Application modernization: moving away from legacy systems
Legacy applications are a burden for many companies undergoing a digital transformation. Software built on out-of-date platforms, using old programming languages and tools, hides unmitigated risk. That is why today application modernization is a high priority for many organizations that were simply not “born” digital.
Why you need application modernization?
When your application has been running reliably for years, it is easy to overlook the need or urgency for upgrading it. But will your systems be able to support your future strategy and help you remain competitive? Have you also considered factors like security and maintenance costs? What may initially seem like a saving, could turn into something more expensive than you have anticipated.
Maintenance
Legacy systems typically have big codebase and monolithic nature. You cannot simply modify or replace one system module as even a small update can create conflicts across the system. Any change requires more time and effort. On another note, re-architecting your legacy code with modern technologies will help you reduce the cost of having highly experienced developers maintain code that few can work with.
Security
When a legacy system is no longer supported by their manufacturers, they enter a stage when they become a danger to the company. Soon after it also becomes non-compliant with the latest security standards and is not safeguarded from potential threats. A single unpatched vulnerability can enable attackers to access all applications, middleware, and databases running on the server platform.
Performance
The older your application gets, the slower and slower it becomes. Legacy systems usually consume more resources causing more frequent failures, which leads to inefficiency and unproductivity. As performance speed depends on the optimal usage of technology capabilities, migration and redesign help you achieve this by using the best technologies.
Talent Pool
Developers who are just starting out are learning programming languages like JavaScript and C#. As a legacy technology moves further past the point of manufacturer support, there are fewer and fewer IT professionals with the knowledge of those technologies. Thus, the costs of the smaller pool of experts in that technology grow.
Integration
Companies are constantly looking to take advantage of new technologies, but often disregard how they can integrate with their current software. To make legacy apps compatible with third-party tools, a big amount of custom code is required, while modern apps are integration-ready by default. The risk of the final integration going wrong with outdated apps is high. It can lead to delayed deployment, cancelled implementations, or costly and unplanned upgrades.
Read the whole article to discover 5 ways to embark on the application modernization journey.
Whether you have already embarked or are just starting on your app modernization journey, benefit from partnering with an IT company with extensive experience in app modernization.
