+48 501 250 220

Developer left? 48 hours after access you know where you stand

Your developer has resigned or already left, and the system has to keep running. We review the system and give you a written report 48 hours after access: its state, the immediate risks and a plan for the first 30 days.

Call now: +48 501 250 220 Request the 48-hour assessment
  • ColdFusion and Lucee in production since 2015
  • Reply within one working day
Diagram: on the left a server drawn with dashed lines, the system nobody knows any more. From the moment of access a line runs over two arcs labelled 48 h to a written report with ticked items on the right; where the line reaches the report sits an orange dot

Has the developer already gone, or is the notice period still running?

When only one developer knows a system, specialists speak of a bus factor (opens in a new window) of one: if that person drops out, the knowledge goes with them.

The developer has already gone

Access credentials, scheduled tasks and the quirks of the system may not be written down anywhere. So we first secure what exists and make the risks visible before anyone changes anything.

The developer has resigned and the notice period is still running

This is the better starting point, because knowledge can still be handed over. We agree a plan for the knowledge transfer with you and write down what exists only in the developer's head. We also take over the access credentials and check whether the system can be restored without them. The sooner you bring us in, the more questions the developer can still answer personally.

The page Your team needs support? describes how we help when the developer is still there and the team needs a second pair of hands.

Two time lines: at the top the developer has already gone and the line runs on dashed to a dashed, unknown system; at the bottom the notice period is still running, a hatched stretch with an orange point for the handover, and the system at the end is drawn solid

What happens in the first 48 hours

  1. Access

    We receive access to the server, repository and database. The 48 hours start once we have access.

  2. Inventory

    We record servers and versions, scheduled tasks, data sources and email sending, and check which access credentials and backups exist.

  3. Copy and test

    We take a copy of the system and check whether it can be restored on a test system.

  4. Report and plan

    You receive the written report with the state of the system, immediate risks and a plan for the first 5 and the first 30 days. We go through it with you.

What you receive in writing after 48 hours

  • the state of the system, with versions, dependencies, access credentials, backups, scheduled tasks, data sources and email sending
  • the result of the restore test
  • the risks that need attention immediately
  • a stabilisation plan for the first 5 and the first 30 days

The report belongs to you. Whether and how things continue afterwards is your decision.

If you entrust the system to us

Then we take over operations and maintenance, as described under Takeover and maintenance. You get a risk register, a runbook and a plan for 30 and 90 days.

Three filled sheets side by side, each with a heading: a table with several rows, a checklist with ticks, one of them orange, and a schedule with bars

Our engineers' experience with systems that have no documentation

ColdFusion and Lucee
continuously in production since 2015
Versions
Adobe ColdFusion 9 to 2025, Lucee 5, 6 and 7
PHP
with Smarty, Slim and WordPress since 2012
Full stack and DevOps
since 2012, from the application to the server

Code, access credentials and documentation stay with you

  • Code, credentials and documentation stay with you.
  • If you end the engagement, we hand over the current state in an orderly manner.
  • We also tell you when something is not worth doing, such as a rewrite the system does not need.

And if someone on our side drops out?

You are experiencing right now what it means when knowledge depends on one person. On our side: we write the documentation on request, the repository is normally with you, and we arrange cover on request.

Which kinds of systems our engineers know is described under Experience, and how we work together under How we work.

On the right an orange frame holding the source code, an access card and the documentation; on the left an administrator at a laptop, joined to the frame only by a dashed line

The 48-hour assessment: fixed price, written report

48-hour emergency assessment

For companies whose developer or service provider has suddenly left and whose system has to keep running regardless.

  • Inventory: versions, dependencies, access, backups, scheduled tasks, data sources and outgoing email
  • List of the risks that need attention immediately
  • Stabilisation plan for the first 5 days and for the first 30 days
  • Short meeting to go through the results

The result is with you 48 hours after we have access to the system. Changes to the production system and any further work happen only with your approval.

What the result contains

A written report on the state of the system, the immediate risks and the stabilisation plan. The report is yours.

from €1,900 excl. VAT

Typically 2 working days

Request the 48-hour assessment

Two cases from our work

  • A large empty frame labelled RAM 40 GB with a small frame labelled JVM 1 GB inside, full of blocks, orange blocks spilling over its top

    ColdFusion under load: diagnosing and fixing the JVM heap space error

    An Adobe ColdFusion application ran without complaint at low traffic and returned errors and slowed down at peak hours. We reproduced the problem on a real database, measured the exact point at which the JVM heap runs out, and fixed the memory configuration, with the same load test before and after as the proof.

  • A table of rows with a long arrow down all of them labelled ALL and one orange arrow from an index card to a single row labelled ref

    SQL indexes in a shop database: from full scans to microseconds

    A shop database without indexes worked as long as the tables were small. At 500 000 orders and 1.75 million order items every filter and every join came down to a full scan. We measured exactly what the missing indexes cost, added the right ones, and documented the traps that make an index useless even though it exists.

Questions that come up before the intro call

When can you start?

You will receive a first reply within one working day. When we begin work depends on our current workload and on the scope. We give you a binding answer in the intro call. If it is urgent, the 48-hour emergency assessment starts as soon as we have access to the system.

What if we are missing access credentials?

This can usually be solved. We start with what you still have to hand. That is the contract and customer account with the hosting provider, access to the domain and, where available, the repository and backups. Server access can often be reset through the hosting provider if you act as the contracting party. We only gain access to a system with your explicit consent.

Do you work on your own hardware, or do we need to provide a laptop?

We work on our own hardware. We set up access to your systems through a VPN, SSH or a remote desktop. We need a device from you only if you prefer that.

Which projects have you already delivered?

Our engineers have worked on these types of system:

  • Loan processing platforms, including work directly for banks
  • Platforms for mortgage financing
  • Leasing platforms
  • Systems that generate documents and contracts
  • Video portals with streaming and automated video conversion
  • High-traffic news and classifieds portals
  • Web services of companies that work for the public sector, including cultural institutions

Selected projects are described in detail on the projects page, among them ColdFusion in production and under load, email deliverability, a shop flooded by bots and SQL indexes in a shop database.

What happens if someone at your company is unavailable?

We arrange a substitute on request. We also write the documentation on request, and the repository is normally held on your side, so the code stays in your hands. How we work together is described on the page How we work.

What is your hourly rate?

It depends on scope, engagement model and urgency. Describe your situation briefly and, after a conversation, we will send you an offer. You do not need a budget for that. We quote fixed prices for the entry products.

Do you cover weekend duty from time to time?

Yes. Support and emergencies are covered around the clock (24/7), weekends included. For other enquiries we are available Monday to Friday, 9:00 to 17:00 Central European Time, and we reply within one working day.

Urgent? Speak to us directly

On the phone you speak to the engineers who will look after your system. Our team speaks German, Polish and English fluently.

Phone +48 501 250 220
Email Email

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Describe your situation in three sentences

Name the system, the technology (if known) and the state of the handover. We will tell you openly whether and how we can help.

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For a call back we only need your phone number: emergencies around the clock, otherwise within one working day.

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