In this project, Fraunhofer IESE evaluated for FibuNet GmbH whether the planned replacement of the central data management system of their financial accounting software can be performed with acceptable risk.
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What it is all about:
Fraunhofer IESE analyzed the risk of the planned system modernization of the FibuNet software with an architecture evaluation
The challenge:
Clearly identify and assess the risks of the system modernization
The support:
Fraunhofer IESE performed the architecture evaluation
The result:
Implementation of the system modernization with a good feeling and manageable risk
Your benefits:
Fraunhofer IESE supports you in modernizing your software
FibuNet has a long-established successful financial accounting system on the market, which is trusted by a four-digit number of customers. At the time of the original development, commercial database systems were not able to serve certain queries as quickly as necessary to meet user requirements. This is why a proprietary data management system was developed at the time. In the meantime, commercial database systems have become much more powerful. The goal of the joint project with Fraunhofer IESE was to migrate FibuNet’s data management to such a commercial solution. In this way, FibuNet wanted to focus their own development capacity more on the actual business logic.
First, FibuNet developed a migration concept and a future architecture based on a relational database system. The experts from Fraunhofer IESE then analyzed – with the help of their external view – whether the future architecture fits the set goals and whether important existing requirements are not jeopardized. The evaluation result confirmed that the planned architecture fits the goals very well and thus formed the basis for a low-risk system modernization. FibuNet can therefore continue to guarantee that their customers will get the usual high quality and performance.
The challenge in the project was to create as broad a basis as possible for a risk assessment and, building on this, to provide a clearly understandable risk assessment.
In addition, the assessment results were to be presented in a way that was clearly substantiated but at the same time easy to interpret, so that they could be used not only for technical interpretations, but also for business interpretations. The confidence in the results also had to be presented as clearly as possible.
The basis of the architecture evaluation was the precise elicitation and consolidation of the architecture requirements (existing and future ones) from the perspectives of a wide variety of stakeholders.
Following this, Fraunhofer IESE analyzed and evaluated the existing architecture, the future architecture concepts, and the migration concept together with the architects and developers of FibuNet.
The results were summarized, interpreted, and packaged accordingly. Both the technical and the business stakeholders were thus provided with the answers that were important for them.
This is what Ralf Graap, director, FibuNet GmbH, has to say:
After the architecture evaluation, FibuNet was able to implement additional targeted measures and tests in some areas in order to further minimize the risks in the new version of their financial accounting software. This allowed them to implement this critical system modernization with a significantly better feeling and manageable risk.
FibuNet has thus modernized their software safely and continues to offer their customers high system quality.
Fraunhofer Institute for Experimental Software Engineering IESE