Selection of components for OTS component-based systems

Acquisition of software-intensive computer systems shifted toward the inclusion of Off-the-Shelf (OTS) components in the 1990s in order to control spiraling software costs. The initial results of this shift are in, and there have been significant lessons learned along the way. This paper(1) examines some of the key attributes for success and failure in OTS-based development programs including requirements management and component selection. The paper recommends criteria for selection of components based on the system characteristics. The paper discusses tradeoffs between commercial components, open source components, and legacy components and how program characteristics, e.g. program lifetime, development schedule, and maintenance plan, affect component selection. Also included is discussion of how direct project experience compares with the project experience reported in recent papers.