Understanding Change Freeze Windows in Freshservice

Change Freeze Windows, often called blackout periods, are critical for ensuring operational stability during peak business times or sensitive projects. With Freshservice, managing these windows becomes streamlined, allowing organizations to maintain control over changes without sacrificing agility.

Here’s a step-by-step guide to scheduling a Change Freeze Window (Blackout Window) in Freshservice and best practices to optimize its use.

Video: https://youtu.be/eX8k8Zo8pBY

What Are Change Freeze Windows?

A Change Freeze Window is a period during which no non-essential changes are allowed in an IT environment. These windows are commonly used during:

• Critical business events: e.g., end-of-year sales and product launches.

• High-risk periods: e.g., during migrations or infrastructure upgrades.

• Holidays or downtime: e.g., public holidays when support staff availability is low.

Benefits

• Reduces risks of disruptions during critical periods.

• Improves system reliability and performance during high-demand times.

• Enhances stakeholder confidence by ensuring operational continuity.

How to Schedule a Change Freeze Window in Freshservice

Step 1: Access the Freshservice Portal

Log in to your Freshservice instance using your administrator or change manager credentials. Navigate to the Change Calendar under Change Management.

Step 2: Open the Change Calendar

On the Freshservice dashboard, locate and click the Change Calendar icon. This provides a visual representation of scheduled changes, freeze periods, and other key dates.

Step 3: Create a New Blackout Window

Click the + Schedule button at the top of the Change Calendar. From the available options, select Blackout Window to initiate the creation of a freeze period.

Step 4: Define the Window Details

• Title: Provide a meaningful name for the blackout period, e.g., "Holiday Season Change Freeze."

• Start and End Dates: Use the date pickers to specify the start and end of the freeze window.

• Conditions: Specify rules that define what changes are restricted. For example:

  • Change Type: Block all Normal or Standard changes.

  • Risk Level: Restrict changes with a High Risk classification.

Step 5: Apply the Freeze

After defining the conditions, click Create to finalize the blackout window. The Change Calendar will update to reflect the scheduled freeze, ensuring team visibility.

Best Practices for Managing Change Freeze Windows

1. Plan in Advance

   • Notify stakeholders of upcoming freeze windows well ahead of time.

   • Ensure essential changes are implemented or deferred as needed.

2. Communicate Effectively

   • Use Freshservice’s notification capabilities to inform relevant teams.

   • Update internal documentation or KB articles to explain the rationale and impact of the freeze period.

3. Monitor Compliance

   • Use Freshservice reporting to monitor change requests submitted during the freeze.

   • Escalate any unauthorized changes for review.

4. Review and Adjust

   • Post-freeze, review its impact on operations to identify areas for improvement.

   • Update freeze rules and conditions based on feedback.

Conclusion

Scheduling and managing Change Freeze Windows in Freshservice ensures your IT environment remains stable during critical periods. With the intuitive tools Freshservice provides, creating and enforcing freeze windows is straightforward, fostering operational excellence and stakeholder confidence.

Take control of your change management processes today and leverage Change Freeze Windows to reduce risk and enhance stability.