With a rapidly changing technological landscape, more software systems are falling into the category of legacy software. New technologies and architectures are replacing the old redundant ones that no longer suffice for business purposes.
A legacy system refers to a working software program or application that is built on old and archaic technology, architecture or standards. However, being “legacy” does not render software obsolete. In most real-life cases, legacy systems are business-critical solutions that are still serviceable.
The wave of digital transformation has prompted firms, like yours, to reassess their existing IT systems and identify effective solutions to update older systems.
Here are the four most crucial things to consider if you are embarking on the path of legacy software modernization for your business.
1. Evaluating the Business and Technical Constraints
The first step that a business needs to take toward legacy software modernization is to evaluate the operational and technological constraints that a business could face due to redundant systems. Is the older software still meeting the needs of the business today? Is the technology too complicated and expensive to maintain? Is it adaptable enough to meet the changing needs of the business?
These are some crucial factors to think about to identify the specific challenges that your modernization strategy should seek to address.
2. Examining the Present State of Your Legacy Systems
The need to go for the digital transformation of legacy systems arises when your existing software systems are highly complicated owing to obsolete technologies and coding standards.
As a business, you need to assess the legacy software architecture and functionalities against the modern technologies that their competitors are adopting. Tech experts at Advantal Technologies help clients discover ways to optimize the code and design of your software systems as per contemporary standards.
For example, we can help you convert your monolith software architecture into microservices. This helps to improve the efficiency and scalability of your applications.
3. Choosing the Best Modernization Approach
After evaluating the legacy systems for what’s lacking in them, it’s time to choose a suitable approach for software modernization and digital transformation. Understand the needs and risk appetite of your business. It is also critical to evaluate the return on investment in every modernization endeavor.
Software modernization can vary from application migration to a new IT environment to thorough refactoring and re-architecture of the software.
There are 7 different approaches to software modernization:
1. Encapsulation – It is to harness and enhance the capabilities of the software by encapsulating its data and functionalities and making them accessible as services through an API.
2. Rehosting – Rehosting is moving the software component to a different type of infrastructure, be it physical, virtual, or cloud, without altering its features, functionality, or code.
3. Migration – It means software migration to a new platform, but leaving the code’s functions, structure, and features mostly untouched.
4. Code Refactoring – Refactoring means rewriting, restructuring, and editing the code without altering its original functionality. It is done to improve the code’s quality, manageability, and readability.
5. Rearchitect – Change the application architecture and significantly update the code to make use of new and improved features.
6. Rebuilding – Redesigning and developing the application components from the start while retaining their scope and standards the same.
7. Replacing – Replace the entire legacy software with new one while taking the current needs and requirements of the business into account.
Some modernization approaches require less effort and budget, while others require more. It is a medium-risk modernization approach if you only optimize your existing code. Now, let’s say you are building up new software to replace the archaic one. In that case, it is a considerable risk if you do not hire experts who can evaluate the ROI and viability of such an approach for your business.
4. Become Future-Ready: Plan Beyond Software Modernization
Modernizing legacy software is a continuous effort. Most companies hire or outsource it to overseas teams to maintain their software architecture compliant with emerging technologies.
Planning for system expansion is of utmost importance while you undergo digital transformation. Keep the code clean, and well-documented from the start. It also makes the life of the software developers easy who have to work on multiple projects one after the other.
If you need to rebuild the software or replace it entirely, then ensure that you have a proper plan of decommissioning the legacy system simultaneously with the adoption of the new. Additionally, estimate the possible downtime and budgeting for the staff training as your people are a crucial key to the success or failure of your digital transformation efforts.
Conclusion
The risks involving legacy software modernization can be mitigated if you keep the aforementioned four considerations while undergoing digital transformation. It is not always smart to rebuild or replace the older software entirely. Sometimes your purpose could be fulfilled by simple code refactoring, encapsulation, or application migrating.
The primary aim of a software modernization strategy should be to keep your business processes at par with your competition. It should be done to improve your capability to scale, enhance your business efficiencies, and the ability to serve your customers better.
Are you wondering what would be the best software modernization approach for your business? Team Advantal is happy to help you figure out. Write to us here, and we will get back to you promptly.