IBM Rational Specialists

Companies solving complex problems with software have turned to IBM Rational for help for over a decade. As a complete suite of tools that address the entire development lifecycle, it is unparalleled. With the addition of Rational Portfolio Manager (RPM), IBM Rational further extended its range to include an IT governance solution.

Noblestar's history with Rational is nearly as old as the company itself and extends back ten years. We worked with many of the point products (Requisite Pro, Pure Atria, SQA, etc.) even before they were acquired and became part of the suite. We did this because as we developed software, this was the toolset that our hands-on practitioners identified as the best of breed. Noblestar is not just a partner, we also own over $1.5 million USD of product, assuring that all of our consultants have these tools at their disposal.

Over the years, as Noblestar consultants used the tools on large, complex projects, we developed best practices for configuration, integration, and use. Noblestar has over one hundred (100) custom artifacts that extend the tools and make them easier to use. We've leveraged this experience to help our clients that are adopting this environment.

Noblestar was the first though the Rational Gold Certification Program which required extensive certifications and reference accounts. This translated into the Premier Partner level after the acquisition. Today, we maintain an extensive pool of certified Rational staff and continue to build capability in this area.

So how can we help you?

Tool Focused Assessments - If you are new to development tools and believe the Rational Suite can help you, we can help you determine which tools to use, where they can make impact and what your organization needs to be successful with their implementation. Maybe you purchased them some time ago and feel that they are not utilized effectively. We can help you understand how to take IBM Rational tools down from the shelf and make them come alive.

Tool Implementation and Configuration - Having used the tools for years, we not only know how to install and configure the individual products, but also make them function optimally together. We'll help extend and customize them to make them fit your environment. Maybe you have had the tools for a while and need to upgrade them. Like any complex tool, upgrades can be risky. Noblestar can help you manage your environment and guide you through a risk free migration.

Tool Administration - Some of the tools require administrative support, especially when they are first introduced or when they are used in large, complex environments. Noblestar can provide seasoned support at these times to ensure that the environment runs efficiently. In addition, we can tune the various tools to make them handle different loads or configurations. Our expertise includes setup and administration for some of the more complex tools such as ClearCase Multisite.

Mentoring and Training - Our experience has shown that most tool implementations fail not because of tool features, but because of inadequate skills and support. Noblestar offers a full regiment of professional development mechanisms that give your staff the capabilities they need to achieve productivity with these tools. Our approach combines formal training programs, self paced learning, mentoring, and the development of communities of practice to achieve optimal skills retention. Noblestar's training consultants are experts at assessing learning styles and crafting individual programs that make the most out of training dollars.

Tool Extension, Integration and Add-ons - During a decade of using the tools, our team has developed a number of extensions, plug-ins, and custom integrations with the tools. As we've worked with clients implementing the toolset, we've used these as a starting point to customize the IBM Rational tools to their specific needs. Some examples include:

Integrations with
- Other testing tools such as Mercury Test Director
- Other defect tracking tools
- Build tools
- Configuration management tools
Extensions
- Traceability extension
- Schema extensions
Add-ons
- Data requirement capture
- Analysis model generation
- Model driven architecture
- Test case generator
- Project plan generator

IBM Rational Specialists

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