Unmasking IT Support: How Proper Software Maintenance Drives Business Growth
What is software maintenance?
Software maintenance is part of the software development life cycle (SDLC).
Software maintenance is known as modifying a software product after it has been delivered to rectify flaws and improve performance or other features in terms of software engineering.
It enhances the software performance by eliminating errors, removing unusable development, and implementing advanced development strategies.
The service aims to modify and continuously update software applications to eliminate all possible errors and malfunctions and improve work efficiency and system performance.
It is an extensive activity that occurs soon after the development is completed. It optimizes system performance by reducing errors, eliminating unnecessary development, and applying innovations.
Software maintenance categories
Adaptive
Some changes are made to the system to ensure its compatibility with changing environments.
Perfective
Checks on fine-tuning all system elements, functionality, and capabilities to improve system performance.
It includes altering software functionality by improving, removing, or inserting new features or functions.
Perfective software maintenance activities focus on functional enhancements to improve the user experience.
Corrective
Detection of errors and mistakes in the existing solution and their correction to ensure the system's effective operation.
Preventive
It helps prevent potential system vulnerabilities.
Preventive maintenance is a proactive approach to system upkeep that involves regularly inspecting, testing, and repairing components to prevent failures. By identifying and addressing potential issues before they become critical, preventive maintenance helps to extend the lifespan of your system and avoid costly downtime.
How is the software maintenance process at Switch?
It involves a few software maintenance techniques that we can adapt according to the type of maintenance agreed with each client.
The most common software maintenance process models include the following:
Identification
Determining what part of the software needs to be modified or maintained. Depending on the situation and specific fault, this can be user-generated or identified by the software developer itself.
Analysis
Analyzing the suggested modification includes understanding the potential effects of such a change.
Design
Designing the new changes using requirements specifications. This item is essential even if it doesn’t seem to be.
Implementation
Implement the new modules created by the programmers according to the requirements specifications.
Testing
The software and system must be tested based on the changes made before being launched. This includes the module itself and the whole system. After that, the client (software users) must try the modification for acceptance.
This process is essential as users can identify ongoing issues and generate recommendations for more effective implementation and changes.
We need the client's approval to launch the software improvements or modifications.
Delivery
When the changes and improvements are deployed to production.
What makes software maintenance so important?
Why should we spend money on something that was once paid? After all, it's already developed.
The point isn't about changing software; it's about adapting to new technical requirements or meeting customer and business needs.
It is essential for organizational success in today's fast-paced technological landscape.
One of the primary benefits of software maintenance is that it improves the reliability and stability of software products. Through regular maintenance, bugs and errors can be identified and fixed, preventing them from causing system failures or other issues that can negatively impact user experience.
Software maintenance is as essential as development itself. Regular maintenance will ensure trouble-free use and good performance, fewer problems, and adaptation to changes in the business environment.
Why is software maintenance necessary?
Technology constantly changes, and software must keep up with the market changes and demand.
Software maintenance is done after the product has launched for several reasons, including improving the software overall, correcting issues or bugs, boosting performance, and more.
When it comes to software, 60% costing is for maintenance, and from total software maintenance cost, 60% is for solution enhancement. Facts and Fallacies of Software Engineering,’ Robert Glass.
Fix bugs and errors in the software system
The most important part of the service is correcting mistakes or, in other words, 'bugs.' The software must work without problems.
Improve the functionality of the software
This part of the service is essential for improving the current functions and making the system compatible with environmental changes.
Increase the performance of your system
Using a technically updated solution and regularly using software maintenance services.
Remove outdated functions from your software that are inhibiting your product efficiency
You need to improve your software performance by reviewing functionalities that are no longer used and unnecessarily occupy space in the solution, reducing the system's efficiency. Therefore, obsolete functions must be removed. These user interface and coding elements are replaced with new functions using the latest tools and technologies.
This change makes the system adaptive to cope with changing circumstances.
Improve security
Security threats are constantly evolving, and software systems must be able to adapt to these changes. Software maintenance is critical in ensuring the software remains secure and protected against potential vulnerabilities.
Is Your Business Tripping Up with IT Support?
We recognize the intricacies and demands of IT support tasks, which can often weigh heavily on businesses.
With our IT Support Studio by your side, we ensure a dedicated partnership. We focus on enhancing your operations through precision, innovation, and customized solutions.
Ready to lighten the load and discover how proper software maintenance will drive business growth?
Boost your business’s scalability and productivity while enjoying substantial cost benefits with our software maintenance and support services at Switch.
Contact our experts to discuss your business needs and tailor a solution that’s just right for you!