Evaluating the Release, Delivery, and Deployment Processes of Eight Large Product Software Vendors applying the Customer Configuration Update Model

Abstract

For software vendors the processes of release, delivery, and deployment to customers are inherently complex. However, software vendors can greatly improve their product quality and quality of service by applying a model that focuses on customer interaction if such a model were available. This paper presents a model for customer configuration updating (CCU) that can evaluate the capabilities of a software vendor in these processes. Eight extensive case studies of medium to large product software vendors are presented and evaluated using the model, thereby uncovering issues in their release, delivery, and deployment processes.