Importance of Software Maintenance: Strategies and Considerations for Effective Software Maintenance

Abstract

In the late 1970s, a famous and widely cited survey study by Lentz andSwanson, exposed the very high fraction of life-cyclecosts that were being expended on maintenance. An integral partof software is the maintenance one, which requires an accurate maintenance planto be prepared during the software development. It should specify how userswill request modifications or report problems. The budget should includeresource and cost estimates. A new decision should be addressed for thedeveloping of every new system feature and its quality objectives. The softwaremaintenance, which can last for 5–6 years or even decades after the developmentprocess, calls for an effective plan which can address the scope of softwaremaintenance, the tailoring of the post-delivery/deployment process, thedesignation of who will provide maintenance, and an estimate of the life-cyclecosts.