INF3705
Assignment 2
(COMPLETE
ANSWERS) 2025
- DUE 1 August
2025
NO PLAGIARISM
[Pick the date]
[Type the company name]
,Exam (elaborations)
INF3705 Assignment 2 Memo | Due 1 August
2025
Course
Advanced Systems Development (INF3705)
Institution
University Of South Africa (Unisa)
Book
Software Engineering, Global Edition
Question 1 [10] Explain how advances in technology can force a software
subsystem to undergo change or risk becoming useless.
QUESTION 1 [20]
Explain how advances in technology can force a software subsystem to undergo change or
risk becoming useless.
Advances in technology can have a significant impact on software subsystems, often requiring
them to change to remain functional, compatible, and secure. As hardware platforms evolve—
such as changes in processors, storage, or operating systems—software must adapt to maintain
performance and compatibility. For example, a subsystem built for 32-bit architecture may not
function properly on a 64-bit system unless updated. Similarly, advances in networking protocols
or data formats may render older systems obsolete if they cannot interpret or use the new
standards.
New software frameworks, programming languages, or libraries may become the industry norm,
offering better performance, security, or features. If a subsystem is built using outdated or
unsupported technologies, it may become increasingly difficult to maintain or integrate with
other systems. User expectations also evolve with technology; users expect modern interfaces,
faster responses, and seamless integration across platforms (e.g., mobile, web, cloud), which
older subsystems may not support.
Security threats evolve alongside technology. Outdated subsystems may lack the necessary
security updates or architecture to defend against new vulnerabilities, making them risky to use.
Moreover, compliance with updated legal and industry regulations (such as data protection laws)
often requires changes in how subsystems handle data.
Failure to adapt to technological advances can result in software that no longer meets user needs,
cannot be supported, or poses security risks. Ultimately, this can lead to the subsystem being
abandoned or replaced, making adaptation essential for long-term viability.
[20 marks]
, Advances in technology constantly exert pressure on software subsystems, threatening their
utility and even their very existence if they fail to adapt. This phenomenon, often referred to as
software obsolescence or legacy system risk, arises from several key technological shifts:
1. Hardware Evolution: New hardware platforms, with different architectures, processing
capabilities, and peripheral interfaces, can render older software incompatible or
inefficient. For instance, a subsystem designed for a 32-bit architecture might struggle or
fail to run optimally on a 64-bit system without significant refactoring. Similarly, the
advent of solid-state drives (SSDs) and NVMe protocols demands different I/O
optimization strategies than traditional hard disk drives, making subsystems optimized
for older storage technologies less performant. If a software subsystem cannot leverage
the advantages of new hardware, it becomes a bottleneck, making the entire system less
competitive or functional.
2. Operating System and Platform Changes: Operating systems (OS) like Windows,
Linux, or macOS, along with mobile platforms like Android and iOS, undergo
continuous updates. These updates often introduce new APIs, deprecate old ones, change
security models, or alter fundamental functionalities. A software subsystem tightly
coupled to an older OS version will eventually break or become unstable when the OS
updates. If it doesn't adapt to these changes, it loses compatibility and becomes unusable
on modern systems, forcing users to stick with outdated, insecure OS versions or abandon
the software.
3. Emergence of New Standards and Protocols: The digital world is built on a foundation
of communication standards and protocols (e.g., HTTP/2, TLS 1.3, OAuth 2.0,
WebSockets). As new, more efficient, secure, or feature-rich standards emerge, older
subsystems relying on outdated protocols become isolated and unable to communicate
effectively with modern systems. For example, a subsystem built to consume data via an
older, unencrypted protocol might become useless in a world demanding secure,
encrypted communication (like HTTPS), or might be blocked by modern firewalls.
4. Security Vulnerabilities and Threats: The landscape of cybersecurity threats is
constantly evolving. Older software subsystems, especially those no longer receiving
updates or patches, become prime targets for exploitation. New attack vectors,
vulnerabilities, and malware constantly emerge. If a subsystem cannot be updated to
patch these newly discovered flaws, it becomes a severe security risk, potentially leading
to data breaches, system compromise, or regulatory non-compliance. An insecure
subsystem is not just useless but a liability.
5. Performance and Efficiency Demands: User expectations for speed, responsiveness,
and efficiency are ever-increasing. Advances in computing power, algorithms, and data
structures mean that what was considered "fast" a few years ago might now be
unacceptably slow. A subsystem that cannot meet these new performance benchmarks
due to outdated algorithms, inefficient data handling, or poor scalability will be replaced
by more performant alternatives. For instance, a search subsystem that takes minutes to
process a query in an era of real-time search will quickly become obsolete.
