Last Updated on 2024-10-11
Is your business still relying on legacy applications?
You’re not alone.
Many companies, especially those around for a while, still use outdated software systems.
But in today’s fast-paced digital world, legacy application modernization is critical for staying competitive.
Understanding Legacy Applications
First, let’s define “legacy applications.”
An organization still uses these old, outdated software programs even though newer technology is available.
Legacy applications are often difficult to maintain, lack modern features, and can pose security risks.
Some common examples of legacy applications include:
- Custom-built software that was developed years ago
- Off-the-shelf software that the vendor no longer supports
- Applications that only run on obsolete hardware or operating systems
While legacy applications may still work, they can hold your business back.
Outdated software makes it harder to stay nimble and adapt to changing market conditions. It can also drain resources as maintenance becomes increasingly difficult and costly.
What is Legacy Application Modernization
Legacy application modernization is the process of updating older software applications to make them compatible with modern computing platforms, tools, and technologies.
The goal is to enhance the functionality, performance, and maintainability of these applications while preserving the value of the original investment.
Legacy applications may be built on outdated technologies that are difficult and costly to support.
Application modernization initiatives aim to address these shortcomings by re-architecting, re-platforming, or completely rebuilding legacy applications using current development approaches.
By modernizing legacy applications, businesses can reduce IT costs, improve agility, and deliver better digital experiences to customers and employees.
Benefits of Legacy Application Modernization
This is where legacy application modernization comes in. By updating your old software systems, you can reap some major benefits:
1. Increased Efficiency
Modern applications are designed to streamline processes and boost productivity. Upgrading your legacy software allows you to use newer, faster technology to help your team work more efficiently.
2. Improved User Experience
Legacy applications often have clunky, outdated interfaces that are frustrating to use. Modernizing your software can greatly improve the user experience for both your employees and customers.
3. Enhanced Security
Outdated software is a major security risk. Legacy applications may not have the latest security patches and features, making them more vulnerable to cyber-attacks. Updating your software is crucial for securing your private data.
4. Reduced Maintenance Costs
While modernizing legacy applications requires an initial investment, it can save you money in the long run. Maintaining outdated software becomes increasingly expensive over time.
5. Integrate with Modern Systems
Legacy software often needs help integrating with newer applications, limiting your company’s agility and innovation ability. Modernizing your software makes it easier to connect with other systems and technologies.
Application Modernization Strategies
How do you actually modernize your legacy applications?
You can take several different approaches. Here are some of the most common legacy application modernization strategies.
1. Encapsulation
With this approach, you keep the core legacy application as-is but “wrap” it in a new interface or API. This allows you to preserve the old application’s functionality while adding new features and connecting it with other modern systems.
2. Rehosting
Rehosting, or “lift and shift,” involves moving the legacy application to a new infrastructure, such as the cloud, without changing the code. This can provide a more modern, scalable environment for the application.
3. Rearchitecting
This strategy involves materially altering the application code to shift it to a new application architecture. The core business logic is preserved, but the code is optimized to improve capabilities and performance.
4. Rebuilding
With rebuilding, you redesign and rewrite the application from scratch while preserving its scope and specifications. This allows you to use the latest technology while ensuring the application meets modern standards.
5. Replacement
In some cases, replacing a legacy application entirely may make more sense, rather than trying to modernize it. This involves decommissioning the old application and replacing it with a new, modern application with similar capabilities.
The right legacy application modernization strategy depends on your specific needs and goals.
Before starting a modernization project, it’s important to assess your current systems and desired outcomes carefully.
Technology Trends Critical for Application Modernization Strategies
When planning your modernization roadmap, it’s important to consider key technology trends that are driving business innovation:
Cloud Application Modernization
Moving legacy applications to the cloud is a key trend in modernization. Cloud platforms offer enhanced scalability, flexibility, and performance. They also enable you to use cloud-native services like automated deployment and dynamic scaling.
