AccuRev announced the availability of AccuRev 4.6 for ClearCase, the latest add-on to its software configuration management (SCM) solution. AccuRev 4.6 for ClearCase provides coexistence for optimal support of parallel, geographically distributed and Agile development with AccuRev in existing ClearCase environments. This enables a coexistence strategy, where teams are able to use the most appropriate SCM solution for each group, project or user.

AccuRev 4.6 for ClearCase is AccuRev’s commercially available SCM coexistence solution that allows for collaborative development between those groups using ClearCase and AccuRev via bi-directional synchronization. This enables true parallel or componentized development methodologies to be properly implemented and maintained across both systems without rework or porting.

“I spent two years writing wrappers to make ClearCase to do a small portion of what AccuRev does out-of-the-box,” says Chris Walquist, of Walquist Consulting. “Anyone who has jockeyed ClearCase branches and config specs to create hierarchical code delivery models will immediately appreciate the power of the stream hierarchy. Not only does AccuRev support renaming and powerful merging, but the StreamBrowser’s visual presentation of the relationships makes it clear where the changes are, where they’ve come from, and how they got there, meaning no more questions about config specs. The StreamBrowser is not only a powerful viewer, but also a full-featured drag-and-drop manager.”

With demands for increased number and frequency of product releases, software development organizations today have little time to devote to complete SCM tool conversions, and require a way to allow “right-sized” SCM options for different teams, projects and individual users depending on the use case. Some users may still require the entire infrastructure that was built around their ClearCase implementation, while some may prefer the flexibility and power of AccuRev for more Agile or complex parallel development practices.

Jeffrey Hammond, Senior Analyst, Application Development at Forrester Research writes in an October 2007 research report, Standardized Software Change And Configuration Management: Achievable Goal Or Wishful Thinking, “The middle ground between standalone SCM and a standardized SCCM solution focuses on integration of heterogeneous SCM tools with a single change management tool. Shops that implement this “heterogeneous SCM” strategy secure many of the benefits of a standardized SCCM solution without incurring the pain associated with SCM tool migration.”

Enabling choice and coexistence also mitigates the risk associated with “developer revolt,” where teams move to an inappropriate SCM tool that ends up costing an organization in lost productivity, quality or even missed customer commitments. With AccuRev 4.6 for ClearCase, organizations can instead choose to use a mature, professional SCM tool that features an existing integration with IBM Rational ClearQuest and all the ease of use and functionality required to manage the most complex development scenarios as teams grow or turn over.

Organizations considering offshore or geographically distributed development scenarios using ClearCase now also have the option of using AccuRev as an alternative to ClearCase MultiSite replication, significantly lowering licensing and administration costs. The additional visibility provided by the AccuRev StreamBrowser also increases collaboration between disparate teams and ensures compliance of the development process.

Damon Poole, CTO, AccuRev Inc. says, “There’s a growing acceptance in the market that organizations will have a heterogeneous software development environment with multiple SCM solutions in order to provide different user communities the most appropriate tool for their requirements. ClearCase’s sizeable market presence and our own in-house ClearCase expertise, including our integration with ClearQuest and other Rational tools, made ClearCase our logical first SCM coexistence offering.”

For more information on AccuRev please contact Alex Forbes aforbes@accurev.com at AccuRev.