“If you continue to do what you have always done, you will continue to get what you have always gotten.”
This adage sums up today’s digital arena where digital technologies have taken our world by storm. Organizations are no longer willing to sit back and watch their legacy applications fight a losing battle to meet the ever-rising expectations of digital-savvy customers and employees. So, how do you digitally transform your organization to withstand this onslaught? Digital Transformation is a long journey, and the best way to travel is to take one step at a time. In other words, embark on your Digital Transformation journey by modernizing the existing systems with legacy modernization techniques, one app at a time. By going for app modernization, you get a foot into the Cloud infrastructure, enable mobility, and open up possibilities of adding intelligence to your applications.
There are multiple routes to achieve legacy app modernization. Businesses have to weigh in the business dynamics, budget, available resources, and expected end results before taking a call on how to go about modernizing their existing systems and finding the best fit from myriad legacy modernization techniques. The common questions can be – Should I update my user interface? Should I rewrite the software code? Should I move to a different platform? Should I start right from scratch?
What you should not forget is that app modernization is not a separate entity in itself. It is part of the broader picture called Digital Transformation. “Application modernization is not one ‘thing,” says Stefan Van Der Zijden, Research Director, Gartner, “If you’re faced with a legacy challenge, the best approach depends on the problem you’re trying to solve. Replacement isn’t the only option.” Furthermore, to implement the right legacy modernization techniques, businesses should also take note of their existing applications, resources, business requirements, and business goals to maintain a proper balance between the legacy app modernization and the impact on business operations.
Top 7 legacy modernization techniques:
Encapsulate
In encapsulation, you break the monolithic application. Instead, you encapsulate data and functions in the application and rebuild those individual components into microservices application through a new application programming interface. This will help you leverage and extend the application’s features and value to change with the changing needs of the business.
Re-platform
Re-platform is moving the legacy applications to the cloud with minute changes, ensuring code structure, features, and functions are unaltered. For Software-as-a-Service apps, it is based on a twelve-factor framework, a defined methodology for developing and deploying web applications.
Re-architect
Re-architect is moving to new application architecture where you can utilize all the modern programming as well as microservices, a win-win situation. In this legacy modernization technique, the overall code is changed, allowing you to move to a new architecture where you enable the infinite features of the application platform.
Re-host
Re-host is moving the mainframe application to another physical, virtual or cloud infrastructure without any alteration, all while keeping the business logic intact, and ensuring there is no change in the system.
Re-factor
Re-factor is restructuring and optimizing the existing software code, solving technology problems, and enhancing component features without changing the function of the code.
Rebuild
Rebuild, also known as Redesign is rewriting the application components from the beginning to explore new features, functionalities, and processes all while keeping the scope and specifications intact.
Replace
Rethinking the business logic and entirely replacing the application with a different tool rather than opting for modernization.
Remember, if you have modernized your traditional applications with the legacy modernization techniques, it only means that you have taken your initial successful steps towards Digital Transformation. The road to travel is longer. As Gartner predicts, “Every dollar invested in digital business innovation through to the end of 2020 will require enterprises to spend at least three times that to continuously modernize the legacy application portfolio.”
So what are you waiting for?
Come partner with PreludeSys! With more than two decades of IT services experience and as a Microsoft partner with more than 500 certified experts, we offer an end-to-end approach to your Digital Transformation endeavor. To learn how our clients have benefited from our holistic approach to Digital Transformation, check out our customer success stories! To learn more about our Digital Transformation services, Talk to us!
