Practice 03 · Web, software & digital solutionsApplication maintenance: keeping your tools dependable and useful

Software delivered a few years ago still runs, but nobody remembers which server it lives on, the libraries it depends on are no longer updated, and the last outage was fixed by rebooting the machine. Nothing is broken, and everything is fragile. Application maintenance gives your applications regular care, named people responsible for them and a plan to keep them doing their job.

Secure an application already in production

A review of your application’s condition, no commitment

See the practice

Web & software illustration: a kopus.net browser window with an interface mock-up and code

Our positionWhy maintenance is more than repair

An application that stops evolving loses value as the business changes around it: new needs, new tools to connect, new rules. Maintenance preserves that value by keeping the tool current, secure and fit for purpose. It costs less than an emergency rebuild after a major outage or an exploited vulnerability, and it avoids the scenario where nobody wants to touch the software because nobody understands it any more.

Who it is for, and whenWhen to put application maintenance in place

The question applies to any application whose failure would disrupt the business, whether it was built in-house, by Kopus or by another supplier.

The supplier or developer who built the application is no longer available, and you have neither full documentation nor full access.
Security updates pile up unapplied, for fear of breaking something.
Users’ change requests stack up without prioritisation, and every small modification turns into a project.
An audit, a customer or an insurer asks you for assurances about the backup, security and continuity of your tools.

Maintenance loopA loop that keeps turning when all is well

Most interventions do not start from an outage but from a signal: a monitoring alert, an ageing dependency, a certificate nearing its expiry date. Every fix follows the same path, tested before it is deployed, and a status board shows the state of the application at any time.

Monitoravailability, errors, performance
Diagnosecause and severity
Fixpatch or update
Testregression tests
Deployscheduled release

Application statusExample

AvailabilityOnline
BackupsRestore tested
DependenciesUp to date
CertificatesValid
Last updateSecurity patch

Illustrative example. The indicators monitored, alert thresholds and response times are set in the maintenance framework.

The scopeWhat Kopus application maintenance covers

Takeover Application audit, recovery of code and access, documentation of what exists, identification of risks (obsolete dependencies, missing backups, known vulnerabilities).
Corrective maintenance Incidents handled according to a defined severity level, with a reporting channel and response times agreed by contract.
Preventive maintenance Updates to dependencies, frameworks and systems, security patches, regression testing.
Monitoring Availability, errors, performance, disk space, certificates, with alerts.
Backups and restoration Regular checks that backups exist and can actually be restored.
Evolutionary maintenance Small improvements and new features, prioritised with you in a visible list and delivered in releases.
A periodic activity report Incidents handled, updates applied, remaining risks, proposals.
Knowledge transfer Documentation kept current so that the application never depends on a single person.

Up-to-date, secure, monitored applications.
A responsive contact and known response times.
A predictable evolution budget instead of costly emergencies.

The methodHow maintenance starts and runs

Assessment
We inspect the code, infrastructure, dependencies and backups, then draw up a list of risks ranked by severity.
Initial upgrade
Critical points (unsupported versions, vulnerabilities, missing backups) are dealt with before any ongoing commitment.
Maintenance framework
Severity levels, reporting channel, response times, the scope of included changes and the planned hours are set out in writing.
Ongoing care
Continuous monitoring, scheduled updates, handling of requests, releases delivered on a known calendar.
Periodic review
A look back at incidents, risks and changes, with the contract and roadmap adjusted.

Your questionsFrequently asked questions about this service

Why plan for application maintenance?

To reduce the risk of outages and breaches, keep components up to date and let the tool evolve at the pace of the business, with a named point of contact.

Can you maintain an application you did not build?

We can, after an assessment that measures code quality, the state of documentation and the technologies used. The outcome of that audit determines the scope and terms of maintenance.

What is the difference between corrective, preventive and evolutionary maintenance?

Corrective handles incidents, preventive applies updates before a problem occurs, evolutionary adds or changes features. A single contract can cover all three at different levels.

Under what kind of contract?

A monthly fee adapted to how critical your applications are, with defined response times, and an evolution budget you steer.

What does an application maintenance contract include?

Security updates, monitoring, backups, bug fixes within defined times and a volume of evolutions. All with a monthly review of the state of your applications.

What are your response times in case of failure?

They are defined in the contract according to how critical the application is: from a few hours for a tool essential to the business to one working day for a showcase site. We only promise what we can keep.

Go furtherPages related to this service

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Let’s secure the future of your applications, whether Kopus built them or not.