A redefined software life cycle model for improved maintenance

Software maintenance has been considered the postdevelopment phase of the software life cycle model. The authors suggest however, that maintenance should be integrated into all phases rather than being a separate stage. They propose a redefined software life cycle model with respect to software maintenance. The maintenance phase is seen as a miniature development cycle. In maintenance, a need is identified, it is analyzed, the existing system is understood, and the modifications are implemented. The contemporary maintenance approaches such as re-engineering and reverse engineering are also discussed in the context of the proposed life cycle model