What is an Application Lifecycle Automation Server and how does it differ from a Build Management Server?

The basic difference between a Build Management Server (BMS) and an Application Lifecycle Automation Server (ALA) is that the former is focused strictly on the build process while the ALA coordinates the build process, build promotions, and deployments, and thus weaves together all stages of the Application Lifecycle from development to release and into maintenance.

The concept of a Build Life, introduced in AnthillPro, is central to the implementation of the AnthillPro ALA. Each Build Life originates with a build that transforms a snapshot of the project sources into artifacts that are used throughout the Build Life. Additional stages of the Build Life can apply new processes to the Build Life artifacts. For example, a suite of automated unit tests can be run on the Build Life. Perhaps one stage of the Build Life runs an abbreviated set of unit tests so that all the tests complete within a short period of time. Perhaps another stage of the Build Life then runs an exhaustive set of unit tests that may take 6 hours of more to complete. And perhaps another Build Life stage runs a set of performance tests using 10 or more machines -- all automated. The results of each Build Life stage are directly linked to the Build Life, they are part of the Build Life. The later stages of the Build Life, the short or prolonged unit tests and/or the performance tests, all use the artifacts that were produced during the Build stage of the Build Life. It is precisely because they use the artifacts that are part of the Build Life that makes these later segments part of the same Build Life.

In addition to having additional segments that run automated tests on the Build Life artifacts, the Build Life can also have additional segments that Promote the Build Life and/or deploy the Build Life. For example, after running all the automated test segments of the Build Life, the build master may decide to promote the Build Life to the QA environment. A Promotion may apply a label (or create a baseline) in the SCM corresponding to the sources used in the Build Life. The Promotion may also create a new Stamp. A Deployment may actually install the binary artifacts on target machines.

Please take a look at the Promotion and Deployment usage scenario to get a concrete example of how the AMLS can be used.