Software Upgrades - Part 2

In the first part, we have understood the purpose of all types of software upgrades. In this second part, we will try to understand the process of software upgrades. It is important to understand the process to plan for successful outcomes.

The upgrade can be done in many ways e.g., big bang adoption vs phase adoption.

But the main strategy remains the same for any type.

1) Communication

To have a successful upgrade project, communication is one of the key aspects. The customer should be able to explain the pain point in the existing system and the service provider should be able to understand and explain the benefits of the new version. Healthy interaction between teams, parties, users, and partners in the engagement plays a key role.

2) Planning

Any project starts with proper planning. It should be able to identify all the activities in advance and can define the right team structure and strength. There should be a proper roadmap and RAID register to define the progress.

3) Documentation

Documentation plays another vital role in any upgrade project. It starts with the requirement document which helps to define the scope to the system document which further defines the features of the new system. Concise and relevant documentations help to keep the goal clear.

4) System upgrade and Environments

The new system will have new system requirements and hardware specifications. It is important to understand it beforehand so that it could be set up with the correct configuration. It can be VM server to bare metal to present in the cloud but understanding it sooner is the key.

5) Customisation:

It is important to evaluate each customisation and check if it already exists in the new version. Any new development needs to be done only, if necessary, but flexibility is important so that it adds value to the system. e.g., any customisation can be developed via plugins or microservices (integration based) or can be achieved through configuration.

6) Configuration

The newly upgraded software may need some configurational changes. The system should be configurable as per the customer's requirement. It can be for the core system to enable some new features to environmental processes like a load balancer.

7) Data migration

One of the most important sectors of an upgrade is data migration. The process needs to be validated so that there is no loss or corruption of data. The upgrade process also gives an opportunity to clean the data wherever needed.

8) Integration

With any new development, there is always a risk that the integration point might change. It is important to identify all the integration points early in all directions. Some external systems may need development when the core product is upgraded.

9) Testing

Proper testing of the system helps to verify that all the customer requirements are met. Testing should also cover non-functional requirements like load testing, and security to make sure the new version fits well. All third-party integration tests should be done to check the business continuity.

10) End User Training and handover

Some functionalities are new, so end-user training is important to familiarise yourself with the new system. Similarly, the system should be handed over properly to the operational team for running it smoothly in the future. Well-documented training materials help to understand the features of the new system and work as a reference document.

11) Cut over plan

The cut-over plan should be defined and reviewed in a way so that the whole migration is completed in the agreed window. There should be a minimum downtime which means minimum disturbance and minimum revenue loss to the company. The rollback plan should be well defined if anything goes against the plan.

12) Post Go-Live optimization

Once the system is live, the benefits of the upgrade should be visible to the end users. It may need to fine-tune the system or optimize it to achieve the best results. It also needs to configure all new processes or adapt the existing business process to run the show.

To summarise, many upgrade projects fail and go over budget or time and take a toll on the team but for a successful result, proper planning is required. It is not easy to predict the activities but by following some processes, the chances of risks can be reduced. In the end, it is all about customer satisfaction which needs to be achieved but the long journey of upgrade should be enjoyable!