7 Step Legacy Application Modernization Strategy

The majority of the organizations know that they are suffering from outdated systems. But the biggest challenge is to identify where the problem lies and the approach to modernize it.

As Gartner says, the best approach depends on the problem you are trying to resolve. Therefore, you need to have a streamlined process to evaluate the legacy system and choose a suitable modernization approach for desired results.

This 7-step legacy application modernization strategy guides you on how to approach application modernization to make it a success for your business.

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Step 1 – Evaluate Legacy Systems

If your current applications are not meeting the needs of your business, it needs modernization. 

The simple way to evaluate if a legacy system needs modernization is to analyze it on 6 drivers. The 6 drivers for application modernization are:

1. Cost
2. Complexity
3. Business value
4. Agility 
5. Business fit
6. Risk

The more drivers your legacy applications have, the more benefits you will reap from application modernization.

Step 2 – Define The Problems

Only identifying the legacy system is not sufficient. You also need to identify the exact problems your application is facing. 

It is essential to find out what is working well in the legacy application and what is causing the friction. 

This understanding will help us find out the right modernization approach targeted at the problem-causing area of the legacy application.

Step 3 – Evaluate Application Modernization

Once you have clearly defined the problem, the next step is to find the modernization approach to resolve it.

It isn’t necessary to rebuild the entire application every time. A right modernization approach targets to update/upgrade the weak areas of the legacy application to curb the issues from the root.

There are 5 R’s of application modernization ranked from easiest to most complex. These 5 R’s define the different application modernization approaches that fulfill unique business needs.

1. Retain 

This is the most common and low-risk modernization approach. It reuses or retains some components of the legacy system in a new architecture. The legacy software is encapsulated and is accessible via an API. With this approach, you can easily scale your application as well as use a microservices system when the time demands.

2. Rehost

In this application modernization approach, you replace the infrastructure of the application. It is often referred to as "lift and shift" as businesses use this approach to shift the components of their application to a more advanced, flexible, scalable, and cost-effective cloud environment. You can choose to do little modifications to the elements of the application if the need arises.

3. Refactor

Application modernization services will help you refactor your legacy applications. It simply means to make structural changes or modifications to the application’s code while preserving its core functionality. 

This is possible by adopting modern architectural patterns like microservices, containers, and serverless computing. This gives businesses the flexibility, scope to scale, and agility they need for growth in the present and future.

4. Rebuild

Rebuilding refers to the complete recreation of applications using contemporary development frameworks, tools, and methods. This approach opens doors to eradicate technical debts, boost performance, and integrate fresh functionalities. 

Yet, it demands meticulous planning, weighing aspects such as project scale, resource distribution, and seamless data transfer. 

Comprehensive documentation and cohesive teamwork among development units, supported by application modernization services, stand as crucial pillars for a seamless reconstruction journey.

5. Rebuild

Replace application modernization strategy is completely replacing your legacy application with new or customized solutions. 

This is suitable when the existing applications are entirely obsolete. Plus, it no longer meets business goals or requirements. 

Further, the replacement approach is best when getting new solutions is more cost-effective and relevant than rebuilding or rearchitecting the application.

Throughout the replacement phase, organizations ought to perform a comprehensive assessment of the available choices, taking into account elements such as compatibility, scalability, vendor support, and the seamless transfer of data.

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Step 4 – Choose The Application Modernization Approach

To choose the right application modernization approach consider these factors:

1. Workload
2. Architecture
3. Cost (modernization and continued operational)
4. Risk
5. Operations
6. Security

Weigh these factors against your business priorities and goals. Choose the one that meets all your requirements and will bring desired results for your application.

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Step 5 – Prepare For Future Growth 

In this rapidly changing business landscape, you need a modernization solution that brings business agility.

The right modernization approach is the one that is flexible to adapt to future demands. If you choose to retain legacy application components or shift to the cloud, you can leverage the benefits of microservices. However, it will still face challenges when you opt to scale or modify elements. 

However, a rearchitect or refactor approach offers better ways to future-proof your software.

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Step 6 – Choose The Right Application Modernization Company

You may have a great internal development team. But they may lack in skills and knowledge to carry out successful application modernization. 

That is why you need a specialized application modernization company. Look for a company that offers digital transformation services. A company such as Ampcome excels in the latest tools and technologies helping you accelerate your digital transformation. We have exceptionally talented developers and technically sound experts who have years of experience in legacy modernization services. 

We are here to help you simplify your legacy application modernization process to propel your business growth. 

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Step 7 – Optimize

Your work doesn't stop here. When the application modernization process has started, you should regularly track the project's progress. You should test the modifications to see if they fit your requirements and ask for optimizations for enhanced performance and efficiency.

Being up-to-date with your ongoing application modernization process ensures that there are no last-minute hiccups in software licensing, hosting, performance, connectivity, or other features.

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Conclusion

Application modernization is the ideal way to sustain your business in this demanding market dynamic. It ensures your application's relevance in the present as well as prepares it for the future. 

With the right application modernization services, you can effortlessly transform your digital technologies to meet customer demands and business goals.

Still stuck with legacy systems? Wondering where to start with legacy modernization?

Get in touch with our experts today!