Most of the operations in your company will run on various types of software. In most cases, business owners do little for their software after it is installed and running. Software maintenance is, however, a significant element in the optimal operation of your system’s software. Moreover, the maintenance can be used to modify your software to meet market and host conditions and the changes in your organization’s operations.
Impact analysis and software rejuvenation are among the common types of software maintenance techniques used by companies offering network IT solutions. Impact analysis is used when evaluating the effect an overall software change will have on its operation. Here, the software components which will be affected by an anticipated change are identified, and the extent of the effects of the change on your entire IT system is studied.
There are times when you might need to decide on whether to completely replace or enhance your existing software to boost its productivity. Software rejuvenation is the ideal choice in this instance. The following are the software rejuvenation techniques used:
Re-Documentation
Here, static analysis of your existing software code will be used to gain information, which will assist the maintenance team in understanding its source code. The component sizes and calls, control paths, calling metrics, and source code are the parameters used to understand your software. The code generated will be used to evaluate whether your software should be re-documented to enhance its performance.
Restructuring
This involves the transformation of your software’s unstructured code into a structured one, making it easier to change and understand. In a restructuring, static analysis will first be performed. Then, transformational techniques are used for the refining of the representation. The refined representation will then be interpreted and applied for the generation of a structured code which will be far easier to maintain and understand.
Reverse Engineering
This technique will center on generating information about your software’s design and specification. This information is then stored in an easily modifiable format. The source code of the software is first collected using an automated tool; then static analysis is performed. Reverse engineering for software rejuvenation improves your software’s documentation, recovers lost information and will manage your software’s complexities.
Re-Engineering
This is a systematic change of your existing software into a new form. This improves the quality of the software’s capability, operation, and functionality while allowing it to perform optimally at the lowest costs. The steps of re-engineering closely resemble those of reverse engineering, but in the end, a new system will be generated under a new design and specification. Re-engineering your software is far cheaper than re-developing it. This also reduces the risks that come with a software modification. Moreover, your staff will quickly adapt to a re-engineered software system.
These techniques might sound too technical for most business owners, but it helps to have an idea of what they entail. They will make a significant difference in your system’s maintenance and relevance in the face of changing technologies. Rather than have your IT team handle them, outsource your software maintenance to a well-equipped firm to minimize your running expenses and profit from the best technologies.
