Engineering ·
Keep control of the accounts your software depends on
A software handover involves more than source files. The business needs a clear route to its repositories, infrastructure, domains and operating instructions.
By Norwind
Map ownership before a handover
List the accounts needed to build, deploy and run the application. Identify the organization that owns each account and the people who can administer it. A developer having access does not necessarily mean the business controls the account. Review billing, recovery methods and delegated access while the people who understand the setup are available.
Use organizational access deliberately
Where a service supports it, keep the account under the business and give providers the permissions required for their work. Avoid treating a shared personal login as an ownership model. Document how access is granted and removed, and make sure the business can recover control if a person leaves. These are operating decisions that should be agreed during the engagement.
Prove the handover can be used
Ask an authorized person to follow the instructions for a routine release or an access change. Missing steps are easier to discover through a controlled exercise than during an urgent incident. Norwind describes ownership of code, accounts and infrastructure as part of its custom software approach. Whoever builds the application, make the ownership arrangement explicit before work depends on it.
A practical check
- List repositories, hosting, domains and recovery contacts.
- Confirm the business owns the required accounts.
- Check that an authorized person can use the handover.