Which metric measures how often a solution must be updated or maintained?

Maintainability is a metric that focuses on how easily and frequently a solution can be updated or maintained. It refers to the ease with which a system can be modified to correct faults, improve performance, or adapt to a changed environment. A solution with high maintainability allows for quick and efficient updates, which is crucial in ensuring the system remains secure and functional over time.

This metric often involves evaluating the complexity of the code, documentation quality, and the availability of tools and resources required for maintaining the system. If a solution is designed with maintainability in mind, it will require less time and fewer resources for future updates, thus enhancing the overall lifecycle management of the system. This is particularly important in security contexts, where regular updates are essential to address vulnerabilities and protect against evolving threats.

Other metrics, such as usability, scalability, and portability, focus on different aspects of a solution's performance. Usability relates to how easy the system is for end users to operate. Scalability assesses the capacity of a system to handle growth in terms of users or workload. Portability refers to the ability of a system to run on different platforms or environments. While each of these metrics is significant in its own right, they do not directly measure the frequency of necessary