Free Checklist Templates for Change Management

Change Management

OR

Change Management Checklist

Request Intake and Scoping

Open the change ticket in Jira

Classify the change risk tier

Identify blast radius and dependent services

Notify dependent service owners in Slack

Change Plan and Rollback

Document the deploy steps in the runbook

Write the rollback procedure

Define success metrics and SLO impact

Assign the release captain and on-call backup

CAB Review and Approval

Submit the CR to the Change Advisory Board

Walk through the change in CAB

Capture the CAB decision

Resolve CAB-imposed conditions

Deploy Window Execution

Confirm no active SEV1 or SEV2 incidents

Lock main branch for the deploy window

Run the database migration first

Deploy backend canary at 5%

Roll out backend to 25, 50, then 100 percent

Deploy frontend after backend is stable

Confirm deploy outcome

Rollback Path

Page the incident commander

Execute the documented rollback

Verify production is healthy after rollback

Post-Deploy Verification

Run the production smoke test suite

Watch error rate and p99 for 30 minutes

Check Sentry for new exception signatures

Flip planned feature flags

Closure and SOC 2 Evidence

Tag the release in git

Publish the changelog and release notes

Attach evidence to the Vanta change-management control

Schedule a retro if the deploy went sideways

Close the change request ticket

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Change Management Checklist

Change Request Initiation

Open the RFC in the ITSM tool

Classify the change type

Capture scope, systems, and business justification

Assign the change owner and implementer

Risk Assessment and Planning

Score impact and likelihood on the risk matrix

Document the implementation runbook

Write the rollback and backout plan

Verify the maintenance window respects freezes

Run a test-ring deployment for patches

Approval and CAB Review

Submit the RFC to the CAB queue

Present the change at CAB

Address CAB conditions before scheduling

Notify affected users and downstream teams

Implementation Window

Take the pre-change snapshot or backup

Open a war-room bridge for high-risk changes

Execute the runbook step by step

Run validation checks against acceptance criteria

Execute the rollback plan

Post-Implementation Review

Monitor the affected services for 24 hours

Collect feedback from the service desk

Run the post-implementation review meeting

Update the CMDB and documentation

Close the RFC with evidence attached

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Cloud Deployment Checklist

Pre-Deployment Planning

Define scope, region, and workload owner

Confirm CAB approval and change window

Build the deployment runbook and rollback plan

Inventory dependencies and IaC modules

Confirm budget and committed-use reservations

Security and Compliance

Classify the workload's data sensitivity

Run a threat model against the architecture

Configure IAM roles with least-privilege boundaries

Enable encryption at rest and TLS in transit

Wire activity logs into the SIEM

Schedule penetration test before go-live

Infrastructure Setup

Provision the landing zone via Terraform

Configure VPC, subnets, and route tables

Deploy load balancers and auto-scaling groups

Apply security groups and WAF rules

Validate DNS records and TLS certificates

Application Deployment

Tag the release artifact and freeze dependencies

Run the CI/CD pipeline to staging

Execute smoke and load tests in staging

File a remediation ticket for failed staging tests

Promote the release to production

Execute the rollback playbook

Post-Deployment Management

Confirm monitoring alerts and dashboards

Validate auto-scaling and failover behavior

Run a backup and restore drill

Right-size resources from one-week telemetry

Hold the post-deployment review

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Database Installation Checklist

