Problem
Applications are often handed to a small internal team or an overstretched supplier once the project ends. Updates slip, small faults pile up and nobody has time to improve anything. The service gets a little slower and a little riskier each month, until a failure makes the problem visible.
Outcomes
- Applications run, patched and monitored by a named team.
- Faults fixed against agreed response and resolution times.
- Small improvements delivered steadily, not saved up for a big project.
- Clear monthly reporting on availability, incidents and changes.
- Less reliance on the few people who know the system.
Scope
In scope
- Application support and monitoring.
- Bug fixes and minor enhancements.
- Patching, updates and dependency upgrades.
- Release support and environment management.
- Monthly service reporting and reviews.
Not included
- Major new features or rebuilds. These are scoped as separate projects.
- Hosting and infrastructure operation. See Managed cloud and infrastructure.
Support and maintenance
Once an application is live, it needs steady care. We provide ongoing fixes, updates and small improvements, so the application stays secure, supported and useful.
- Fixes for defects reported by users.
- Updates for security and supported versions.
- Small improvements agreed with the service owner.
- A backlog reviewed with you each month.
Approach
Discovery
We list the applications to be supported, how they are supported today and where the risks are. We then agree the service levels and responsibilities for each one.
Delivery Planning
We plan the handover in stages, with a named owner for each application, and agree how faults, releases and changes will be handled and reported.
Build and Test
We set up monitoring, runbooks and reporting, and test them by rehearsing a fault from first report to fix. Before go-live, you get the test results, and a named person decides whether to go ahead.
Operational Readiness, Hypercare and Closure
We carry out the cutover, check each application in live use and hand over to the team who will run it day to day. We provide extra hypercare for the first few weeks, then close the transition with your sign-off.
Deliverables
Technologies
Controls
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you support an application you did not build?
Yes. We start with an assessment and a documented handover, so we understand it before taking it on.
What does a monthly service report show?
Availability, incidents raised and resolved, changes made and what is planned next, reported against the agreed service levels.
What are your response times?
Response and resolution times are agreed for each application and written into the service levels before support starts.
Can small improvements be included?
Yes. Small improvements are agreed with the service owner and tracked in a backlog reviewed each month. Larger changes are scoped as projects.
Application support stretched thin?
A Technical Audit reviews your application, how it is supported and where the risks are in 10 to 15 working days and gives you a prioritised remediation plan.