git − with MDChange, developers can analyze dependencies and relationships, build, and quickly deploy to test branches, across partitions, and to production.
You can manage your classic IBM i development, Java, PHP, and more in the same promotion request to the IFS or to other servers. Through REST APIs, MDChange communicates with source code repositories such as Git to provide all your development teams with comprehensive deployment and rollback.
In addition, MDChange provides two-way integration with Jira, concurrent development, field-level cross-referencing, and outstanding support for SQL and stored procedures. It also integrates with ServiceNow, Jenkins, Microsoft Azure, and many other tools others for CI/CD pipeline enablement and provides unified reporting for compliance and audit.
Developers can continue to use the tools that bring the most value to them, while leveraging the strengths of a single solution, MDChange.
My Organization Requires Me to Store My IBM i Source in Git. Suggestions?
If your corporate IT organization requires you to store your source in a Git repository, we can assist. Your IBM i team can continue to manage their development on the IBM i using their source files. When you go to production, MDChange will commit all the source that has changed into a Git repository at the end of the process to meet your enterprise requirement. IBM i developers can continue to work using their familiar tools, yet all source truly resides in a Git master repository.
MD-NA provides experts in this field to assist you in making the right decisions on how to configure your change environment so that you not only make the auditors happy, but more importantly provide tools that increase development productivity and allow your DevOps strategies grow without adversely affecting current project timelines.
Questions?