Software Re-engineering
Software Re-engineering is a process
of software development which is done to improve the maintainability of a
software system. Re-engineering is the examination and alteration of a system
to reconstitute it in a new form. This process encompasses a combination of
sub-processes like reverse engineering, forward engineering, reconstructing
etc.
Re-engineering is the reorganizing and modifying existing software systems to make them more maintainable.
Objectives of Re-engineering:
·
To describe a cost-effective option for system evolution.
·
To describe the activities involved in the software maintenance
process.
·
To distinguish between software and data re-engineering and to
explain the problems of data re-engineering.
Steps involved in Re-engineering:
1. Inventory Analysis
2.
Document
Reconstruction
3.
Reverse
Engineering
4.
Code
Reconstruction
5.
Data
Reconstruction
6.
Forward
Engineering
Diagrammatic Representation:
Re-engineering Cost Factors:
·
The
quality of the software to be re-engineered
·
The
tool support available for re-engineering
·
The
extent of the required data conversion
·
The
availability of expert staff for re-engineering
Advantages of Re-engineering:
·
Reduced Risk: As the software is already existing, the risk is
less as compared to new software development. Development problems, staffing
problems and specification problems are the lots of problems which may arise in
new software development.
·
Reduced Cost: The cost of re-engineering is less than the
costs of developing new software.
·
Revelation of Business Rules: As a system is
re-engineered , business rules that are embedded in the system are
rediscovered.
·
Better use of Existing Staff: Existing staff expertise
can be maintained and extended accommodate new skills during re-engineering.
Disadvantages of Re-engineering:
·
Practical
limits to the extent of re-engineering.
·
Major
architectural changes or radical reorganizing of the systems data management
has to be done manually.
·
Re-engineered
system is not likely to be as maintainable as a new system developed using
modern software Re-engineering methods.