Forensic software engineering

Forensic software engineering refers to the discipline of analyzing (and sometimes reconstructing) the functionality of software applications or services that have become defunct, are no longer accompanied by documentation (or never had any), or for which the original engineers are no longer available. Usually, forensic software engineering is performed with an interest in understanding the functionality - and sometimes intent - of software that has been abandoned by its creators, with an eye to correcting unexpected outcomes or determining whether to a port, rebuild, replace, or retire a functional software instance. Forensic Software Engineering is often required as a result of a corporate mergers or acquisitions, or during the migration/transition from an old datacenter to a newer one.