---
title: "Change Management Policy"
---

# Change Management Policy

## Overview

This document defines the change management process for HeliosDB-Lite, ensuring controlled, documented, and auditable changes to code, configuration, and infrastructure.

## Change Categories

### Standard Changes

Pre-approved, low-risk changes that follow documented procedures.

| Change Type | Example | Approval | Lead Time |
|-------------|---------|----------|-----------|
| Dependency update (patch) | 1.2.3 → 1.2.4 | Automated | Immediate |

### Normal Changes

Routine changes requiring standard review and approval.

| Change Type | Example | Approval | Lead Time |
|-------------|---------|----------|-----------|
| Feature implementation | New functionality | 2 reviewers | 2-5 days |
| Performance optimization | Code improvements | 2 reviewers | 2-3 days |

### Significant Changes

High-impact changes requiring extensive review.

| Change Type | Example | Approval | Lead Time |
|-------------|---------|----------|-----------|
| Breaking API change | Protocol changes | 3 reviewers + arch | 1-2 weeks |
| Security-related change | Crypto updates | Security team | 1 week |
| Dependency update (major) | 1.x → 2.0 | 2 reviewers + test | 3-5 days |
| Architecture change | Module restructure | Architecture review | 2-4 weeks |

### Emergency Changes

Urgent changes to address critical issues.

| Change Type | Example | Approval | Lead Time |
|-------------|---------|----------|-----------|
| Security patch | CVE remediation | Security lead | < 24 hours |
| Critical bug fix | Data corruption | 2 reviewers | < 24 hours |
| Incident response | Active attack | Incident commander | Immediate |

## Change Request Process

### 1. Request Initiation

```markdown
## Change Request

**Title**: [Brief description]
**Category**: [Standard/Normal/Significant/Emergency]
**Requestor**: [Name]
**Date**: [YYYY-MM-DD]

### Description
[Detailed description of the proposed change]

### Justification
[Why is this change needed?]

### Impact Assessment
- Affected components: [List]
- Risk level: [Low/Medium/High]
- Rollback plan: [Description]

### Testing Plan
[How will the change be tested?]

### Implementation Plan
[Step-by-step implementation]
```

### 2. Review & Approval

| Category | Reviewers Required | Approval Authority |
|----------|-------------------|-------------------|
| Standard | 1 peer | Automated/Self |
| Normal | 2 peers | Team lead |
| Significant | 3 peers + specialist | Architecture team |
| Emergency | 1 peer + lead | Security/Ops lead |

### 3. Implementation

```bash
# Feature branch workflow
git checkout -b feature/change-description
git commit -m "feat: description"
git push origin feature/change-description

# Create pull request
gh pr create --title "feat: description" --body "$(cat change_request.md)"
```

### 4. Verification

- Automated tests pass (CI)
- Manual review completed
- Security scan clean
- Documentation updated
- Changelog updated

### 5. Deployment

```bash
# Merge to main
gh pr merge --squash

# Create release (for tagged releases)
git tag -a vX.Y.Z -m "Release vX.Y.Z"
git push origin vX.Y.Z
```

## CI/CD Pipeline Controls

### Automated Checks

```yaml
# .github/workflows/ci.yml
name: CI

on: [push, pull_request]

jobs:
  build:
    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
    steps:
      - uses: actions/checkout@v4

      - name: Build
        run: cargo build --all-features

      - name: Test
        run: cargo test --all-features

      - name: static analysis
        run: static analysis checks -- -D warnings

      - name: Security Audit
        run: cargo audit

      - name: License Check
        run: cargo deny check licenses
```

### Branch Protection

```yaml
# Required for main branch
branch_protection:
  required_reviews: 2
  dismiss_stale_reviews: true
  require_code_owner_review: true
  required_status_checks:
    - build
    - test
    - static analysis
    - security-audit
  enforce_admins: true
  allow_force_pushes: false
  allow_deletions: false
```

### Security-Sensitive Paths

Changes to cryptography, authentication, the dependency manifest, compliance documents and
CI workflows require security team review (enforced with code-owner rules).

## Release Process

### Version Numbering

Semantic Versioning (SemVer):
- **MAJOR**: Breaking changes (X.0.0)
- **MINOR**: New features, backward compatible (0.X.0)
- **PATCH**: Bug fixes, backward compatible (0.0.X)

### Release Checklist

- [ ] All tests passing
- [ ] Security audit clean
- [ ] CHANGELOG.md updated
- [ ] Version bumped in Cargo.toml
- [ ] Documentation updated
- [ ] Release notes drafted
- [ ] Tag created and pushed
- [ ] Binaries built and published
- [ ] Announcement prepared

### Hotfix Process

```bash
# Create hotfix branch from latest release
git checkout -b hotfix/X.Y.Z vX.Y.Z

# Apply fix
git cherry-pick <fix-commit>

# Update version
# Bump the patch version: X.Y.Z → X.Y.(Z+1)

# Tag and release
git tag -a vX.Y.(Z+1) -m "Hotfix: description"
git push origin vX.Y.(Z+1)

# Merge back to main
git checkout main
git merge hotfix/X.Y.Z
```

## Rollback Procedures

### Code Rollback

```bash
# Revert specific commit
git revert <commit-hash>

# Rollback to previous version
git checkout <previous-release-tag>
cargo build --release
```

### Database Rollback

```sql
-- HeliosDB branch-based rollback
CHECKOUT BRANCH 'pre_change_branch';

-- Or time-travel query
SELECT * FROM users AS OF '2026-01-23T12:00:00Z';
```

### Configuration Rollback

```bash
# Restore previous configuration
cp /etc/heliosdb/heliosdb.toml.backup /etc/heliosdb/heliosdb.toml
systemctl restart heliosdb
```

## Audit Trail

### Change Log Format

```json
{
  "change_id": "CHG-2026-0001",
  "timestamp": "2026-01-24T12:00:00Z",
  "type": "normal",
  "description": "Add FIPS 140-3 support",
  "requestor": "developer@example.com",
  "approvers": ["reviewer1@example.com", "reviewer2@example.com"],
  "commit": "abc123",
  "pr_number": 456,
  "files_changed": 15,
  "lines_added": 500,
  "lines_removed": 100,
  "test_results": "passed",
  "security_review": "approved"
}
```

### Retention

| Record Type | Retention Period |
|-------------|------------------|
| Change requests | 3 years |
| Approval records | 3 years |
| Deployment logs | 1 year |
| Rollback events | 3 years |

## Compliance Mapping

### SOC 2 (CC8)

- CC8.1: Changes authorized before implementation
- CC8.2: Changes tested before deployment
- CC8.3: Changes follow documented process

### ITIL Change Management

- Request for Change (RFC)
- Change Advisory Board (CAB) → Architecture review
- Post-Implementation Review (PIR) → PR merge review