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What is an Application Lifecycle Automation Server and how does it differ from a BuildManagement 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 BuildLife, introduced in AnthillPro3, is central to the implementation of the AnthillPro3 ALA. Each BuildLife originates with a build that transforms a snapshot of the project sources into artifacts that are used throughout the BuildLife. Additional stages of the BuildLife can apply new processes to the BuildLife artifacts. For example, a suite of automated unit tests can be run on the BuildLife. Perhaps one stage of the BuildLife runs an abbreviated set of unit tests so that all the tests complete within a short period of time. Perhaps another stage of the BuildLife then runs an exhaustive set of unit tests that may take 6 hours of more to complete. And perhaps another BuildLife stage runs a set of performance tests using 10 or more machines -- all automated. The results of each BuildLife stage are directly linked to the BuildLife, they are part of the BuildLife. The later stages of the BuildLife, the short or prolonged unit tests and/or the performance tests, all use the artifacts that were produced during the Build stage of the BuildLife. It is precisely because they use the artifacts that are part of the BuildLife that makes these later segments part of the same BuildLife.

In addition to having additional segments that run automated tests on the BuildLife artifacts, the BuildLife can also have additional segments that Promote the BuildLife and/or deploy the BuildLife. For example, after running all the automated test segments of the BuildLife, the build master may decide to promote the BuildLife to the QA environment. A Promotion may apply a label (or create a BaseLine) in the SCM corresponding to the sources used in the BuildLife. 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.