Phase 3 - Deploy
During the deployment phase, you install hardware and software and test performance against the criteria set in the planning and development phases.
The following personnel need to be involved in the deployment phase:
- Developers
- Testers
- Management information systems staff
During deployment, you do the following:
- Install hardware and software: Install hardware and software needed to run the Web site, as well as hardware needed to administer the site, such as computers for monitoring performance, Simple Network Management Protocol, and network sniffers.
- Test performance: Test performance against the criteria set in the planning and development phases, to see how well the system performs. (Changes from prediction can be expected due to unexpected additional overhead.) Simulation tools are provided to test client load. For example, the InetMonitor tool should be used with scripts that simulate a realistic user interaction. It is critical to perform network testing of the system in a deployment simulation prior to going live with the site. For more information about testing your system, refer to The Art of Testing Network Systems, by Robert Buchanan, Jr. and Robert W. Buchanan (ISBN 0471132233) or Testing Computer Software by Cem Kaner (ISBN 0471358460).
- Tune hardware and software to optimum: As you test performance, tune hardware and software to the optimum.
- Conduct a live test: Perform a live test after all tests have been completed in the lab. Allow plenty of time to thoroughly test the system and make any necessary changes in configuration.
- Plan administrative tasks: Create a backup plan to prevent loss of data. Create a plan for analyzing system performance and site usage, to find out who is visiting your site, what pages they are viewing, and to analyze how they are getting to the pages. You also need plans for security, log handling, and other administrative tasks.
- Create a contingency plan: Put a contingency plan in place to handle unexpected increases in demand or hardware or software failures.
For more information, see: