Lifecycle Management

Software Lifecycle Management (LCM) is the process of overseeing a software application, product, or component from its initial concept to its eventual retirement. Much like managing the construction of a building from blueprint to completion, LCM guides software through distinct phases: planning and preparation, development, testing, deployment and installation, maintenance and support, until retirement. Each stage involves specific activities aimed at ensuring the software is functional, secure, install- and updateable with automation or minimal effort, and aligned with business and user needs.

A key aspect is the deployment and installation phase, where we reconsider the typical configuration and installation approaches, and conclude with a general recommendation to shift left LCM aspects into product specific operators, requiring LCM to be treated as part of the product code rather than part of operations.

The delivery of software includes the shipment or transport of software. We also consider the shipment into air-gapped data centers (isolated from external networks for heightened security). This requires secure and reliable delivery mechanisms to ensure the software reaches its destination intact and operational, for which we created a Software Bill of Delivery.

Equally critical is Security Compliance Automation, which involves adhering to industry standards, regulations, and best practices, such as secure coding during development, and rigorous testing for vulnerabilities. The Software Bill of Delivery links to the Security Compliance Automation by defining a coordinate system for all identified participants.