Software Re-Engineering - Overview

Background

 

The re-engineering of legacy systems is widely recognized as one of the most significant challenges facing software engineers. Re-engineering can be relevant to all kinds of organizations, especially those with major residual investments in legacy applications. Re-engineering is potentially a persistent requirement, since rapid advances in technology can quickly turn yesterday’s new systems into tomorrow's legacy.

 

Re-engineering is a task that requires specialized skills, access to appropriate automated conversion and testing tools and a route map, or methodology, which encapsulates the knowledge gained from previous successful re-engineering projects.

 

This paper summarises LinksMultiple’s re-engineering methodology and embodies knowledge gained from a wide range of re-engineering projects that provide a route-map to help plan and manage re-engineering projects to a successful conclusion.

Content and Structure of this Document

The document contains the following sections:

·         Introduction - describes background, content and structure of the document, the intended audience and the various terms used in the context of re-engineering.

·         LinksMultiple’s Re-engineering Framework

·         LinksMultiple’s Re-engineering Competency Centre service offerings - describes the specialized service offerings that can be provided

·         Re-engineering Methodology – details the steps to be followed for different types of re-engineering projects

Intended Audience

This document is intended for LinksMultiple's Business Development Team, Account Managers, Project Managers and Project Teams together with relevant external business partners and suppliers. The document serves to outline the methodology and guidelines for planning and executing re-engineering projects.

Terminology

Systems Re-engineering

The top-level process of engineering a system to meet overall requirements

Software Re-engineering

The examination and alteration of an existing system to reconstitute it in a new form. This process encompasses a combination of sub-processes such as reverse engineering, restructuring, re-documentation, forward engineering, and retargeting.

Reverse Engineering

The process of understanding, analysing, and abstracting the system to a new form at a higher abstraction level.

Forward Engineering

Forward engineering is the set of engineering activities that combine the products and artifacts derived from legacy software with the new requirements, to produce a target system

Data Re-engineering

Perform all the re-engineering functions associated with the source code, acting on the data files.

Re-documentation

The process of analysing the system to produce support documentation in various forms including user manuals, system manuals, user-friendly online help and hint facilities.

Retargeting

The process of re-engineering and hosting or porting the existing system into a new configuration

Source Code Translation

Translation of source code from one language to another or from one version of a language to another version of the same language

 

Re-engineering Framework

 

 

 

 

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