Maintenance and Support: soxes maintains and supports your software solution

After successful software development, one of the most important phases of software development begins. The actual operation.

At soxes, we emphasise an agile approach, as it allows us to react flexibly to changes and ensure a high level of customer satisfaction. Agile methods emphasise iterative development, close collaboration and continuous feedback, from planning and programming through to software deployment.

The commissioning of customised software marks the beginning of a business-critical phase that is closely linked to the long-term success of a company – the operating phase. During this phase, it is important to ensure that the software functions smoothly and to react flexibly to changes in the company environment. A crucial aspect of this is maintenance and support management, which lays the foundation for the stability, security and efficiency of the software.

As a rule, soxes takes over maintenance and support for customers after successful software development. In order to keep the software as secure and stable as possible, regular security and software updates are essential. In order to recognise errors as quickly as possible, soxes uses monitoring tools to monitor the software. This allows unforeseeable problems to be recognised quickly.

Customised software development follows various approaches and process models. These are as unique as the software development processes themselves. At soxes, we rely on agile software development. Our project management and IT experts are always at the customer’s side throughout the entire software development cycle. The entire software development process runs through four essential phases in close coordination, ensuring a structured approach from start to finish: Internal analysis (phase 0), process definition and design phase, development and operation & support.

Your customised solution is implemented in an iterative and transparent manner that ensures that the entire process is comprehensible for both the development team and the customer. This phase only occurs once the application has been fully tested and found to be functional and reliable.
In this crucial phase, our teams focus on continuously analysing and observing to ensure that the software fully meets your requirements and expectations. At the same time, the customised solution is critically reflected upon in order to identify and implement possible improvements.

The maintenance of customised software includes various activities aimed at ensuring the performance of the application and proactively eliminating potential problems. These include

• Corrective maintenance: fixing errors and bugs that occur during operation is crucial to ensure continued functionality.
• Adaptive maintenance: Adapting the software to changing environments, operating systems or hardware ensures optimal performance and compatibility.
• Perfection maintenance: The continuous improvement of features and user experience based on feedback and changing business requirements.

Support during the operational phase plays a crucial role in helping users with any problems that arise and ensuring smooth utilisation. Efficient helpdesk support is crucial here, as fast and effective handling of enquiries and problems must be guaranteed. Clear and comprehensive documentation also helps to make it easier for users to help themselves and minimise the need for direct support.

Security also plays a crucial role in the operating phase of customised software and requires continuous monitoring and improvement. Patch management ensures that regular updates and patches are applied promptly to close potential security gaps. A comprehensive monitoring system is used to identify unusual activities and respond to potential security threats. Compliance with legal and internal company requirements regarding data protection and security is of the utmost importance.

An important feature of our approach is the guarantee of seamless and smooth long-term maintenance. If a project manager leaves the project or even the company, a detailed handover between the old and new project managers and the customer is ensured. This preventive measure ensures continuous support and maintenance to ensure long-term satisfaction and performance of the application.

At the end of each project, if desired, we will agree a Service Level Agreement (SLA) with you. We establish policies for the performance, support and maintenance of the software provided. Typically, an SLA includes parameters such as regular testing of third-party components, backup policies, response times to problems, minor updates (patching), and similar aspects. An agreement will be made with you that takes into account the financial framework and risk structure according to your specific requirements.

With soxes you gain a partner with competence and reliability. Our company has stood for the best quality in software development, programming, IT outsourcing and support for over 20 years. With its services, soxes covers the entire life cycle of an IT development (conception, consulting, development and support).

Take the first step towards the successful implementation of your project and contact us for further information.