Lesson 1: Assets

Concerns with Software Assets:Stability Issues

The case about the grocery store chain illustrates an important point about software stability; quite often, the factors that affect software's stability can be external to the software itself. In the case, the factor that affected the software's stability was the hardware platform.

While not all organizations employ programmers to develop proprietary applications, there are a few general concepts that all organizations should consider when purchasing, developing, or modifying software:

1. Look for software that has built-in safeguards against deterioration and error. Some software can be restarted at a known, clean, internal state. This concept, also known as rejuvenation, lessens the likelihood that internal states within the software will deteriorate. Other pieces of software include fault tolerant libraries. These libraries allow for relatively quick repair of the software.
2. Upgrade your software at regular intervals. Most pieces of software are developed with specific platforms and operating systems in mind. Even a slight change in the state of an operating system can impair the functionality of a piece of software. Upgrading software increases the likelihood that it will run on the latest systems.
3. Hire knowledgeable, trustworthy software developers if your organization will be developing or modifying software code. While this may seem obvious, the factor of having an organized, informed software developer can not be underestimated.