Technical Resources

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Software Maintenance

Upgrading, updating, patching, and adjusting the various toolsets and technologies foundational to the software systems developed by Black Line.

Maintenance is completed at least two times per year, or more if required by the manufacturer, to ensure custom applications are kept at the highest version levels and supported by the manufacturers of the technologies a custom system are built.

Below are the various components covered by the Black Line Software Maintenance program:

  • Semi-Annual Updates: Custom software systems must be maintained regularly just as all other digital business systems. Black Line’s Software Maintenance program performs regular system updates to your system insuring the highest level of availability and quality.
    • Cross browser support, your system is adjusted to keep pace with the frequent changes and updates made to browser platforms.
    • Security updates: browser and operating system platforms update their security technologies often leading to adjustments to custom systems.
    • .NET: Microsoft regularly updates its technologies and the Software Maintenance program includes applying these changes as needed.
    • Other patches, upgrades, technology support: Applying system enhancements and adjustments to match the continually evolving software toolset landscape.
  • Supporting Technologies: All modern software systems are built using numerous “supporting” technologies and toolsets. Each of these technologies requires regular maintenance and support. Black Line Software Maintenance programs include the updates and upgrades to these systems so your business systems are always compatible. Common systems:
    • Databases
    • Modeling tools
    • Development tools
    • Third-party class libraries
    • Monitoring systems
    • Design tools
    • Graphic design tools
  • Added functionality: As the supporting technologies are upgraded and improved, a Client system may benefit from a new feature. Black Line will add new features to existing systems without having to charge if the added capability is desired and included in the agreement.
Service Group
  • Software Maintenance
  • Software Proactive
Technical Value Propositions
  • Software Maintenance
Black Line Value Propositions
  • Access
  • Availability
  • Compliance
  • Performance
  • Risk Reduction
  • Scalability
  • Strategic
  • Technical Stability

Why does this matter for your business?

Software systems and their underlying technologies become outdated very rapidly and keeping up with maintenance ensures critical business systems operate at a very high level of effectiveness. The Black Line Software Development team is much more effective when they are working with technologies kept at reasonable version levels. This allows Engineers to be trained and maintain training in the most current technologies and reduces the risk of outdated systems needing support. The more technically relevant each component is kept the larger the pool of engineers there are available to support. Black Line engineers are most effective (cost and time) when the variations of technologies is kept to a minimum. The more variations in technologies to support the more training is needed, our talent pool shrinks and there is significantly more technical debt to carry

What value does this add to your business?

  • Technical Stability
  • Risk Reduction
  • Availability
  • Scalability
  • Compliance

What common problems does this solve for your business?

Unplanned downtime, features that no longer work with newer technologies, browsers that are no longer supported, security gaps creating serious organizational risk, systems not in compliance with regulatory rules, Regular business interruption, data corruption, performance issues

Why do you need a solution?

Client’s need confidence their investment in technology is accomplishing the goals as intended. Conducting regular maintenance translates into systems protected from security threats, available when needed, scalable to meet growing needs, stabile, and addresses compliance requirements. Conducting regular maintenance dramatically improves the likelihood of a system is serving the business at the highest level of value.

What can you and your business expect from this service?

Business Leaders can expect:
  • Black Line’s team will conduct maintenance activities aligned with the needs of the organization. It will be planned, scheduled and conducted with the appropriate level of communication and attention to detail expected for a critical business system. Engineers will be thorough in identifying what maintenance needs to be performed, prioritized to address urgency or risk to the organization, and completed with limited interruption to operations
End Users can expect:
  • End-users will see that systems just work as intended, available when needed and low on interruptions to their normal workflow. They will experience rare interruption to their daily routines and will find their business systems work seamlessly as part of their daily work

How does Black Line do it better?

Maintenance is often an ignored and under-prioritized aspect of the software development lifecycle. Most Engineers view maintenance work as tedious and not matching their skills or advancement. Black Line Engineers see the effort as critical to serving the needs of the organizations we serve. Performing maintenance means being proactive and preventing unplanned downtime or negative impact to the business people relying on it for their work

More Questions or Want to Talk?

Let’s get started by understanding your business’s needs.

We start with a conversation to deeply understand your wants and needs. Only by truly diving into discovery can we uncover the best solutions.

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