Reducing lead-times for updating client-server applications in .NET

Scania is one of the world’s leading manufacturers of heavy trucks and buses. It also manufactures engines for motive power of heavy vehicles, marine, and general industrial applications. A common challenge for Scania today is to reduce lead-times caused by the application packaging and distribution process associated with client-server applications in .NET. Another problem caused by the client-server architecture is data inconsistency that may occur between an outdated client and its corresponding database. This Master’s Thesis evaluates technologies that might help in solving these problems. The technologies are ClickOnce, Windows Terminal Server, an “initiation program” and a web application. The evaluation is based on prototypes of the different technologies. The prototypes are implemented, tested and compared to one another in terms of advantages and disadvantages, and also in terms of cost-effectiveness and risks that may affect the business. The work is based on an applicable case - a specific client-server application developed in .NET that struggles with the problems mentioned. The prototypes are applied on this specific application in order to test their effectiveness. The conclusion suggests “best practice” solutions to the problems for each of three different scenarios. Each scenario consists of different factors that are key to the business when choosing a solution to move forward with