Showing papers on "Software as a service published in 2006"

Global Software Development Challenges: A Case Study on Temporal, Geographical and Socio-Cultural Distance

Abstract: Global software development (GSD) is a phenomenon that is receiving considerable interest from companies all over the world. In GSD, stakeholders from different national and organizational cultures are involved in developing software and the many benefits include access to a large labour pool, cost advantage and round-the-clock development. However, GSD is technologically and organizationally complex and presents a variety of challenges to be managed by the software development team. In particular, temporal, geographical and socio-cultural distances impose problems not experienced in traditional systems development. In this paper, we present findings from a case study in which we explore the particular challenges associated with managing GSD. Our study also reveals some of the solutions that are used to deal with these challenges. We do so by empirical investigation at three US based GSD companies operating in Ireland. Based on qualitative interviews we present challenges related to temporal, geographical and socio-cultural distance.

A research agenda for distributed software development

Abstract: In recent years, a number of business reasons have caused software development to become increasingly distributed. Remote development of software offers several advantages, but it is also fraught with challenges. In this paper, we report on our study of distributed software development that helped shape a research agenda for this field. Our study has identified four areas where important research questions need to be addressed to make distributed development more effective. These areas are: collaborative software tools, knowledge acquisition and management, testing in a distributed set-up and process and metrics issues. We present a brief summary of related research in each of these areas, and also outline open research issues.

Contributor Turnover in Libre Software Projects

Abstract: A common problem that management faces in software companies is the high instability of their staff. In libre (free, open source) software projects, the permanence of developers is also an open issue, with the potential of causing problems amplified by the self-organizing nature that most of them exhibit. Hence, human resources in libre software projects are even more difficult to manage: developers are in most cases not bound by a contract and, in addition, there is not a real management structure concerned about this problem. This raises some interesting questions with respect to the composition of development teams in libre software projects, and how they evolve over time. There are projects lead by their original founders (some sort of “code gods”), while others are driven by several different developer groups over time (i.e. the project “regenerates” itself). In this paper, we propose a quantitative methodology, based on the analysis of the activity in the source code management repositories, to study how these processes (developers leaving, developers joining) affect libre software projects. The basis of it is the analysis of the composition of the core group, the group of developers most active in a project, for several time lapses. We will apply this methodology to several large, well-known libre software projects, and show how it can be used to characterize them. In addition, we will discuss the lessons that can be learned, and the validity of our proposal.

Reflections on issues of power in packaged software selection

Abstract: The adoption of packaged software is becoming increasingly common in a variety of organizations and much of the packaged software literature presents this as a straightforward, linear process based on rationalistic evaluation. This paper applies the framework of power relations developed by Markus and Bjorn-Andersen to a longitudinal study concerning the adoption of a customer relationship management package in a small organization. This is used to highlight both overt and covert power issues within the selection and procurement of the product and illustrate the interplay of power between senior management, information technology (IT) managers, IT vendors and consultants and end-users. The paper contributes to the growing body of literature on packaged software and also to our understanding of how power is deeply embedded within the surrounding processes.

The unspoken revolution in software engineering

Abstract: In this article the author describes the outsourcing aspects of software engineering. The author finds outsourcing so fascinating partly because it serves as a magnifier and revelator of just about everything in software engineering. The development of offshoring also raises a new challenge for those of us entrusted with educating future software professionals in the industrialized world.

Software Licensing Method And System

Abstract: A software and/or content licensing method, which, in some embodiments, an intermediate entity brokers a plurality of software vendors to a single user, who can pay for only actual use of the software, through the single entity. In some embodiments, there is a cap. In some embodiments, offline use of the pay-per-use software is supported.

Proteus: virtualization for diversified tamper-resistance

Abstract: Despite huge efforts by software providers, software protection mechanisms are still broken on a regular basis. Due to the current distribution model, an attack against one copy of the software can be reused against any copy of the software. Diversity is an important tool to overcome this problem. It allows for renewable defenses in space, by giving every user a different copy, and renewable defenses in time when combined with tailored updates. This paper studies the possibilities and limitations of using virtualization to open a new set of opportunities to make diverse copies of a piece of software and to make individual copies more tamper-resistant. The performance impact is considerable and indicates that these techniques are best avoided in performance-critical parts of the code.

