Development departments in large companies often take on a life of their own with regard to the software they use for their application lifecycle management (ALM). This harbors dangers: Especially in these departments, where sensitive data is often involved, transparency and traceability should actually be the top priority. Those responsible must be able to check at any time which users are working on which projects with which tools. A globally active manufacturer of automotive accessories was also faced with this challenge. The long-standing Atlassian partner catworkx developed a tool for this company, with which projects are set up (provisioned) largely automatically, along with the assignment of their participating users: the Integrated Project and User Portal (IPUP).
Integrated Project and User Portal (IPUP)
Project overview
- Automotive OEM
- Central, group-wide user and project management for the development departments
- Transparency of the ALM tools used in the respective projects with the respective users
- Reduction of turnaround times for users during on/off boarding for projects and teams
- Automation of projects handled with Atlassian tools
- Jira Core (Atlassian)
- Jira Service Desk (Atlassian)
- Insight Asset Management (Atlassian)
- Integrated Project and User Portal (IPUP) (catworkx)
- Central control of user rights for the ALM tools used in the respective projects ensures clarity
- High operability in hybrid IT environments
- Faster turnaround times in the provisioning process
- Basis for a universal change management tool with which ALM environments can be transparently maintained
- Extensibility to other business areas
While standard software, such as common MS Office programs or SAP, is often managed centrally in large companies and corporations, the sovereignty over software used in the development departments often lies with the respective departments themselves. For example, the installation and maintenance of Atlassian tools such as Jira, Confluence or Bitbucket is carried out by the developers themselves. In the case of corporate groups that have several hundred development departments in their various business units, this inevitably leads to a high degree of intransparency. It is only laborious and time-consuming to trace which department uses which software for application lifecycle management (ALM) and which users work for which project with which authorizations.
Intransparency as a risk factor
A lack of transparency in development departments is also risky. This is because sensitive and critical data is often worked with here - data that is subject to company secrecy, for example. Transparency and traceability of authorizations for projects, software and users are essential here A globally active manufacturer of automotive accessories faced precisely this challenge.
For the central maintenance of the ALM tools, the company commissioned the long-standing Atlassian partner catworkx with the extension of a Jira Service Desk installation, with which the user rights and assignments as well as the respective tools and projects can be managed in one place. The requirement was to create transparency of user rights and tools, as well as to initialize new projects and reduce throughput times when on-boarding/off-boarding users.
To solve these complex and extensive requirements, catworkx developed the Integrated Project and User Portal (IPUP). This portal consists of a Jira Service Desk with an integrated Configuration Management Database (CMDB), for which the app "Insight Asset Management for Jira" (formerly Riada, now Atlassian) is used. The objects that are affected by the change requests are mapped and stored in it. Objects here are understood to be the projects to be managed in their respective business units, the users deployed in the respective projects, and the respective users with the roles assigned to them. The complex relationships of the individual objects - business unit, projects, users, and tools - and their possible changes are mapped here Requests that can be made via the Jira Service Desk are, for example, adding or removing a user or creating a project.
The special highlight: For the Atlassian applications used in the company, IPUP makes it possible to automatically start a workflow. For example, when a new user is created, he is automatically assigned to the projects and permissions corresponding to his role. There is no need for manual assignment - which saves time and reduces errors. Provisioning of new projects is also possible by requesting them via the enhanced Jira Service Desk. ALM tools that have already been assembled can thus be provided quickly and easily - tailored to the requirements of the respective department.
Transparent and time-saving management of ALM environments
Another difficulty was the hybrid IT environment. The company uses over 20 different software tools from different manufacturers. To enable the provisioning of objects in third-party systems, catworkx developed a standard interface. Third-party developers can dock on here with the adapters they have developed. Where these adapters are not currently available, provisioning requests must be made manually by administrators.
Launched as a pilot project for one of the company's business units, the development of the Integrated Project and User Portal (IPUP) lays the foundation for a comprehensive change management tool that uses Jira Service Management in combination with the "Insight Asset Management for Jira" app to enable transparent and time-saving management of ALM environments. IPUP provides the responsible administrators with a complete overview of all tools used in the respective projects with the associated users. Up-to-date reporting is available at any time, showing all tools, projects and users in real time.
The automation of workflows also saves time by managing the roles in the individual projects. For a project, it is defined which roles are necessary and which roles are assigned to which users. Another plus point: IPUP's built-in interfaces ensure high operability in hybrid IT environments.
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