SAP Logo LeanIX is now part of SAP
Solved

IT Component Lifecycle State help text

  • 15 August 2023
  • 7 replies
  • 272 views

Userlevel 5
Badge +1

The help text on the IT Component lifecycle dates seems to imply these are dates when the organisation is doing something with the component rather than dates when the provider is doing something. 

 

It seems to me, given the Lifecycle Catalog supplies provider dates, that the help text needs to be reworded, e.g.

  • Plan - The component has been announced by the provider
  • Phase in - The component is in beta or early access
  • Active - The component is generally available
  • Phase out - The component has reached end of support. Extended support may be offered by the provider.
  • End of life - The component is end of life and no longer supported by the provider

Is this the correct interpretation of the dates provided by the Lifecycle Catalog? 

Has anyone adjusted their help text and is willing to share their wording? 

icon

Best answer by Julia Schirmer 21 August 2023, 11:38

View original

7 replies

Userlevel 6
Badge +2

Hi @Stephen Gates 

I agree with most of the interpretations, except for those two:

  • Phase out - A successor is available, new installations of this component are not recommended.
  • End of life - The component has reached end of support. Extended support may be offered by the provider.

Possibly @MarleneJung can share what definitions they use in the lifecycle catalog when they research the dates?

Badge

Hi @Stephen Gates,
I had a quick chat with the team and got confirmation that all your interpretations are well defined except for the “phase out” date. For this phase different scenarios might apply.

'Phase out date' is usually the following:

  • The date when the product version is no longer actively supported/passive support or only security updates provided, or the version is in sunset phase.
  • The announcement date when company announces that a version will be going to be outdated.

Hope this helps adjusting the text block.

Userlevel 5
Badge +1

Thank you for your reply @Julia. Perhaps these definitions could be added to the LeanIX documentation and the default help text? 

These definitions cause a dilemma if an IT Component is not connected to an Application. I’d be interested in your thoughts over at that post.

Userlevel 2

Hi

We mostly use these dates from an internal perspective, rather than the Vendor’s. 

  • Plan - When the component (Application or IT Component) is added to the Technology portfolio as part of an evolution plan. First time is envisioned in a TO-BE landscape scenario. At this moment the component can be identified as a successor of another. 
  • Phase in - When the component begins its implementation. There has to be a project that is Active in that same period of time with the implementation component as part of its scope. There can also be a Transformation associated to it with either introduction of a new application or replacement of an application as its goal.
  • Active - When the component goes into production and now is part of live landscape.
  • Phase out - When the component is in the process of being either retired or replaced by its successor. There is a project that has this component as part of its scope. There can also be a Transformation associated to it with either retirement of an application or replacement of an application as its goal.
  • End of life - This is the deadline in which support for the component expires. It is the earliest between the Vendor’s End of Support and our internal support team’s End of Support dates. It is expected that by it the component has been either replaced by its successor or retired and it no longer is an active part of the landscape. 

 There are some governance rules related to keeping the number of components, especially Applications, to the minimum possible given the licensing scheme. For example, an Application may be created with a Plan status when envisioned as part of the TO-BE landscape, but if the implementation project is not approved, then the Application is archived.

Regards

Paco

 

 

Userlevel 5
Badge +1

Thanks @Paco Quiroz. That’s how I was using the dates also. Then I considered purchasing the TRM add-on and saw that the dates are now used for provider dates. This means I lose my organisation’s internal dates. This becomes a blocker to me purchasing the TRM add-on unless there’s a work-around. 

Userlevel 2

We ran into the same situation. In a way I think it could be useful to have two sets of lifecycle data (Vendor & Internal), both are useful. On another thread I’ve been asking if this is possible.

Regards

Paco

Userlevel 5
Badge +1

I just noticed in the documentation for the TRM Lifecycle Catalog that it provides six lifecycle dates as opposed to the usual five. Using the conversations above from @Thomas Schreiner and @Julia Schirmer about provider dates, I’ve suggested some help text below for the six dates (the text needs to be short).

  1. Plan - The component has been announced by the provider
  2. Phase in - The component is in beta or early access
  3. Active - The component is generally available and fully supported
  4. Phase-out - Support for the component is reduced as a successor is available.
  5. End-of-life - The component has reached end of support. Extended support may be offered by the provider.
  6. End-of-sale - The component is no longer supported or available for purchase

It would be great if lifecycle stage names could be self-configured as I find the above name confusing. 

Clarifications from LeanIX or TRM users appreciated 🙏

 

Reply