Method for controlling a software maintenance process in a software system landscape and computer system

• US 20060174241A1
• Filed: 02/03/2006
• Published: 08/03/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 02/03/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SAP SE
• Original Assignee: SAP AG (SAP SE)
• Inventors: Schulz, Volker, Lier, Karlheinz, Dohle, Michael, Celadnik, Werner
• Granted Patent: US 8,051,407 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 717/170
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/71 Version control security arrangements therefor G06F21/57; Configuration management

Abstract

A method for controlling a software maintenance process in a software system landscape has a plurality of logical systems, wherein independent service software components are executed in a central control system and used to perform actions of the software maintenance process for servicing the logical systems. The service software components communicate with a phase controller that coordinates the software service components and allows and denies actions based on a phase of the software maintenance process and on phase definitions comprising allowed and/or barred actions.

Claims

1. A method for controlling a software maintenance process in a software system landscape having a plurality of logical systems, wherein independent service software components are executed in a central control system and used to perform actions of the software maintenance process for servicing the logical systems, the service software components communicating with a phase controller that coordinates the software service components and allows and denies actions based on a phase of the software maintenance process and on phase definitions comprising allowed and/or barred actions.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the phase definitions are used that comprise allowabilities for a generation of transport requests, for transporting of transport requests, for importing software services into logical systems, for test data generation and/or for test message generation.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein a phase model is used that comprises a generation phase, a cancellation phase, a development phase without approval, a development phase, a test phase, an urgent correction phase, a go-life phase, and a finalization phase.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the phase controller initiates a change from one phase to another phase.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the phase controller inquires at the service software components whether a change from one phase to another phase is possible.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein a service software component requests a change from one phase to another phase at the phase controller.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the phase controller notifies the service software components about a phase change.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the software maintenance process is structured in software service cycles that each evolve through different phases from generation to completion.

17. A computer program product comprising on a storage medium a computer code that upon execution on a computer system performs the method according to claim 1.

9. A computer system comprising a software system landscape with a plurality of logical systems and a central control system with independent service software components for performing actions of a software maintenance process for servicing the logical systems, the system including a phase controller to communicate with and coordinate the service software components, and to allow and deny actions based on a phase of the software maintenance process and on phase definitions comprising allowed and/or barred actions.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the phase definitions comprise allowabilities for a generation of transport requests, for transporting of transport requests, for importing software services into logical systems, for test data generation and/or for test message generation.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the phase model comprises a generation phase, a cancellation phase, a development phase without approval, a development phase, a test phase, an urgent correction phase, a go-life phase, and a finalization phase.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein the phase controller is designed to initiate a change from one phase to another phase.

13. The system of claim 9, wherein the phase controller is logically connected to the service software components and designed to inquire at the service software components whether a change from one phase to another phase is possible.

14. The system of claim 9, wherein a service software component is designed to request a change from one phase to another phase at the phase controller.

15. The system of claim 9, wherein the phase controller is designed to notify the service software components about a phase change.

16. The system of claim 9, wherein the software maintenance process comprises software service cycles that are designed to evolve through different phases from generation to completion.