Provision of services over a common delivery platform such as a mobile telephony network

Abstract: One embodiment of a system for providing services to subscribers of a network supports the provision of a plurality of different services to multiple subscribers. A first processing unit provides a first execution environment for a first set of software applications and a second processing unit provides a second execution environment for a second set of software applications. A data structure is provided for storing data associated with subscribers of the system, the data structure providing a common identity for association with a subscriber which is recognized by all processing units of the system. This provides a common user repository which simplifies the provision of services and the authentication processes within the system.

Open source : a multidisciplinary approach

Abstract: History of Open Source Software and Intellectual Property Rights The Organization of the Open Source Community Software Development Models Open Source Products and Software Quality Strategies and Business Models Government Policies Towards Open Source Software New Trends in Work Organization Open Source as a Complex Adaptive System Developments.

Impact of User Skills and Network Effects on the Competition between Open Source and Proprietary Software

Abstract: Despite the availability of source code, deploying open source software (OSS) in an enterprise environment requires expertise. Recent surveys and case studies show that the skills of IT staff in an organization are one of the key factors in OSS adoption decisions. Another important factor organizations consider when choosing a platform is network effects. This paper studies how users' skills and network effects may influence the market where proprietary software (PS) competes with OSS. In the model, users make adoption decisions considering their own skills and the network effects of the software, and the vendor of PS prices its product strategically. It is found that in presence of network effects, PS dominates the market when OSS does not provider higher benefits to users. This implies that OSS as a low-cost substitute to PS cannot survive in a market exhibiting network effects. To gain market share, OSS has to outperform PS by a large margin, which can be achieved if significant portion of users are highly skilled and thus can customize the OSS to better satisfy their needs.

A genetic programming approach to support the design of service compositions

Abstract: Service-oriented architectures are rapidly gaining presence and popularity in the development of distributed software systems. Their rapid diffusion is changing the software engineering landscape and is opening the way to implement the idea of “software as a service” [19], i.e. something that one uses to compose a workflow that achieves a business goal, and then disengages. A service-oriented system can be thought of a set of services that collaborate in some way to carry on a given task. Also, service-oriented system can be, on its own, a service, usually referred as a composite service or composed service. A conceptual model for service-oriented systems [18] defines it as: “A Composed Service is a particular kind of Service, developed by a Service Integrator, which makes use of other Services”. From this definition emerges how the Service Integrator has a key role while dealing with service compositions. In fact, to have the right prospective of the existing problems, it is desirable to make a clear distinction between different services users i.e.:

Business to business integration software as a service

Abstract: The present technique includes a software framework which makes it possible for providing Business-to-Business (B2B) integration software as a service (SaaS). The framework follows a hub and spoke model wherein the hub and spoke communicate through web services. While the hub and spokes act as integration gateways with the enterprise systems, the hub also acts as a centralized remote command, control and configuration center for the entire setup. The hub software provides the ability to generate and remotely deploy the spoke environments and also manage them remotely. The generated spoke environment can be downloaded, installed and configured to connect to the local systems and act as a mediator for B2B integration between hub and the local systems. Once installed the environments are remotely managed through the management console provided by the hub software. This invention reduces the on boarding time of trading partners and reduces the cost of B2B integration by amortizing the cost of remotely managing multiple trading partner gateways through a single management console.

Software Licensing Models: What's Out There?

Abstract: Software licensing is changing how organization and individuals purchase and use software. For enterprises that rely on software to maintain a market share, the software licensing model can strongly influence the return on software investment. Yet choosing a model can be daunting, involving considerations from total licenses purchased to the resources available to install and set up licensing systems. Given the recent evolution of software licensing models, enterprises are finding it increasingly important to keep abreast of what's available and to understand how particular models are advantageous or detrimental matches. This article gives an overview of the choices, describes the resources needed to activate or protect software for the various models, and looks at how licensing systems can help enterprises better comply with licensing terms and agreements

Effective Software Project Management

Abstract: Why another book on software project management? For some time, the fields of project management, computer science, and software development have been growing rapidly and concurrently. Effective support for the enterprise demands the merging of these efforts into a coordinated discipline, one that incorporates best practices from both systems development and project management life cycles. Robert K. Wysocki creates that discipline in this book--a ready reference for professionals and consultants as well as a textbook for students of computer information systems and project management. By their very nature, software projects defy a "one size fits all" approach. In these pages you will learn to apply best-practice principles while maintaining the flexibility that's essential for successful software development. Learn how to make the planning process fit the need * Understand how and why software development must be planned on a certainty-to-uncertainty continuum * Categorize your projects on a four-quadrant model * Learn when to use each of the five SDPM strategies--Linear, Incremental, Iterative, Adaptive, and Extreme * Explore the benefits of each strategic model and what types of projects it supports best * Recognize the activities that go into the Scoping, Planning, Launching, Monitoring/Controlling, and Closing phases of each strategy * Apply this knowledge to the specific projects you manage * Get a clear picture of where you are and how to get where you want to go

