Design – Build – Run: Applied Practices and Principles for Production-Ready Software Development

Chapter 1. "Production" Readiness

Developing and implementing a software system is a complicated and tricky business. In fact, "developing" and "implementing" are really two different but very interrelated disciplines. For the purposes of this book, "implementing a software system" refers to the activities and processes required to get a software system from an initial concept into live service or production, whereas "developing a software system" refers to the activities and processes of actual software construction and proving. Although the two disciplines are interrelated, they can also be very far apart. Just because a piece of software has been developed doesn't necessarily mean it will be implemented. Many software projects don't even get off the ground or are shelved part way through. This is especially true when the overall project isn't or hasn't been planned, executed, and delivered well. While the development is essential, the implementation is paramount. That said, the project needs to have a sound business case, and the project needs to be firmly planned, executed, and delivered.

This chapter looks at the high-level criteria for production readiness as it relates to both software development and its ultimate implementation. This chapter is organized into the following sections:

• What Is Production Readiness? On the one hand, production readiness assesses whether your system meets all the necessary criteria for live service. On the other hand, production readiness also ...