Software maintenance and updates occur after a piece of software has been launched. However, these are essential parts in the application’s lifecycle and development process. They serve to keep a piece of software functioning optimally as its environment and the organisation using it changes, as technology advances, and as cyberthreats evolve.
4 categories of software maintenance
- Perfective
Perfective software maintenance aims to keep a piece of software relevant as the market, and user needs, change. These updates can incorporate feedback from users who request new features or, through interacting with the software, identify areas in which the application can be improved. Developers can also remove features that are not being used.
- Adaptive
The world of technology is ever-changing, and software must be maintained and updated in order to meet new requirements and operate optimally. An application may need to be updated because of new policies and procedures or because of changes to the operating system or the hardware it runs on.
- Corrective
No software is completely free of bugs and errors, which is why corrective software updates are so important. Faults found and reported by users can be fixed by patching the software, ideally as quickly as possible.
- Preventative
The objective of preventative software updates is to ensure a piece of software keeps running as long as possible. These updates may include changes and upgrades to allow the software to take advantage of new developments in technology, or they could address small problems before they become bigger issues.
Another critical function of software maintenance and updates is to protect the application and its environment against cybersecurity threats. These cyber threats are constantly adapting and evolving to take advantage of holes in security. Regular maintenance ensures that these holes are plugged and that the latest security features are being used.
Software maintenance and updates are part of Netgen’s development cycle
At Netgen, we know how important software maintenance and updates are, and we include ongoing maintenance when developing all of our custom software solutions. Get in touch today for your own piece of custom software.