Application management

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Application management ( AM ), and application management ( english application management ) or Application Lifecycle Management ( ALM ), is a combination of the development and maintenance of applications ( application software ) throughout their life cycle. This also includes comprehensive user support and further development of the software.

Framework conditions of the AM

Typically long contract periods and thus an award via tenders , a frequent transfer of personnel from the customer to the AM provider and the SLA-based ( service level agreement ) of the contracts lead to an assignment of the application management to the IT area -Outsourcings.

In this context, the customer gives the following tasks to an external service provider:

  • application-driven infrastructure,
  • the maintenance and support of its applications ( application support ) and
  • user support ( first and second level support ).

The procedure is also known as a transition .

AM can either occur as part of complete outsourcing contracts ( embedded application management ) or as a stand-alone service ( stand-alone application management or simply: application support ).

Components of AM: application development and application operation

The Application Development ( Service Creation ) deals with the requirements for an application, design, and its subsequent development. The three development phases are defined according to the IT Infrastructure Library ( ITIL ) as requirements, design and implementation.

This is typically followed by application operation ( service management ), in which the software is introduced, operated and continuously improved. In this context, a distinction is made between the delivery, operation and "optimization" phases.

The management of these processes is highly complex and time-consuming for software manufacturers operating around the world. The associated challenges of efficient and orderly task management led to the development and support approach of application management.

Application management as a development and support approach

AM combines application development ( SC ) and application operation ( SM ). If the SC and SM are in one hand, empirical values ​​from the SM, such as customer requirements and complaints, reliability, manageability and performance, can be integrated into the SC. The main goals are a smooth and efficient development of an application with high customer satisfaction. In addition, the empirical values ​​gained through AM simplify the integration of the application software into new system landscapes . Thus, in AM, one dedicates oneself to the entire life cycle of an application - from the idea to the (further) development to the replacement.

As part of the “ IT Infrastructure Library ” (ITIL) initiative , a description was presented that shows all management processes that occur during the life cycle of an application ( end-to-end documentation ). ITIL application management describes what has to be done in which phase by whom and when. In this approach, there is no longer any separation between application development and operation. In the service management ITIL has become widely accepted. In service creation, however, i.e. in the production of software applications, little attention has been paid to ITIL so far.

Another collection of guidelines for application management can be found in the “ Application Services Library ” (ASL). Compared to ITIL, the ASL deals exclusively with application management and deals more intensively with transactional processes between the participating companies. ITIL, on the other hand, deals more with IT in general. The theoretical content is illustrated with best practice examples on both information portals.

Effects of application management

In practice, the majority of software support today is performed by outsourcing companies. As application-related service providers, in many cases they deal more intensively with the programs than their manufacturers and are therefore often more familiar with them. Against this background and in view of the necessity for manufacturers to always keep up with the latest developments, a closer exchange of information between software developers and outsourcing companies is strategically necessary. For this reason, many large companies often have outsourced employees regularly train them about their own products.

Application management trends

Thematic specialization

An increasing topic-related specialization of the individual outsourcing companies can be observed in order to acquire in-depth industry skills. This became necessary in order to meet the increasing requirements in terms of customer satisfaction and to meet their desire for individual support. As a result, there is a trend towards application management for company departments. Examples of specific application management offers are:

Industrialization of processes

With the aim of process improvement and cost reduction, many companies try to achieve the highest possible level of standardization and automation in application management as well. In this context one speaks of an "industrialization of application management". Inspired by the ideas of mass customization , individual application management services with an appropriate price-performance ratio are to be created. Four basic principles of industrialization are relevant for application management:

  1. Standardization - uniform global ticket tools improve and accelerate the resolution of incidents ( incident management ). Service employees from all countries must be able to access a central, so-called ticket tool, which provides a service around the clock for processing individual customer inquiries ( issue tracking system ). The automation of the service processes forms the basis for standardization.
  2. Modularization - breaking down the services into individual components in the sense of a service-oriented architecture. The individual modules are combined as required.
  3. Quality & Enhancement Management - Six Sigma principles, standardized ticket categories but also specified solution times (standard time ) ensure consistent quality assurance.
  4. Concentration on core competencies - lower vertical integration reduces costs

Follow the sun principle

AM providers operating worldwide try to guarantee a so-called follow-the-sun service through call centers in several time zones. The goal is to be available to customers 24 hours a day. Established providers also use “knowledge management systems” for efficient global knowledge exchange.

Due to the increasingly diversifying IT environments, cooperation on a technical level is becoming more and more important. Even companies like Microsoft, Oracle, Siemens and SAP that are in tough competition work together in defined areas.

literature

  • Frank Keuper, Christian Oecking, Andreas Degenhardt: Application Management: Challenges - Service Creation - Strategies. Gabler-Verlag 2011, ISBN 978-3-8349-1667-9 .
  • Walter Linnartz, Barbara Kohlhoff, Gertrud Heck, Benedikt Schmidt: Application Management Services and Support. Publicis Corporate Publishing 2004, ISBN 3-89578-224-6 .
  • Susanne Strahringer : Application Management. HMD Praxis der Wirtschaftsinformatik 278, dpunkt 2011, ISBN 978-3-89864-748-9 .
  • Michael Hüttermann: Agile Application Lifecycle Management. Manning 2011, ISBN 978-1-935182-63-4 .

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