Enterprise always operate on (usually oldish) stable versions so that allows some breathing space of time.
and a good enterprise will have a reasonably well defined road map that can be used to set expectations of future risk/ technical debt
and a good enterprise will have a reasonably well defined road map that can be used to set expectations of future risk/ technical debt
Until it doesn’t.
The number of enterprise projects I’ve seen that were “emergencies” due to neglecting updates is astonishing.
If you’re not updating a COTS or custom system at least semi-annually you’re going to have a zillion security vulnerabilities, and will lose all institutional knowledge of operations and upgrade of said system.
Then the stuff really hits the fan when you’re forced to upgrade due to EOL/EOS.
This is the real reason SaaS is now popular.
I imagaine enterprise systems is like steering a monsterous size oil tanker. for the size of systems I work with - two years is extremely easily predictable.
The shiney shiney new stuff does sway a few new green field projects, but keeping many very expensive systems (to develop and high impact if they fail) running/ up to date/ partially changed is the boring stuff thats is very critical to a lot of companies