PRODUCT LINE HALL OF FAME

LSI Logic: RAID controller firmware product line

The Engenio Storage Group of LSI Logic produces high performance, high availability RAID storage systems. Engenio has established a reputation of providing high-value scalable systems, consistently releasing leading edge performance and being first to market with key technology transitions. Engenio sells products in an OEM business model through strategic partnerships with other companies who deliver complete end user solutions with unique combinations of hardware, software and services for applications including transaction processing, e-mail, data warehousing and scientific research.

Engenio transitioned to a software product line approach for its embedded RAID controller firmware in order to satisfy growing customer demand for product differentiation as well as to support an expanding set of controller hardware platforms. The product line was created with about 4 developer months of effort using an extractive approach by merging multiple existing code sets into a single set of code with engineered variation points. The product line was strategically deployed to the development staff such that no product delivery schedules were impacted. New products were added to the product line using a reactive approach, restructuring and re-architecting when necessary to meet development requirements. Two years after the initial deployment, the product line was capable of producing nearly 90 different controller firmware products, supporting multiple controller hardware platforms and multiple customer customizations.

References

BigLever Software Case Study: Engenio on http://www.biglever.com/

Hetrick, W., Moore, J. and Krueger, C. Incremental Return on Incremental Investment: Engenio’s Transition to Software Product Line Practice. OOPSLA Proceedings 2006. Portland, Oregon. October 2006.