Adaptive shared computing infrastructure for application server-based deployments

Abstract: An adaptive system for dynamically provisioning a shared computing infrastructure among a plurality of software applications and a plurality of types of applications servers providing run-time environments for the software applications The system includes computing engines assigned to execute instances of the software applications, clients accessing the computing engines to request and receive services from the software applications, and a broker device that dynamically allocates engines domains for executing the software applications The broker device includes an optimization module for allocating the computing engines to the domains, and a configuration manager for configuring the engines The configuration manager reconfigures a computing engine by halting a current instance of a first software application, and by loading and starting an instance of a second software application The system is capable of reconfiguring software applications running in environments provided by different types of software applications servers

Automatic software license reconciliation

Abstract: Reconciling an installed software application with a software license. A discovery agent is deployed to each computing device at a user site, and each deployed discovery agent identifies information associated with access to the installed software application on the respective computing device. The identified information is aggregated to determine a present utilization of the installed software application on the computing devices at the user site. Usage rights associated with a software license for the software application is correlated with the present utilization of the software application. A resulting utilization is created as a function of the correlation and a report is provided indicating the resulting utilization.

Software Vulnerability Analysis for Web Services Software Systems

Abstract: The use of Web Services has begun to significantly impact organizations and companies. Major business oriented objectives in reducing costs, shortening time, and improving quality and productivity can be achieved by using the Web Services technology. The Web Services software technology enables software components independently developed in disparate platforms to interact and collaborate in a seamless manner. They constitute a loosely-coupled, distributed system that is highly scalable. However, they also inherit the potential vulnerabilities of such systems. As Web Services increase in complexity and connectivity, the associated security risks also increase exponentially. Many of the security breaches can be traced back to poor verification and validation tasks. In this paper, a study on security related software vulnerabilities in SOAP-based Web Services is presented. The security context of traditional Web applications is compared to that of Web Services. An attempt has been made to map common attack patterns to security verification requirements with regard to Web Service software systems.

A new model for updating software in wireless sensor networks

Abstract: Wireless sensor networks (WSNs) are expected to be deployed for long periods of time, and the nodes are likely to need software updates during their lifetime, both for bug fixes and in order to support new requirements. But in many cases the nodes will be inaccessible or too numerous to be physically accessed. This drives the need for "over-the-air" support for software updates, and a number of different systems and supporting protocols for performing these updates have been developed. These systems have addressed the problem in a number of different ways, and meet different requirements. This article consolidates this work by determining an integrated set of necessary WSN software update criteria, and presenting a novel model for WSN software update systems

Software license manager employing license proofs for remote execution of software functions

Abstract: A user of a local computer requests that a remote computer run a software function of an application program by sending the request along with a license proof demonstrating that the local computer is authorized to run the software function using their respective license management software. Upon verifying the source, confirming that it has the right to run the software function, and verifying that the request is timely made, the license management software on the remote computer allows a user on that computer to run the software function as requested.

Server system and online software update method

Abstract: A server delivers new software to each of clients through the network. After delivering new software, the server sends a notification of switchover from old software to new software to each of the clients through the network. Each client loads the new software having been received on a memory. Receiving the notification from the server, each client switches the old software to the new software. The switchover operation at client is carried out in short time by rewriting address on memory without suspension of a service. In case of canceling the update, the reversion operation from new software to old software is carried out in an analogous way to the switchover operation.

Integrated development and maintenance for the release, delivery, deployment, and customization of product software: a case study in mass-market ERP software: Practice Articles

Abstract: The maintenance of enterprise application software at a customer site is a complex task for software vendors. This complexity results in a significant amount of work and risk. This article presents a case study of a product software vendor that tries to reduce this complexity by integrating product data management (PDM), software configuration management (SCM), and customer relationship management (CRM) into one system. The case study shows that by combining these management areas in a single software knowledge base, software maintenance processes can be automated and improved, thereby enabling a software vendor of enterprise resource planning software to serve a large number of customers with many different product configurations. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Software update system and software update manage

Abstract: A software update system includes: a product running on software; a server for providing update software of the product; and a software update management apparatus for managing software updating of the product by connecting the server and the product, wherein the server manages software update information of the product, stores the update software, and performs data communication with the software update management apparatus; the product stores the software and product information on the product, performs data communication with the software update management apparatus and updates the software; and the software update management apparatus acquires the product information from the product and update information on the software of the product from the server in accordance with the product information, downloads the update software of the product in accordance with the update information, and transmits the downloaded software to the product to update the software.