Pre-Installation Preparation

Confirm DBMS version against vendor support matrix

Validate sizing against vendor capacity guide

Provision separate volumes for data, logs, and tempdb

Open firewall ports for the listener and replication

Submit the RFC to the change advisory board

Snapshot any existing instance before cutover

Software Installation

Download the installer from the vendor portal

Verify the SHA-256 checksum against the vendor advisory

Run the installer under a dedicated service account

Select edition and features per license entitlement

Apply the latest cumulative update or patch bundle

Post-Installation Configuration

Configure memory, parallelism, and tempdb settings

Create role-based logins from AD security groups

Schedule full, differential, and log backups

Set retention and immutable copy in the backup target

Document the build sheet in IT Glue or Hudu

Security Hardening

Rename or disable the default sa account

Restrict listener access to required subnets

Enable TDE or column-level encryption at rest

Log the encryption exception with the security officer

Forward audit logs to the SIEM

Run a Nessus or Qualys scan on the host

Remediate the critical findings before go-live

Operational Verification

Run smoke-test queries against the new instance

Connect from a client application as a test user

Restore the most recent backup to a sandbox

Escalate the restore failure to vendor support

Confirm SIEM is receiving the audit feed

Sign off the database go-live with operations

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Hardware Upgrade Checklist

Pre-Upgrade Planning

Benchmark current performance against capacity thresholds

Submit the RFC to the change advisory board

Verify components against the vendor HCL

Capture a verified restore point

Notify stakeholders of the maintenance window

Hardware Installation

Place affected hosts into maintenance mode

Shut down per the documented sequence

Install new components per the vendor procedure

Update firmware to vendor-recommended levels

Verify hardware enumeration at POST

Engage vendor TAC on missing components

Post-Upgrade Verification

Run vendor diagnostics on the upgraded host

Return the host to the production cluster

Validate the next backup completes against the host

Update the CMDB with new asset details

User Acceptance Testing

Coordinate UAT with application owners

Collect UAT performance feedback

Execute the documented rollback plan

Confirm line-of-business applications are healthy

Obtain change-owner sign-off

Post-Upgrade Support

Monitor performance against the captured baseline

Schedule the post-implementation review

Update runbooks and topology diagrams

Close the change ticket with lessons learned

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Network Upgrade Checklist

Pre-Upgrade Planning

Document the existing network topology

Identify hardware and licensing requirements

Confirm change category with the CAB

Verify compatibility with downstream systems

Notify users and stakeholders of the maintenance window

Backup and Rollback Preparation

Export running configs from all affected devices

Validate backup restorability on a lab device

Write the rollback runbook

Stage tools and out-of-band access

Cutover Execution

Open the maintenance window and notify on-call

Rack new hardware and apply base configs

Migrate VLANs, routing, and firewall rules

Run smoke tests against critical services

Execute the rollback runbook

Post-Upgrade Verification

Verify monitoring coverage on new devices

Update the network documentation and CMDB

File the post-change report

Collect end-user feedback at 48 hours

Schedule the 30-day follow-up review

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Patch Deployment Checklist

Pre-Deployment Preparation

Pull this cycle's CVE list and vendor advisories

Review KB articles for known regressions

Stage patches in the lab test ring

Notify stakeholders of the maintenance window

Document the rollback plan

Backup and Recovery

Trigger full image backup of in-scope servers

Verify backup job completion in the console

Confirm the immutable offsite copy synced

Run a restore drill into an isolated VLAN

Remediate backup gaps before proceeding

Patch Deployment Execution

Suppress monitoring alerts for the window

Deploy patches to the pilot ring

Verify pilot ring health before promoting

Deploy patches to the production ring

Capture the deployment outcome

Execute the documented rollback plan

Post-Deployment Validation

Run smoke tests on critical applications

Re-enable monitoring and review alert volume

Confirm CVE remediation in the vuln scanner

Update the CMDB with the new patch level

Security and Compliance

Log residual exceptions in the risk register

Update CIS or DISA STIG baselines

File the change record with post-implementation review

Schedule the next patch cycle review

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Performance Tuning Checklist

Baseline and Change Scope

Capture the pre-tuning performance baseline

Classify the host workload profile

Schedule the maintenance window

Open a normal change request in the PSA

Operating System Tuning

Apply the latest vendor-supported kernel and patches

Tune kernel parameters via sysctl

Disable unused services and daemons

Configure swap and vm.swappiness

Storage and File System

Update RAID controller and HBA firmware

Set the I/O scheduler for the storage class

Tune file system mount options

Verify RAID stripe size against workload

Database Optimization

Patch the database to the supported release

Rebuild indexes on hot tables

Review and tune slow-query log entries

Adjust buffer pool and shared memory

Run vacuum, analyze, or equivalent maintenance

Network Performance

Update NIC drivers and firmware

Tune the TCP stack for the link profile

Enable interface bonding or LACP

Apply QoS marking for priority traffic

Application Layer Tuning

Patch the application to a vendor-supported version

Profile the application under representative load

Tune connection pool and thread settings

Configure the application caching layer

Validation and Handoff

Re-run the baseline benchmark suite

Compare metrics against the pre-tuning baseline

Restore the pre-tuning configuration

Update the runbook and CMDB record

Obtain change-owner sign-off

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Release Management Checklist

Change Planning and RFC

Document the change scope and business driver

Map impacted systems and downstream dependencies

Attach the rollback runbook

Classify the change type

Schedule the maintenance window

Pre-Deployment Validation

Deploy the build to the test ring

Run the smoke test suite on staging

Verify the most recent backup is restorable

Dry-run the rollback procedure on staging

Log defects and known issues for the change record

CAB Review and Communication

Submit the RFC to the CAB queue

Present the change at CAB

Send maintenance notice to affected users

Confirm on-call coverage for the window

Deployment Execution

Snapshot production hosts before cutover

Execute the deployment runbook

Run post-deploy smoke tests against production

Execute the rollback procedure

Post-Release Closure

Monitor systems through the stabilization period

Hold the post-implementation review

Update the CMDB and runbook documentation

Close the change record with outcome and artifacts

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Rollback Plan Checklist

Pre-Rollback Preparation

Identify the target known-good version

Verify last successful backup and snapshot

Notify stakeholders of the rollback window

Document the trigger for rollback

Assign rollback roles and bridge

Execution of Rollback

Confirm privileged access and break-glass

Pause monitoring and automation jobs

Execute the documented rollback steps

Capture the rollback execution result

Escalate to vendor and restore from backup

Post-Rollback Verification

Run the smoke-test suite

Validate data integrity post-rollback

Re-enable monitoring and scheduled jobs

Notify stakeholders the rollback is complete

Close the change record and schedule PIR

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Server Decommissioning Checklist

