Application Lifecycle Management (ALM)

Application Lifecycle Management (ALM) is the amalgamation of business management and software development. Its aim is to increase productivity, improve the cooperation between all parties involved, and boost quality. Application Lifecycle Management comprises application planning, development, further development and maintenance as well as user support. An important aspect of ALM, above all with regard to the regulator's ever-increasing influence, is comprehensibility and traceabilty, from requirements specification across the entire development process all the way to commissioning.

Application Lifecycle Management means more than merely developing the application; it encompasses a solution’s entire life cycle. When does an application’s life begin? Not only at the development stage, but much earlier, when it is still only a business idea. And when does an application’s life end? Again, it is not at the development stage, but only after the application has been withdrawn from use, which often means many years after its development started.

Strategic Considerations

The many aspects of Application Lifecycle Management necessitate a company-wide strategy. Since there are hardly any company divisions not concerned by ALM, implementing the strategy requires a company-wide solution regarding the deployment of ALM products.

When it comes to using Application Lifecycle Management on software products, the question arises whether open-source or commercial products should be given preference. Another question is whether an integrated solution covers all essential aspects, or if using and integrating individual components may be the better solution. Questions, the answers to which should not be left to chance, and which are of strategic importance.

ALM using Open-Source Products

Users employing open-source products will seek the best application for each respective company division. The advantage of choosing such a “best-of-breed strategy” is having applications that are tailored and that can be adapted exactly to the specific needs of a given department or division. The downsides lie in the considerable expenditure associated with finding and assessing suitable applications, in a heterogeneous IT environment potentially involving systems integration cost (for interfaces linking the applications), and in the cost of maintaining individual subsystems.

Microsoft und ALM

For many years, Microsoft had steered clear of an integrated ALM solution, and the company’s individual solutions were clearly inferior in many respects to those of its competitors.

Then, in 2005, Microsoft launched its first integrated ALM product named “Visual Studio Team System” (VSTS). And now, since 2010, Microsoft distributes the Team Foundation Server for centrally storing data and maintaining the synchronicity of all aspects of Application Lifecycle Management.

bbv Software Services:
Your competent ALM Partner…

Your software engineering partner, bbv Software Services AG has extensive experience in evaluating, implementing and employing open-source toolsets for Application Lifecycle Management.

In October 2011, we were awarded the Gold Partner in Application Lifecycle Management status by Microsoft. A Microsoft Gold Partner, we consistently achieve the highest level of performance for our customers and prove, time and again, our outstanding expertise in Application Lifecycle Management using Microsoft technologies.

…with Substantial ALM-Know-how

• Competent guidance in planning and implementing Application Lifecycle Management in your company
• Consultancy on and assessment of open-source solutions as well as implementation of best-of-breed strategies
• Microsoft solution installation, configuration and training support
• Application-driven infrastructure setup and maintenance
• Application support (maintenance and care)
• First and second level support