Software maintenance of large software systems. Management, methods and tools

Software maintenance is the general name given to the set of activities undertaken on a software system following its release for operational use. Surveys have shown that for many projects, software maintenance consumes the majority of the overall software lifecycle costs, and there are indications that the proportion is increasing. Our inability to cope with software maintenance can also result in a backlog of application modifications. Sustaining the viability of a large software system over many years at an acceptable quality level is a major challenge. This paper discusses the management of the software maintenance process addressing both the organisational context and the implementation of the management plan in terms of the methods available and the tool support for those methods.