Release Planning with Jira

Powering - more than 80% of Fortune 500 companies list Atlassian Jira (Jira) has become a golden standard for software teams globally to plan, develop, test and release software products.

	Release Management is the next big thing for Atlassian Jira
	The two remaining phases - testing and releasing - have become the target for loads of individual vendors worldwide to deliver possible solutions via Atlassian Marketplace. Release Management, however, in most of cases, was done outside of Jira with standalone CI/CD tools. This obviously created some gaps and presented a need for middleware to connect the dots for seamless processes. In this article we would like to present Release Management for Jira as a challenger to find it’s niche and close the gap within the release phase of software products with Jira.
	Release Packages & Timelines
	As mentioned above, at the core of the solution are Kanban-style release boards with versions from multiple projects. Teams can define custom workflows for versions represented as columns on the board, share boards with colleagues and/or restrict access to them for certain groups. Versions are moved through workflow using drag and drop functionality. Any changes on the board are automatically replicated in Jira Releases and vice versa. So, the solution we have developed is not a replacement for Jira Releases, it’s designed for cross-project Releases.
	Release Notes & Environments
	All teams like producing and introducing new features for their products, A/B test them insegments, and rollout. But all of them absolutely hate writing release notes for it. We have tried to make their lives easier and save them a bit of time through the use of automatic release notes. Teams can create predefined templates using a rich library of release variables and custom JQL functions to extract the scope of each version and other details
Security Penetration Testing: Safeguarding Your Digital Assets
In today's rapidly evolving digital landscape, security penetration testing has become crucial for protecting organizational assets and sensitive data. This proactive security measure simulates real-world cyberattacks to identify vulnerabilities before malicious actors can exploit them. Why Penetration Testing is Essential: Critical Risk Detection Penetration testing reveals security weaknesses that automated scans might miss. By thinking like attackers, skilled testers uncover complex vulnerabilities in systems, applications, and networks that could lead to data breaches or system compromises. Regulatory Compliance Many industries require regular penetration testing to maintain compliance with standards like GDPR, PCI DSS, and ISO 27001. Regular testing helps organizations demonstrate their commitment to security and meet regulatory requirements. Business Protection The cost of a security breach far exceeds the investment in penetration testing. Beyond financial losses, breaches can damage reputation, erode customer trust, and lead to legal consequences. Penetration testing helps prevent these scenarios by identifying and addressing vulnerabilities early. Real-World Validation While automated security tools provide basic coverage, penetration testing offers real-world validation of security controls. Testers use the same techniques as actual attackers, providing authentic insights into your security posture. Continuous Improvement Regular penetration testing creates a cycle of continuous security improvement. Each test provides actionable insights that strengthen your security infrastructure, making your organization more resilient against evolving cyber threats. Impact on Business Strategy Test results help inform security investments and prioritize remediation efforts. This strategic insight enables organizations to allocate resources effectively and develop robust security roadmaps aligned with business objectives."


Release quality software faster than ever, with testing that’s truly native to agile development. Give development and QA teams up-to-the-moment insight into test coverage and status, all from inside user stories and agile boards. Xray offers the only quality management solution that’s truly Jira-native, seamlessly converting testing entities into Jira issues. That means faster onboarding, full requirement coverage, and stronger collaboration across teams.
Implement a Quality-Centric Culture
Xray promotes Native Quality Management, where all the tools, tests, and processes used by QA are built natively into your development environment like Jira. That way, every test is accounted for, every task lives in the same workflow, and every team member speaks the same language.
Performing bottom-up planning with BigPicture in Jira
Planning is one of the most important aspects of a successful management process. But it’s becoming increasingly difficult as the complexity of the undertaking grows. Consequently, project leaders often face multiple issues they need to solve simultaneously. This is where the choice of the right planning comes into play. The two popular ones include the top-down and the bottom-up planning methods.
Ressource Planning
Knowing how much work you can assign to your resources is crucial for project success. However, managing several project teams and sharing resources with other projects could become challenging. As a result, you might assign too much (or too little) work to a team or an individual. Therefore, you need to be able to track your resources’ workload to balance their capacity. And whenever necessary, make changes to ensure you fully utilize but do not overburden your people. Today, you will learn how to make Jira capacity planning more informed and efficient.
AGILE TESTING
Release quality software faster than ever, with testing that’s truly native to agile development. Give development and QA teams up-to-the-moment insight into test coverage and status, all from inside user stories and agile boards. Xray offers the only quality management solution that’s truly Jira-native, seamlessly converting testing entities into Jira issues. That means faster onboarding, full requirement coverage, and stronger collaboration across teams.