6. Disruptive Technologies and Paradigms: The rise of new technological paradigms,
such as cloud computing, artificial intelligence (AI), serverless architectures, or
blockchain, can fundamentally change how software is designed, deployed, and scaled. A
subsystem built purely for on-premise deployment might struggle to integrate with cloud-
Assignment 2
(COMPLETE
ANSWERS) 2025
- DUE 1 August
2025
NO PLAGIARISM
[Pick the date]
[Type the company name]
,Exam (elaborations)
INF3705 Assignment 2 Memo | Due 1 August
2025
Course
Advanced Systems Development (INF3705)
Institution
University Of South Africa (Unisa)
Book
Software Engineering, Global Edition
Question 1 [10] Explain how advances in technology can force a software
subsystem to undergo change or risk becoming useless.
QUESTION 1 [20]
Explain how advances in technology can force a software subsystem to undergo change or
risk becoming useless.
Advances in technology can have a significant impact on software subsystems, often requiring
them to change to remain functional, compatible, and secure. As hardware platforms evolve—
such as changes in processors, storage, or operating systems—software must adapt to maintain
performance and compatibility. For example, a subsystem built for 32-bit architecture may not
function properly on a 64-bit system unless updated. Similarly, advances in networking protocols
or data formats may render older systems obsolete if they cannot interpret or use the new
standards.
New software frameworks, programming languages, or libraries may become the industry norm,
offering better performance, security, or features. If a subsystem is built using outdated or
unsupported technologies, it may become increasingly difficult to maintain or integrate with
other systems. User expectations also evolve with technology; users expect modern interfaces,
faster responses, and seamless integration across platforms (e.g., mobile, web, cloud), which
older subsystems may not support.
Security threats evolve alongside technology. Outdated subsystems may lack the necessary
security updates or architecture to defend against new vulnerabilities, making them risky to use.
Moreover, compliance with updated legal and industry regulations (such as data protection laws)
often requires changes in how subsystems handle data.
Failure to adapt to technological advances can result in software that no longer meets user needs,
cannot be supported, or poses security risks. Ultimately, this can lead to the subsystem being
abandoned or replaced, making adaptation essential for long-term viability.
[20 marks]
, Advances in technology constantly exert pressure on software subsystems, threatening their
utility and even their very existence if they fail to adapt. This phenomenon, often referred to as
software obsolescence or legacy system risk, arises from several key technological shifts:
1. Hardware Evolution: New hardware platforms, with different architectures, processing
capabilities, and peripheral interfaces, can render older software incompatible or
inefficient. For instance, a subsystem designed for a 32-bit architecture might struggle or
fail to run optimally on a 64-bit system without significant refactoring. Similarly, the
advent of solid-state drives (SSDs) and NVMe protocols demands different I/O
optimization strategies than traditional hard disk drives, making subsystems optimized
for older storage technologies less performant. If a software subsystem cannot leverage
the advantages of new hardware, it becomes a bottleneck, making the entire system less
competitive or functional.
2. Operating System and Platform Changes: Operating systems (OS) like Windows,
Linux, or macOS, along with mobile platforms like Android and iOS, undergo
continuous updates. These updates often introduce new APIs, deprecate old ones, change
security models, or alter fundamental functionalities. A software subsystem tightly
coupled to an older OS version will eventually break or become unstable when the OS
updates. If it doesn't adapt to these changes, it loses compatibility and becomes unusable
on modern systems, forcing users to stick with outdated, insecure OS versions or abandon
the software.
3. Emergence of New Standards and Protocols: The digital world is built on a foundation
of communication standards and protocols (e.g., HTTP/2, TLS 1.3, OAuth 2.0,
WebSockets). As new, more efficient, secure, or feature-rich standards emerge, older
subsystems relying on outdated protocols become isolated and unable to communicate
effectively with modern systems. For example, a subsystem built to consume data via an
older, unencrypted protocol might become useless in a world demanding secure,
encrypted communication (like HTTPS), or might be blocked by modern firewalls.
4. Security Vulnerabilities and Threats: The landscape of cybersecurity threats is
constantly evolving. Older software subsystems, especially those no longer receiving
updates or patches, become prime targets for exploitation. New attack vectors,
vulnerabilities, and malware constantly emerge. If a subsystem cannot be updated to
patch these newly discovered flaws, it becomes a severe security risk, potentially leading
to data breaches, system compromise, or regulatory non-compliance. An insecure
subsystem is not just useless but a liability.
5. Performance and Efficiency Demands: User expectations for speed, responsiveness,
and efficiency are ever-increasing. Advances in computing power, algorithms, and data
structures mean that what was considered "fast" a few years ago might now be
unacceptably slow. A subsystem that cannot meet these new performance benchmarks
due to outdated algorithms, inefficient data handling, or poor scalability will be replaced
by more performant alternatives. For instance, a search subsystem that takes minutes to
process a query in an era of real-time search will quickly become obsolete.
6. Disruptive Technologies and Paradigms: The rise of new technological paradigms,
such as cloud computing, artificial intelligence (AI), serverless architectures, or
blockchain, can fundamentally change how software is designed, deployed, and scaled. A
subsystem built purely for on-premise deployment might struggle to integrate with cloud-
