ALM overview
When we talk about ALM, we often only talk about the automation part. Even though this is an essential part of it, there is more to ALM than that. ALM is a complex system of tools, people, and processes to control the complete cycle of an application, from planning and development, testing, and maintenance to retirement. It is important to know that all of these are integral parts of holistic ALM.
The following diagram illustrates the different stages of an ALM process and that it is an ever-repeating cycle:
Figure 1.1 – Stages of ALM
Whenever we have completed one cycle by starting from the Maintain stage, we start over with the planning of the next iteration. After the first iteration, the Maintain stage continues while the other stages are executed to support and maintain the current version in production while the next version is prepared. This goes on until the application is finally retired.
