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Sustaining Software-Intensive Systems

Technical Note
This 2006 report discusses questions about sustaining new and legacy systems; the report presents definitions, related issues, future considerations, and recommendations for sustaining software-intensive systems.
Publisher

Software Engineering Institute

CMU/SEI Report Number
CMU/SEI-2006-TN-007
DOI (Digital Object Identifier)
10.1184/R1/6584507.v1
Topic or Tag

Abstract

As today's systems become increasingly reliant on software, the issues surrounding sustainment become increasingly complex. The risks of ignoring these issues can potentially undermine the stability, enhancement, and longevity of fielded systems. Questions about sustaining new and legacy systems include

  1. What does it mean to perform sustainment from a software perspective?
  2. What types of development and acquisition activities are required to sustain software-intensive systems?
  3. Although the Department of Defense (DoD) has a technical definition of sustainment, does the DoD typically consider sustainment as maintenance?
  4. How does the increased use of commercial-off-the-shelf software complicate sustainment?

This technical note discusses these questions and presents definitions, related issues, future considerations, and recommendations for sustaining software-intensive systems. Sustainment done well leads to well-supported software-intensive systems and reduced total ownership costs and should help organizations meet current and new mission area and capabilities requirements.  

The information contained in this technical note is based on information that the Software Engineering Institute gathered during work with Air Force software-intensive systems. While the information is pertinent and can be applied to systems in the commercial sector, keep in mind minimal effort was made to convert "DoDspeak" into commercial sector language.

Cite This Technical Note

Lapham, M., & Woody, C. (2006, May 1). Sustaining Software-Intensive Systems. (Technical Note CMU/SEI-2006-TN-007). Retrieved December 22, 2024, from https://doi.org/10.1184/R1/6584507.v1.

@techreport{lapham_2006,
author={Lapham, Mary Ann and Woody, Carol},
title={Sustaining Software-Intensive Systems},
month={{May},
year={{2006},
number={{CMU/SEI-2006-TN-007},
howpublished={Carnegie Mellon University, Software Engineering Institute's Digital Library},
url={https://doi.org/10.1184/R1/6584507.v1},
note={Accessed: 2024-Dec-22}
}

Lapham, Mary Ann, and Carol Woody. "Sustaining Software-Intensive Systems." (CMU/SEI-2006-TN-007). Carnegie Mellon University, Software Engineering Institute's Digital Library. Software Engineering Institute, May 1, 2006. https://doi.org/10.1184/R1/6584507.v1.

M. Lapham, and C. Woody, "Sustaining Software-Intensive Systems," Carnegie Mellon University, Software Engineering Institute's Digital Library. Software Engineering Institute, Technical Note CMU/SEI-2006-TN-007, 1-May-2006 [Online]. Available: https://doi.org/10.1184/R1/6584507.v1. [Accessed: 22-Dec-2024].

Lapham, Mary Ann, and Carol Woody. "Sustaining Software-Intensive Systems." (Technical Note CMU/SEI-2006-TN-007). Carnegie Mellon University, Software Engineering Institute's Digital Library, Software Engineering Institute, 1 May. 2006. https://doi.org/10.1184/R1/6584507.v1. Accessed 22 Dec. 2024.

Lapham, Mary Ann; & Woody, Carol. Sustaining Software-Intensive Systems. CMU/SEI-2006-TN-007. Software Engineering Institute. 2006. https://doi.org/10.1184/R1/6584507.v1