Question
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What Happens After Go-Live?
Short answer
The launch is not the end. After that, software requires operation: monitoring, security updates, backups with verified restoration, and a way to report errors. Those who do not plan for operation will pay for it later as an emergency.
What Operation Includes
- Monitoring. Availability, error rates, and response times are measured. Anomalies should be detected before someone calls.
- Security Updates. Dependencies become outdated. A system that has not been updated for two years is vulnerable—regardless of how well it was programmed.
- Backups with Restoration Testing. A backup that has never been restored is not a backup, but a hope.
- Error Reporting with Response Times. Who reports where, and what happens then?
What an Agreement Should Regulate
| Item | Why It Matters |
|---|---|
| Response Time by Downtime Class | A login failure is not the same as a misaligned line break |
| Availability | Weekdays or around the clock—this affects the price |
| Maintenance Window | When can updates occur without disrupting operations |
| Handling of Extensions | Minor changes within scope, larger ones as separate projects |
The Most Common Mistake
Discussing operation only after the launch. Then there is a lack of budget, responsibilities are unclear, and no one updates. A year later, a security issue arises that should not have occurred.
What an Operational Agreement Should Include at Minimum
- Response times, tiered by severity of the issue
- Availability: weekdays or beyond
- Maintenance windows for updates
- Handling of minor adjustments versus larger extensions
- What is handed over upon termination
Ask for this before you contract. An offer without these points is not cheaper, but incomplete.
Key facts
- Core of Operation
- Monitoring, updates, verified backups
- Rule of Thumb
- Agree on operation before the launch, not after