Software Maintenance: Why It’s Important for Your Business
Software maintenance is defined in the IEEE Standard for Software Maintenance (IEEE 14764-2006 – ISO/IEC) as “the modification of a software product after delivery to correct faults, to improve performance or other attributes, or to adapt the product to a modified environment.”
Why does that matter to you? You’ve bought a physical handset that is covered by a service agreement if it breaks; however, the physical handset is only one component of your solution. The software on the device is key to its use.
Why do you need to update your software?
If your device’s software is functional when you purchase it, isn’t that good enough? And, why do software developers release updates, anyway? Well, when you buy most products, what you see is what you get. With software, it’s different. After releasing the finished product for purchase, software developers continue to work on the product: improving it, fixing problems, and correcting any security issues that are discovered. Every so often, the improvements they make to the software go “live,” and then they’re available to be downloaded.
The main things that software updates do are:
- Fix software bugs
- Add or enhance features
- Compatibility updates
- Fix security issues
Software updates aren’t just put out as recommendations; they always provide value or mitigate risk in some form. In addition to the standard security and bug fixes, updates can include new or enhanced functionality and features or better compatibility with different devices or applications. They can also remove outdated features and improve overall stability and performance.
So what is Software Assurance?
Instead of paying for each new major software release separately, customers purchase a software license where they can pay a flat, scheduled “software maintenance fee.”
By keeping your systems and applications current, you protect your investment while providing your business with the latest communications tools to stay competitive in today’s marketplace. This helps to increase your bottom line. With regular security upgrades, you are protecting the life-blood of your business, and your data, safeguarding your business operations from external and internal threats. With Software Assurance, you will receive the cutting-edge features that address the ever-changing business demands and enhance your business operations, driving your employee’s productivity.
4 benefits of regular software maintenance
Here are some of the most important benefits that regular software maintenance does for your system:
- Prevent security breaches – For many businesses, the most important reason to update software is to ensure that security vulnerabilities are addressed as soon as possible. The most active cybercriminals spend countless hours looking for vulnerabilities in the most popular software products. Those vulnerabilities are what allow them to attack and infect computer systems and steal or encrypt sensitive data. By updating your computer systems – both your desktop devices and your mobile handheld computers, such as an enterprise smartphone, you ensure that your business has the best protection possible against cybercrime.
- Improved Performance – Software updates provide more than just security updates. They often offer new and improved features and speed enhancements to better the end-user experience. Developers are constantly working on ways to improve the software, giving greater efficiency to users.
- Access to Expert Technicians – No software solution is perfect, and the ability to open a trouble ticket with the manufacturer who is most familiar with the software is critical. Consider the downtime, blind troubleshooting, and frustration that could result from not having an expert to lean on.
- Upgrade Protection – Some features may not have been in the version of the product you purchased a year ago, but it will be in the upcoming release. Upgrades are there to make your system work more efficiently. New upgrades which include new features and functionality will increase your efficiency, scalability, performance, and security.
Spectralink Software Assurance
Software Assurance is specifically designed to complement and protect all Spectralink solutions by ensuring that you have access to all available software upgrades, including; new features, service updates, and security enhancements. Software Assurance also provides you with access to Spectralink Technical Support.
If your Software Assurance expires, you are placing your voice communication system in a position of vulnerability.
- Increased risk – no manufacturer support for ticket escalations
- Static software level – no new features, patches, or hotfixes
- Outdated security – become more exposed as hacking methods continue to evolve
- No elevated access – the risk of reduced response time
Conclusion
Software maintenance is not an option; it is necessary. It ensures your business has the best, most up-to-date versions of its software and protects against harmful cyberattacks that could cost your business more than it can afford.