Risk mitigation with NetSuite updates

We have observed at least three occasions where automatic update revisions to NetSuite (AU release) has modified the behavior of the web services API, and caused our solution to operate incorrectly, or not at all (for example "tax codes on opportunity itemList v11", "sales tax on opportunity itemList v11" postings + multiple other workarounds that were not posted). Most recently it appears the 11.0.2.35 release on 14 July has again modified the WS functionality, such the records are now not returned correctly in response to a search.

While we will need to resolve this particular problem, a more important issue is how to manage the automatic releases from NetSuite which may modify the behavior of WS, such that end users suddenly have the package cease to work, or possibly worse, operate incorrectly, corrupting data managed by our solution.