Task: Monitor COTS Packages and Vendors
This task focuses on monitoring COTS Packages and Vendors.
Disciplines: Requirements
Purpose
  • To monitor the marketplace and other COTS package sources, or new or changed COTS packages
Relationships
RolesPrimary Performer: Additional Performers:
InputsMandatory:
  • None
Optional:
    Outputs
      Steps
      Monitor COTS Packages and Vendors

      Look for any indications that might affect the vendor's long-term support of the COTS package (technology maturity, COTS package obsolescence, vendor mergers, vendors going out of business, buy-outs, and so on). In addition, look for new COTS packages that might drive the definition of the solution and work with other customers to gain leverage over vendors in defining and delivering the changes, patches, and COTS packages needed for the solution.

      This is accomplished by monitoring the:

      • Technologies and COTS packages used in the solution(s) for any changes or forecasts of change that are applicable to their use in the solution(s)
      • Market for new technologies and COTS packages that might be relevant to the evolving solution(s)
      • Marketplace for any changes in behavior, and updating the relevant market segment information
      Review and Update COTS Package and Vendor Information

      Update any changes to the understanding of a COTS package using the COTS Package Dossier specific to the:

      • History of consideration and use of the COTS package
      • Raw (unfiltered) information about the COTS package gathered directly from the vendor (documentation, claims, price lists, demonstration versions, response to a Request For Information and Request For Proposal, and so on), and from third parties (such correspondence and reviews by other users, trade journal articles, business/financial analysis, and so forth)
      • Processed (filtered) data obtained during consideration of the COTS package, including the results of investigations into the COTS package, information describing the exact configuration of the COTS package evaluated, and data gathered during evaluation tasks and benchmarking
      • Analysis of the COTS package, including COTS package strengths, weaknesses, related COTS packages and ensembles, and architecture or usage constraints identified during evaluation
      • Characteristics of the COTS package architecture and functional capabilities, standards supported, required hardware and software configurations, nonfunctional requirements such as usability, supportability, reliability, interoperability, portability, and scalability, and quality of documentation, costs, and licenses

      Update any changes to the understanding of a vendor using the Vendor Dossier specific to the:

      • History of contacts with the vendor regarding a COTS package(s) they sell or support
      • Raw (unfiltered) information about a vendor gathered directly from the vendor and from third parties (for example, correspondence and reviews by other users, trade journal articles, business/financial analysis, and so on)
      • Processed (filtered) vendor data obtained during due diligence, including vendor financial/ business strengths and weaknesses
      • Development and managing of the relationship with a vendor

      Additionally, the shape of the marketplace will change as vendors are bought out or sold and customers outsource functions or bring functionality in-house; these changes might have a bearing on the future directions COTS packages will take and are, therefore, of interest to the project. Update any changes to the understanding of shape of the marketplace using the Market Segment Information.