Skip to main content

IT-Checklists.com - The eBook-Shop with Checklists and Templates for Professionals
logo IT Checklists
Our Guarantee
Immediate download
Money back if not fully satisfied
Skip main navigation
Template Systems Operations ManualTemplate Data Centre Operations ManualData Migration ChecklistNonfunctional RequirementsInterface (EAI) Checklist Server Upgrade / Migration ChecklistApplication Upgrade / Migration ChecklistApplication & Server Inventory TemplateRelease ChecklistOutage PlanningApplication CloningApplication RetirementApplication Health checkArchiving RequirementsDisaster Recovery (DR) Technology SelectionBackup OLA / SLADatabase OLA / SLADBA Job DescriptionDatabase Health Check
Application SupportData MigrationOLA / SLA Operations Level AgreementSystem DocumentationProject ManagementDeploymentQuality AssuranceCompliance and Standards Database AdministrationRobustness RequirementsStart-up PhaseAchieving Operational ReadinessStabilized Operations

IT Application Retirement - Checklist / Decommissioning Process Template

Summary

These documents explain the importance of proper decommissioning and support you in planning this important but too often neglected last step in an application's life cycle.
Purpose of this document is to support the creation of
  • an application specific plan,
  • instructions
  • and final checklist
to decommission a certain application.

Definitions

Very often "Application Retirement" discusses the process of upgrading an application to a newer version or replacing by another similar product, emphasizing the benefits of upgrading and only minor focus on the decommissioning.
Following different definitions are used in published literature:
  • Replacing an old version with a newer version of same application
  • Removing an application which is obsolete and not used any more
  • Removing an application because it is replaced with an other application
  • Removing an application because it is replaced with an module of a bigger application.

In Scope

This document deals solely with the "end of operations" / "decommissioning" of an obsolete IT application or old version of an upgraded / replaced application and addresses IT Organizations at maturity levels between 1 and 3, with highest benefit for those on level 2 striving to achieve level 3.
This document lists the arguments why obsolete applications need to be properly decommissioned and the risks if this is not done at all or not done properly, and who might initiate this. describes the phases of decommissioning lists what needs to be decommissioned (Client / Server Software, Adapters / Agents, Directory entries, Documentation, ....) and instructions how to identify those.

Out of Scope

  • The upgrading or migrating of applications. This topic is scope of document "Application Upgrade / Application Migration".
  • The upgrading or migration of servers. This topic is scope of document "Server Upgrade / Server Migration"
  • The planning of the outage required for the "switch over" from old to new server / application. This topic is scope of document "Checklist and Template for Outage Planning"