Microservices Architecture
Rather than having one monolithic codebase, modern applications often use a microservices architecture. The application is structured as a collection of loosely coupled services that can be developed, deployed, and scaled independently. This makes the application more flexible and easier to modify.
Containers and Kubernetes
Containers are another important trend in application modernization. By packaging the application and its dependencies into a container, you can ensure that it runs reliably across different computing environments. Kubernetes is a popular platform for managing containers.
Leverage AI and Machine Learning
Many modern applications leverage artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning to enhance capabilities and automate processes. Incorporating AI into your modernization roadmap can help you stay competitive.
Potential Challenges and Solutions in Legacy Application Modernization
While modernizing legacy applications delivers compelling benefits, it also comes with challenges. Some common hurdles include the following:
Problem | Possible Solution |
Complexity: Legacy applications often have complex, tightly coupled architectures that can be difficult to untangle and refactor. | Build a compelling business case articulating modernization’s long-term cost savings and competitive advantages. |
Skill Gaps: Older applications may be built on technologies that internal IT staff no longer have deep expertise in. | Partner with an experienced application modernization firm like Full Scale to augment in-house capabilities with specialized skills. |
Disruption: Modernization projects can disrupt critical business operations if not managed carefully. | Build a compelling business case articulating the long-term cost savings and competitive advantages of modernization. |
Cost: Significant upfront investment is often required to modernize complex legacy applications. | To understand application interdependencies, start with a thorough assessment and plan an incremental, phased modernization approach. |
Risk: Modernization initiatives can introduce risks around data loss, performance degradation, or operational disruption. | Implement rigorous testing and validation processes to identify and mitigate risks early in the project lifecycle. |
While legacy modernization is never simple, these challenges can be overcome with the right planning, skills, and partnerships.
By thoughtfully addressing these common hurdles, organizations can keep their modernization initiatives on track and reap the full benefits of updated applications.
Partner with an Experienced Modernization Provider
Legacy application modernization can be a complex undertaking.
One way to ensure success is by partnering with an experienced provider specializing in legacy software modernization.
This is where Full Scale can help. We are experts in helping businesses modernize their outdated software systems. Our team has extensive experience with various legacy application modernization services and strategies.
Some of the key benefits of partnering with Full Scale for your modernization project include:
- Access to top software modernization talent, including architects, developers, and QA engineers
- Proven modernization methodologies to ensure a smooth, successful transition
- Flexibility to scale your team up or down as needed
- Significant cost savings compared to hiring in-house or using onshore service providers
- Faster time-to-market for your modernized application
In addition to our technical expertise, we pride ourselves on being a true partner to our clients. We work closely with you to understand your unique needs and goals and are committed to long-term success.
Explore our staff augmentation services if you’re considering modernizing legacy applications.
With Full Scale, you can quickly and easily build a dedicated software development team to support your modernization efforts.ย
Some key benefits of our staff augmentation model include:
- No long-term contractsโwe work according to your requirements
- You maintain full control over your team and project
- We handle all the recruiting, hiring, and HR so that you can focus on your project
- Access to a large pool of pre-vetted, highly skilled software professionals
- Scalability to grow your team as your modernization project ramps up
Keep outdated legacy applications from holding your business back.
Contact Full Scale today to learn more about our solutions to modernize your software systems.ย
Let us be your partner in driving digital transformation and staying ahead of the competition.
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Matt Watson is a serial tech entrepreneur who has started four companies and had a nine-figure exit. He was the founder and CTO of VinSolutions, the #1 CRM software used in today’s automotive industry. He has over twenty years of experience working as a tech CTO and building cutting-edge SaaS solutions.
As the CEO of Full Scale, he has helped over 100 tech companies build their software services and development teams. Full Scale specializes in helping tech companies grow by augmenting their in-house teams with software development talent from the Philippines.
Matt hosts Startup Hustle, a top podcast about entrepreneurship with over 6 million downloads. He has a wealth of knowledge about startups and business from his personal experience and from interviewing hundreds of other entrepreneurs.