Software Release Management (SRM) is the process through which software is made available to and obtained by its users.

Consider a scenario where:
1. A number of geographically dispersed development teams are working on some set of software tools.
2. Some of the tools are dependent on a number of other tools in a variety of ways. For example, one tool could use another tool as its compiler, another tool as its underlying database, and yet another tool as its user interface manager.
3. Each tool is released independently to the outside world.

In a situation like this, software release management plays a crucial role. One would like to be able to have a single system in which all software releases, their descriptive information, and, most importantly, their interdependencies can be stored. There are number of requirements on such a system.

1. It should allow developers to use their regular Configuration Management system(s) during development of their code.
2. It should work in a distributed setting.
3. It should accurately record and manipulate the interdependencies among the software releases stored in it.
4. It should be easy to use.

In short, an area of Configuration Management (CM) that has received little attention is what we call Software Release Management.

Hope this helps,