In this post I want to explore the kind of software maintenance that happens after active maintenance ends. This is the stage of the software life cycle where the software has been in production for some time and the initial wave of bug fixes and enhancement requests ends. It’s also at this point that managers may cut the number of developers assigned to the project and turn their attention elsewhere.
Keeping this kind of project running safely, securely, and profitability as the years tick by–even if you’re not adding or changing functionality–is especially challenging.
I’ve spent more than a decade in this situation. And I’d like share some of my observations and advice about maintaining this kind of software with you.