"We strongly believe that Serena is moving in the right direction with the functionality and usability of Dimensions 10," said user Gary Soule, IT applications manager in the ALM group at Premera Blue Cross, a health insurance company.

Version 10 offers advancements for developer productivity and usability, such as IDE integration and enabling collaborative workspaces for code sharing among developers, Soule said. Tight integration with Windows Explorer also is beneficial, he said.

ALM is a key initiative in the IT department at Premera, enabling the establishment of software lifecycle processes, Soule said.

Specific parts of Dimensions 10 include: Dimensions RM, for requirements management; Dimensions CM, for change management; Dimensions Build, for build management; Dimensions Deploy, for deploying software; and the Serena Command Center executive dashboard, providing management, reporting, and visibility into all projects.

Dimensions 10 will be available on Sept. 12. Entry-level pricing for a midsize to large enterprise averages US$100,000 for a perpetual license.