Genasys Technologies has introduced a fully automated, zero-downtime deployment process for Build, its cloud-hosted product configuration tool.
“Update management for policy administration systems is a major business expense as well as a major headache,” says Genasys UK chief operating officer, André Symes. “You typically have to close the system to customers for a period of time. While this can take place outside normal business hours, in today’s digital world our customers no longer recognise the 9 to 5 working window. They want to be able to buy insurance, update their policy or make a claim 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.”
This new process negates the need for maintenance windows as tech teams can deploy and test software updates in real time and seamlessly switch customers to the new improved system as soon as it has been verified as working.
In the six weeks since launch, the Genasys DevOps team has deployed 47 separate feature updates while the system remained available to customers the entire time. Zero downtime.
Symes says: “Our new process means that anyone using Build can release small improvements as often as they want as there is no interruption to day to day business. As well as saving money, it means the business can deliver immediate added value to its customers rather than having to wait to undertake a significant update involving multiple features, delivering true competitive advantage. Zero downtime means zero inconvenience to the customer which is really what it’s all about.”
Genasys aims to use this process as a learning environment to build expertise and bring similar processes to its range of software products in the UK.