MoSCoE: A Framework for Modeling Web Service Composition and Execution

Abstract: Development of sound approaches and software tools for specification, assembly, and deployment of composite Web services from independently developed components promises to enhance collaborative software design and reuse. In this context, the proposed research introduces a new incremental approach to service composition, MoSCoE (Modeling Web Service Composition and Execution), based on the three steps of abstraction, composition and refinement. Abstraction refers to the high-level description of the service desired (goal) by the user, which drives the identification of an appropriate composition strategy. In the event that such a composition is not realizable, MoSCoE guides the user through successive refinements of the specification towards a realizable goal service that meets the user requirements.

Communication Networks in an Open Source Software Project

Abstract: This study explores the nature of the social network and the patterns of communication that exist in an open source software development project, the Apache HTTP (WEB) server project. Our analysis of archival data on email communications between developers in the Apache HTTP server project suggests an interesting pattern of communication. We find that the core developers self-organize into three sub-groups that communicate intensely in completing the project. Our analysis also reveals that a few prominent developers who are centrally located in the network are driving communications within the project. We identify the implications of our findings and suggest areas for further research.

Managing people and technology for enhancing competitiveness: software industry perspective

Abstract: Technology underpins business. This is evident in service sectors like the software industry, which is global in nature. The management of technology is well known in the software industry, where software professionals are the key enabler and knowledge carriers. The performance of the firm depends on the effective management of the technology by its workforce. Indian software industry is well known for its skilled software professionals and their technological knowledge to handle the domestic market and global projects as well. However, the global market share of Indian software industry is less than two percent. With such a dismal market share, can the Indian software industry call itself a global player? In view of this, there is a need to re-look into the strategies for sustainable and healthy industry. This paper discusses two key issues, people and technology, for enhancing the competitiveness of the software industry of India. The article also presents two case studies dealing with the issues related to the people and technology and examines how software firms explore the technology advantages in software development Operations.

tilizing agent teams in grid resource management preliminary considerations

Abstract: Recently it was suggested that (mobile) software agents can provide an infrastructure for resource management in grids. In this note we introduce an approach based on agent teams, and discuss how it can be used in grid resource management. Details of initial implementation of one of its functionalities are discussed.

Identifying use of software applications

Abstract: Techniques are described for identifying the use of software applications, such as to determine an identity of a user interacting with a Web site or other electronic information service based on information regarding an application copy used by the user. When a communication is received from a software application, the communication is analyzed to attempt to identify a particular software application copy that sent the communication. Various types of information about a client software application copy may be used in the analysis, including information about particular configuration settings for the client software application and for the client computing device on which the client software application is executing. After a matching software application copy is identified for a received communication, possible inappropriate activities related to the received communication may be identified in various ways, including based on previous communications received from the same software application copy.

Perspectives on Service-Oriented Computing and Service-Oriented System Engineering

Abstract: The Service-Oriented Computing (SOC) paradigm leads the innovation of today's computing system and software development, and it can transform the human society into a new republic of all-to-all connected world. There are a number of interesting and innovative research challenges involved in achieving this vision of Service-Oriented System Engineering (SOSE). This paper highlights some of these significant research opportunities and also the need for enhanced education in this emerging area.

OSS opportunities in open source software -- CRM and OSS standards

Abstract: In many industry verticals, open source software is proving to be a credible alternative to proprietary software. When compared to proprietary software, open source software can offer a number of benefits such as stronger customer involvement, lower costs and better quality. Despite these benefits, the take-up of open source software by incumbent telecommunications providers has been virtually zero, choosing instead to focus on major proprietary commercial-off-theshelf (COTS) packages due to prior strategic investments and negative preconceptions about open source software. Although an immediate change in take-up is not expected, the pressure to reduce operational support systems (OSS) costs is steering telecommunications providers to research potential opportunities for using open source software within their OSS. This paper addresses some of those opportunities. The general opportunities are presented using specific examples from current research. Potential short-term opportunities, using readily available open source customer relationship management (CRM) applications, and potential mid-to long-term opportunities, using open source OSS integration software, are analysed and evaluated. The paper concludes with a recommendation on what telecommunications providers should do to further investigate the opportunities presented by open source OSS.