Brownfield Service
The term ‘brown’ on the other hand implies previous work has been done on a project. This applies to current and legacy systems, and are those that exist in on-premise platforms. It operates on a more traditional approach where software and systems are built, stored, deployed, and maintained in monolithic, physical on-premise servers that may or may not allow remote accessibility. While its counterpart, which is the Greenfield service, allows a more agile and highly digital approach, the Brownfield service boasts of stability and tried and tested approaches that have been in place for decades. Brownfield development encompasses the maintenance and development of current and legacy systems, and is guided by a traditional value stream map, which some would refer to as the “current state” map. Developing a “future state” map is process that involves the careful analysation of the current work flow, identifying the constraints that create chokepoints and bottlenecks in the flow, and eliminating waste in terms of time and motion to create a leaner and more efficient workflow and teamwork. Brownfield is an opportunity to modernise and improve the tools and systems that are currently in place, to make it compatible with cloud first approaches. Below are the advantages and disadvantages of it.
- Pros
Stability, security, and scalability
Guiding principles in place
Clearly defined rules and systems
Code and features are amenable to change and improvement, and can be used for new developments
- Cons
Rigidity and slow work
Requires expertise and full knowledge of the existing systems and projects
Comes with technical debt
Bound with constraints due to dependencies and factors contributed by existing systems
Seeing these two project classifications side by side can help an organisation understand their current state and standing, and be able to develop a path that will allow them to shift from old work methodologies to newer, more agile methodologies. These are going to be the determining factors in developing future state value stream maps for greenfield and brownfield projects — no matter which field it is, a leaner value stream map will prove beneficial to both.
While greenfield value stream mapping is the default for newer projects, one important consideration must be made before commencing work: is the Cloud a suitable platform for the new investment?
As the Cloud is the now the default platform for any incoming project, it is important to ask this question as new projects like development for brownfield projects may not run on cloud as effectively as one might think it would, but it is still entirely possible for some projects to do so.
Take for example Compuware. As a software company that has been operating for almost 5 decades, they have deeply embedded institutional beliefs when it comes to what can and cannot be done when it comes to software development. In 2014, as the company was going through acquisition by another company, a new CEO came into the picture and saw how the company was in dire need for a change. This was the start of their DevOps transformation, as they moved most of their on-premise systems housed by tens of iron mainframes to the Cloud. This transition involved development of new tools that allowed the younger, newer batch of developers work with ease on existing systems and software on the mainframe. The CEO realised that in order to stay relevant and meet the ever changing demands in the digital market, they have to develop ways to work more efficiently and more effectively. A leaner and more efficient value stream map is what will give a 5-decade old company the agility to keep up with today’s highly competitive and ultra fast paced digital market.
True enough, after years of step by step improvement, they have reduced their on-premise servers down to two traditional mainframes that are dedicated to legacy and current systems, and are now using bare metal servers that are dedicated to Cloud.
They have successfully allowed the integration between brownfield and greenfield; they are the epitome of a company who employs traditional and agile work methods, with work flows guided by “future state” value stream maps that allow their dev teams to work with ease, whether it’s on traditional systems or on Cloud. It has also increased their deployment rate up by 70% and have allowed their teams to turn in twice as much work as they did before fully embracing the DevOps approach, particularly in improving their value stream mapping.
With a clear understanding of the current state of the company, how the work was being done, and the current methodologies being used to deliver their products and services, they were able to create a tool chain that helps them go through the steps in completing a project, they were able to design a value stream map that has significantly reduced wastage in time and energy, and were able to position themselves as a truly hybrid company that can efficiently handle both traditional mainframe and cloud systems.