Title: A model to derive software maintenance policy decision

Authors: A. Subash Babu; Udit Sanghi; Ateekh Ur Rehman; Adel M. AL-Shayea; Mohamed Abdel Fattah Sharaf

Addresses: Department of Mechanical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, Powai-400076, Mumbai, India ' Department of Mechanical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, Powai-400076, Mumbai, India ' Industrial Engineering Department, College of Engineering, King Saud University, P.O. Box 800 Riyadh 11421, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia ' Industrial Engineering Department, College of Engineering, King Saud University, P.O. Box 800 Riyadh 11421, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia ' Industrial Engineering Department, College of Engineering, King Saud University, P.O. Box 800 Riyadh 11421, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

Abstract: The problem of software maintenance is gaining considerable importance both for the user industry and the service providers. The area of equipment maintenance is very well developed one, but the same is not true for the software maintenance. In this paper, a model is developed and solved for deriving software maintenance decision. This model uses two criteria of maximum availability and minimum maintenance cost to make a decision between corrective maintenance and preventive maintenance. The model was used to obtain the appropriate maintenance policy and also for performing sensitivity analysis, the results of which are presented in this paper. The model presented in this paper has significant potential for application and further research.

Keywords: software maintenance; availability; preventive maintenance; corrective maintenance; maintenance costs; maintenance policy; modelling.

DOI: 10.1504/IJPQM.2013.052944

International Journal of Productivity and Quality Management, 2013 Vol.11 No.3, pp.247 - 268

Published online: 31 Mar 2014 *

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