By the end of 2022, at least 70% of organizations will have advanced their business processes through digital technologies. As many organizations implement their digital transformation strategies, legacy applications often become a roadblock. Regardless, legacy applications are a necessary factor for building changes and modernizing business systems.
They allow companies to successfully record past applications solutions. It is necessary to learn their functions and features to create a better understanding of their role in the workplace and modernization processes. They are a necessity in bridging the gap created during modernization implementation strategies.
Why are legacy applications important?
Legacy applications have been in use in business systems for many years. They still fulfill the major business needs but leave gaps that are required to accelerate business functions. Despite the gaps, legacy applications are important in a business. Even after implementing new applications, the old apps may still serve the company’s needs efficiently.
However, IT experts need to be extra observant and install tighter security protocols to improve security. They need to create data backups and change file formats to be compatible with new software. Legacy applications record slower processing speed which prevents a full-speed digitalization process and requires a boost.
To use legacy applications and still run real-time system processes, the solutions provided by a digital integration hub architecture are necessary. A DIH offers advanced application architecture that connects dispersed data across several sources and eliminates the need for complex integrations.
The DIH aggregation process results in a scaled-out data store that records low latency, high performance, and cost-effectiveness. In a situation where legacy applications are still useful, an organization reaps multiple benefits from integration.
- It becomes possible to digitize its old legacy applications
- Lesser need for back-end system overload and over-provisioning
- Quicker deployment of useful and responsive APIs
- Possibility of integrating DIH with API platforms for real-time data analytics
- Enabled compatibility of legal applications with modern/hybrid apps and architecture
Important steps in modernizing legacy applications
Legacy application modernization means updating a legacy system to incorporate modern application infrastructure, features, and architecture. Each legacy system in different organizations is different. Depending on its complexity, its modernization strategy will take a different path. Several things determine the path taken by an organization in its legacy application modernization process. The main aim should be to create a system that enhances employee and customer experience for better sales generation.
- The current state of the legacy system is determined by age, performance, and use.
- The current challenges recorded by an organization may include speed, application gaps, and the number of business processes required daily.
- Organization’s application modernization goals. The goal is not just to replace applications. There is a need to include legacy systems to update, migrate, and optimize them into modern architecture.
Analyze the company goals
Business goals mean what the management wants to achieve both in the short-term and long-term. They should be listed in terms of major and minor goals. There should be a consideration of all stakeholders involved and the expected completion time.
The team concerned needs to list which areas that are likely to feel the greatest and least impact. All these points should help the organization implement its legacy app modernization strategy effectively. The right metrics for business goals establishment during the process should be in place.
Have a concrete migration strategy
Modernization is a process that doesn’t happen in a single day but takes time to implement. It is safer to go with one application at a time so as not to disrupt daily business processes. What matters most is the immediate and long-term needs of the business. The path taken should be ideal for each legacy application modernization.
Consider the current skills available
It is necessary to do a SWOT analysis to determine what skills are available and how they will be impacted by a complete modernization process. Determine also the existing tools and models and whether they will successfully align with a modernized system. If the skills have gaps, there might be a need to train the staff so that they will comfortably use the upgraded system. Another option will be to involve a team of consultations to help with the implementation and testing processes.
Determine the impact and its remedy
Legacy application modernization will have an impact on the existing system. The impact may affect the existing architecture, licensing requirements, and disaster recovery configuration. There might be a significant impact on the system connectivity once the modernization process is fully implemented. The organization should ready itself with mitigation solutions.
Test the applications
There might be no need to modernize all applications. Some of them might be redundant even if they are modernized, but others will be useful. It is important to test the applications to determine if they all need modernization. There are several considerations to make to achieve this.
- Data requirements: Determine the type of data structure the application needs to work effectively.
- Application priorities: Some applications have greater importance in the organization than others. The priority ones should be modernized first, followed by the least important ones.
- Required level of maintenance: Modernization is important, but some applications require high-level maintenance to function in a modernized environment.
- Application server requirements: Some applications require more space to perform to the maximum. A performance analysis will help pinpoint these differences.
- Application use: Do a dependency mapping to determine what processes are required for an application to perform. Mapp out its intended use and how effective its automation process will be.
Consider required regulatory and security compliance
Legacy application modernization means the organization will have another level of regulatory and compliance needs to fulfill. The company needs to have the security and compliance structures ready.
Consider operations of the new model
A lot is required to be done once the new model is in place. There is a need for backup, installation of new security features, updating, configuration, and managing of business assets. An experienced IT specialist will help the organization go through all these processes successfully.
Conclusion
Holding on to legacy applications negatively impacts an organization. Although the systems can still serve the organization well, they leave many gaps that make the business lose opportunities. The best solution is to modernize legacy applications, but there are multiple considerations to make. Modernization will help the company keep up with the latest technologies and open new doors for growth, optimization, and an increase in revenue.
