Software Maintenance Models

Software maintenance may require different approaches based on your business goals, the industry you function in, the expertise of your tech team, and the predictive trends of the market.

Therefore, along with understanding the different types of software maintenance, you also have to explore various models of software. Based on the kind of problem you are trying to solve, your team can choose the right model from the following options:

1. Quick-Fix Model

A quick-fix model in software maintenance is a method for addressing bugs or issues in the software by prioritizing a fast resolution over a more comprehensive solution.

This approach typically involves making a small, localized change to the software to address the immediate problem rather than fully understanding and addressing the underlying cause. However, organizations adopt this approach of maintenance only in the case of emergency situations that call for quick resolutions.

Under the quick-fix model, tech teams carry out the following software maintenance activities:

• Annotate software changes by including change IDs and code comments
• Enter them into a maintenance history detailing why they made the change and the techniques used by them
• Note each location and merge them via the change ID if there are multiple points in the code change

2. Iterative Enhancement Model

The iterative model is used for small-scale application modernization and scheduled maintenance. Generally, the business justification for changes is ignored in this approach as it only involves the software development team, not the business stakeholders. So, the software team will not know if more significant changes are required in the future, which is quite risky.

The iterative enhancement model treats the application target as a known quantity. It incorporates changes in the software based on the analysis of the existing system. The iterative model best suits changes made to confined application targets, with little cross-impact on other apps or organizations.

3. Reuse-Oriented Model

The reuse-oriented model identifies components of the existing system that are suitable to use again in multiple places. In recent years, this model also includes creating components that can be reused in multiple applications of a system..

There are three ways to incorporate the reuse-oriented model — object and function, application system, and component.

• Object and function reuse: This model reuses the software elements that implement a single well-defined object.
• Application system reuse: Under this model, developers can integrate new components in an application without making changes to the system or re-configuring it for a specific user to reuse.
• Component reuse: Component reuse refers to using a pre-existing component rather than creating a new one in software development. This can include using pre-built code libraries, frameworks, or entire software applications.

4. Boehm’s Model

Introduced in 1978, Boehm’s model focuses on measuring characteristics to get non-tech stakeholders involved with the life cycle of software. The model represents a hierarchical structure of high-level, intermediate, and primitive characteristics of software that define its overall quality.

The high-level characteristics of quality software are:

• Maintainability: It should be easy to understand, evaluate, and modify the processes in a system.
• Portability: Software systems should help in ascertaining the most effective way to make environmental changes
• As-is utility: It should be easy and effective to use an as-is utility in the system.

The intermediate level of characteristics represented by the model displays different factors that validate the expected quality of a software system. These characteristics are:

• Reliability: Software performance is as expected, with zero defects.
• Portability: The software can run in various environments and on different platforms.
• Efficiency: The system makes optimum utilization of code, applications, and hardware resources.
• Testability: The software can be tested easily and the users can trust the results.
• Understandability: The end-user should be able to understand the functionality of the software easily and thus, use it effectively.
• Usability: Efforts needed to learn, use, and comprehend different software functions should be minimum.

The primitive characteristics of quality software include basic features like device independence, accessibility, accuracy, etc.

5. Taute Maintenance Model

Developed by B.J. Taute in 1983, the Taute maintenance model facilitates development teams to update and perform necessary modifications after executing the software.

The Taute model for software maintenance can be carried out in the following phases:

• Change request phase: In this phase, the client sends the request to make changes to the software in a prescribed format.

• Estimate phase: Then, developers conduct an impact analysis on the existing system to estimate the time and effort required to make the requested changes.

• Schedule phase: Here, the team aggregates the change requests for the upcoming scheduled release and creates the planning documents accordingly.

• Programming phase: In the programming phase, requested changes are implemented in the source code, and all the relevant documents, like design documents and manuals, are updated accordingly.

• Test phase: During this phase, the software modifications are carefully analyzed. The code is tested using existing and new test cases, along with the implementation of regression testing.

• Documentation phase: Before the release, system and user documentation are prepared and updated based on regression testing results. Thus, developers can maintain the coherence of documents and code.

• Release phase: The customer receives the new software product and updated documentation. Then the system’s end users perform acceptance testing.

Conclusion

Software maintenance is not just a necessary chore, but an essential aspect of any successful software development project. By investing in ongoing maintenance and addressing issues as they arise, organizations can ensure that their software remains reliable, secure, and up-to-date. From bug fixes to performance optimizations, software maintenance is a crucial step in maximizing the value and longevity of your software. So don't overlook this critical aspect of software development — prioritize maintenance and keep your software running smoothly for years to come.