软件工程评估和管理英文讲义legacy systems7.pptVIP

Legacy Systems Topics covered Legacy system structures Legacy system design Legacy system assessment Objectives To explain what is meant by a legacy system and why these systems are important To introduce common legacy system structures To briefly describe function-oriented design To explain how the value of legacy systems can be assessed Legacy systems Software systems developed specifically for an organisation tend to have a long lifetime Many software systems that are still in use were developed using technologies now obsolete These systems are may be business critical - essential for the normal functioning of the business These are LEGACY SYSTEMS Legacy system replacement The risk in simply scrapping a legacy system and replacing it with a new development is high. Legacy systems rarely have a complete specification. Major changes which may or may not have been documented will have happened in their lifetime Business processes are reliant on the legacy system The system may embed business rules that are not formally documented elsewhere – there is KNOWLEDGE in the systems New software development is risky and may not be successful Legacy system change Systems must change in order to remain useful But changing legacy systems is expensive Different parts implemented by different teams - no consistent programming style The system may use an obsolete programming language The system documentation is either not there or out-of-date The system structure may be corrupted by many years of maintenance Techniques to save space or increase speed at the expense of understandability may have been used File structures used may be incompatible The legacy dilemma It is expensive and risky to replace the legacy system It is expensive to maintain the legacy system Businesses must weigh up the costs and risks and may choose to extend the system lifetime using techniques such as re-engineering. Legacy system structures Legacy systems can be considered to be socio-technical systems a