Discovery and Dependency Mapping

Identify the server and capture its CMDB record

Map running services and listening ports

Identify upstream and downstream dependencies

Confirm whether workloads need migration

Document the migration target and cutover plan

Change Approval and Communication

Submit the change request to CAB

Notify application owners and end users

Confirm compliance and data-retention obligations

Backup and Snapshot

Take a final full backup

Test-restore a sample to confirm backup integrity

Export configuration and secrets to the vault

Decommission Execution

Stop services and disable scheduled tasks

Remove DNS records and load balancer pool members

Disable the AD computer object and service accounts

Disconnect from the network and remove monitoring

Hold the soak period to surface missed dependencies

Restore the server and reopen the dependency ticket

Media Sanitization and Disposal

Sanitize storage media per NIST SP 800-88

Remove the host from the rack or hypervisor

Hand off hardware to certified e-waste vendor

Closeout and Documentation

Update CMDB and asset management records

Reclaim software licenses and renewals

Close the change ticket with evidence

Run a brief post-mortem with the team

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Software Installation Checklist

Intake and Change Approval

Capture the software request details

Verify license entitlement and EULA terms

Classify the change type

Submit the change to CAB

Package and Lab Validation

Download the installer from the vendor

Confirm code signature and publisher

Build the deployment package in Intune or RMM

Test the package on a lab VM

Pilot Ring Deployment

Assign the package to the pilot AAD group

Notify pilot users of the rollout window

Monitor pilot install success in the RMM

Triage pilot issues with the package owner

Production Rollout

Send the maintenance window announcement

Promote the package to the production ring

Watch the RMM dashboard during rollout

Execute the rollback plan

Verification and Documentation

Reconcile installs against the license count

Update the documentation runbook

Publish user-facing quick-start guidance

Close the change ticket and notify requester

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Software Installation Checklist

Pre-Install Review

Open or link the change ticket

Confirm license entitlement and seats

Classify the change risk level

Submit to CAB for review

System Readiness

Verify OS and hardware against vendor requirements

Confirm free disk and required runtime libraries

Validate network paths and firewall rules

Take an MDM-managed restore point

Package and Deploy

Download the installer from the vendor source

Validate the installer hash and code-signing certificate

Escalate the hash mismatch to security

Pilot the install on the test ring

Roll out to the production ring

Post-Install Configuration

Apply the hardened configuration baseline

Wire up SSO and SCIM provisioning

Move credentials into the secrets vault

Run the smoke test

Closeout and Documentation

Execute the rollback plan

Update the CMDB and IT Glue records

Notify end users and update the runbook

Close the change ticket

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Software Update Checklist

Pre-Update Assessment

Pull release notes and CVE references

Map dependent services and integrations

Run the update in staging end-to-end

Document the maintenance window blast radius

Change Approval & Scheduling

Submit the RFC to the change advisory board

Address CAB feedback and resubmit

Notify stakeholders of the maintenance window

Confirm on-call coverage and escalation paths

Backup & Rollback Preparation

Snapshot the system and verify backup integrity

Document the rollback procedure

Stage the prior version artifact for fast rollback

Update Execution

Enter the maintenance window and freeze deploys

Apply the update per vendor procedure

Run the smoke test suite

Execute rollback to the prior version

Post-Update Verification & Closeout

Monitor error rates and SLOs for 24 hours

Sign off on the post-update review

Update the CMDB, runbooks, and IT Glue entries

Close the change ticket and notify stakeholders

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Software Upgrade Checklist

Pre-Upgrade Preparation

Review the vendor release notes

Verify compatibility with dependent systems

File the change request with the CAB

Schedule the maintenance window

Notify stakeholders and end users

Run a verified backup of affected systems

Document the rollback plan

Test Ring Validation

Apply the upgrade in the test environment

Run the application owner's smoke tests

Investigate test failures before proceeding

Production Upgrade Execution

Suspend monitoring alerts and on-call paging

Disable scheduled tasks and cron jobs

Stop the application and dependent services

Take a pre-upgrade VM snapshot

Apply the upgrade package

Review the installer logs for errors

Restart application services and verify startup

Rollback (If Upgrade Failed)

Execute the documented rollback plan

Notify stakeholders of the rollback

Open a vendor support case

Post-Upgrade Validation

Run smoke tests against production

Re-enable scheduled tasks and monitoring

Watch dashboards for performance anomalies

Update IT Glue or Hudu documentation

Close the change ticket and notify stakeholders

Hold a 7-day post-upgrade health review

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