Navigating Software Product Lifecycles: A Key to Effective Software Asset Management

[Sean_Walker]

Navigating Software Product Lifecycles: A Key to Effective Software Asset Management

In the dynamic world of software management, understanding and tracking the lifecycle of your software products is crucial for maintaining operational efficiency and mitigating risks. Software Product Lifecycles provide a structured way to monitor critical software dates and assess associated risk levels. With ServiceNow's powerful tools, Asset Managers can track six distinct lifecycle phases, each offering valuable insights into the status and longevity of software products.

For a deeper understanding of how to leverage the Software Product Lifecycles, be sure to watch the “Ask a Ranger: Software Asset Management” video series Creating Software Product Lifecycles and Understanding Lifecycle Averages

Understanding the Six Lifecycle Phases

1. Pre-release: This phase marks the announcement of a software release before it becomes available to the public. The software may be available in limited capacity and/or to limited audience. Tracking this phase helps in planning and preparing for the software's entry into the market.
2. General Availability (GA): GA date marks the time when the software becomes available to customers at large. The publisher provides full support, actively develops and enhances the software. This date helps in planning deployments and aligning with the software’s official release.
3. Upgrade: Specific to internal use (i.e., ServiceNow will not provide any dates for this as part of ITAM Content Library), this phase refers to the availability of new versions or upgrades of the software. It’s essential for maintaining up-to-date systems and leveraging new features.
4. End of Support (EOS): This marks the end of full support where the publisher is no longer enhancing the software with new features or capabilities. The software is no longer current (i.e., newer versions are already out). The only form of support provided is to address defects or issues. Understanding this date helps in preparing for transitions to newer versions or alternative solutions.
5. End of Extended Support (EOES): This milestone limits publisher’s support for what is considered as critical security and reliability issues only. It’s vital for planning the migration or replacement of the software to ensure continued protection and functionality.
6. End of Life (EOL): This final milestone indicates when the publisher will no longer provide any form of support, including security updates. The EOL phase is when the publisher ceased any and all development activities on the software. Tracking this date is critical to avoid using outdated software with no form of support whatsoever from the publisher.

The Importance of Lifecycle Data

Lifecycle data is more than just a timeline; it is a strategic tool that helps Software Asset Managers (SAM Managers) maintain control over their software environment. Here’s why this data is so crucial:

• Risk Management: By tracking the End of Support (EOS) and End of Life (EOL) dates, SAM Managers can identify software that is nearing obsolescence or unsupported status. This foresight allows for timely remediation actions, such as upgrading to newer versions or replacing outdated software to avoid security vulnerabilities and compliance issues.
• Operational Continuity: Monitoring software lifecycles helps ensure that your systems remain operational and secure. Proactively managing the transition from software that is no longer supported mitigates the risk of potential downtime or operational disruptions.
• Strategic Planning: Lifecycle data aids in long-term planning by providing insights into when upgrades or replacements should be considered. This proactive approach helps in budgeting and aligning software investments with business goals.

Ensuring Complete Lifecycle Data

To maximize the effectiveness of lifecycle management, it’s essential to ensure that you have comprehensive lifecycle data for all software models in your instance. Here are some strategies to achieve this:

• Normalize Discovery Models: Ensure that all Discovery models are fully normalized. This step helps in accurately capturing and representing lifecycle data for each software product.
• Create Internal/Custom Software Lifecycles: For internal software, establish and track lifecycle phases to manage updates and support effectively.
• Utilize Lifecycle Averages: Create and use software lifecycle averages to calculate and estimate lifecycle phases dates for products where specific dates might not be available.
• Enable Approximated Lifecycles: Use the system property “com.snc.samp.use_lifecycle_approximation” (available in the Washington DC Release) to take advantage of approximated lifecycle dates (and lifecycle codes) for products without explicit/declared lifecycle data.

Learn More

To dive deeper into managing and creating Software Product Lifecycles, and to understand how lifecycle averages can benefit your asset management strategy, check out our additional resources:

Ask a Ranger: Software Asset Management Video Series

Creating Software Product Lifecycles and Understanding Lifecycle Averages

By leveraging the tools and strategies outlined above, you can enhance your software asset management practices, reduce risks, and ensure that your software environment remains robust and compliant. Stay informed, plan proactively, and manage your software lifecycles effectively to achieve operational excellence.