Legacy Migration: Choosing the Right Approach for Maximum ROI

Before beginning the legacy migration process you must first confirm that your business objectives are clear and that you and your IT staff are on the same page.

Here’s how to prepare for a smooth migration process.

1. Understand and Define Your Goals

Understanding your goals is the first step in preparing your company for migration. You must relate your modernization efforts to your company’s commercial and technological objectives and get a consensus on them.

Find the answers to your whys – why is migration so important for your company?

Find out why you’re moving your old IT systems, for example, if you’re seeking to establish a new customer communications strategy.

Are you attempting to resolve a compliance problem? Are you wanting to update your core system? Is the new technology required to lower risk or to streamline corporate communication?

So, the first step is to figure out what’s causing your issue — is it a problem with technology, architecture, or application functionality? Then determine how the modernization strategy will enhance these factors.

Determine how the upgrading of outdated systems will affect your company’s revenue, market share, and customer experience.

Remember that establishing an agreement on the whys is an important but often ignored part of any digital transformation.

The principal objectives will aid in the development of KPIs (key performance indicators) and other metrics that will be used to measure the project’s success.

2. Select the Right Cloud Deployment Option

A cloud-first approach is being adopted by businesses all around the world. Cloud computing can assist you in scaling up to handle more workloads. It makes it significantly easier to manage users than an on-premise infrastructure.

So, what are your alternatives when it comes to deciding on the best cloud approach for your company? Take a look at the list below.

• Hybrid Cloud

A hybrid cloud can be a mix of two or more types of environments. It can combine public clouds, private clouds, or on-premises legacy data centers.

Tight integration across all deployed clouds is a must for this approach to work well.

• Multi-Cloud

Multi-cloud deployment is done by combining two or more public clouds. Public clouds are the ones that are shared by more than one customer.

It offers multiple benefits – cost savings, easy backup, or leveraging features from different cloud providers.

• Single Cloud

Deploying a single cloud from just one cloud vendor is not always feasible for a business, but it is an option that you can use.

You can choose either a public cloud or a private cloud. The private clouds are not shared with any other business.

3. Assess Your Company’s Digital Readiness

Only when your company is ready to make the switch to a contemporary cloud-based solution can you take the jump.

As a result, the most important step is to ensure your company’s digital preparedness.

To determine how digitally ready your organization is, map out its current infrastructure and do a gap analysis. This will provide you with a clear picture of the measures you must take to prepare your company for digitalization.

4. Estimate the Cost of Migration

Once you’re ready, you’ll need to identify a reputable provider and obtain migration budget estimates.

Keep in mind that some programs will cost more to operate on the cloud, while others may cost less. Remember to include in the initial investment as well as the entire cost of ownership.

You can get in touch with WDX Technologies to work with you as a reliable partner in your digital transformation journey.

Any method is preferable to none at all, whether your firm chooses to replace the whole enterprise application system, replace one application component at a time, make localized rapid fixes in one application, or upgrade the infrastructure.

More businesses are beginning to invest in digitally transforming their old systems and applications.

If you want to invest in digital transformation, keep in mind that the efficiency of your finances will be greatly influenced by the method you use.

Here are some ideas to get you started.

1. Migration & Enhancements

It’s one of the most popular methods for application modernization, and it’s also one of the simplest ways to ensure that your software continues to meet your demands for years to come. It does, however, come with its own set of constraints: no changes to the application’s essential business logic or design.

It simply entails a system transfer to the cloud and a few small modifications, such as UI/UX changes and database migration.

2. Correction & Growth

When your application’s technological stack is quite recent and does not represent a threat to future application expansion, you can choose this method. This kind of modernizing allows for a few modest tweaks and improvements.

Minor changes might be connected to architectural optimization or code reworking, as well as UX improvements and performance enhancements. They may be implemented without requiring major modifications to your application’s business logic.

You may add extra functionality to your application after it has been updated by using third-party connectors and custom-built modules.

This strategy is further divided into two categories: enhance current and duct tape.

By adding a few modest changes to a current technique, you may improve the application designs. The duct tape strategy aids in the development of a new contemporary application that is synced to the primary legacy application in order to bridge the functionality gap.

3. Complete Software Re-engineering

It is the most severe method of migration.

Examine your company’s growth plan and prospects. To re-engineer the program, determine which functionalities are still necessary for your business and which are no longer needed. If the requirement arises, prioritize and change the necessary features.

Take your historical system as a starting point for this strategy, and have an up-to-date application built with similar capabilities but improved performance, UI & UX, contemporary technology, and scalable architecture.

Depending on the final requirements, your new application may be functionally identical to the previous version or may be missing some capabilities that are no longer required.

Each of the aforementioned techniques has its own strengths and usefulness. Before choosing the appropriate modernization option for your system, you may examine your company’s needs and the status of its present IT infrastructure.

Here are some of the basic legacy migration techniques and strategies that you can apply. They are “the six R’s.”

1. Re-Hosting

It is also known as a lift-and-shift strategy.

If you choose re-hosting as your migration option, your application or a component of your application will be moved to a new physical, virtual, or cloud-based infrastructure. There will be no recompiling or modifications to the code, features, or functions of the program.

There are several advantages to employing this method.

It is, first and foremost, a low-cost and low-risk solution. Re-hosting is significantly faster than re-engineering initiatives, which might take years. It also preserves your application’s fundamental business logic, ensuring that none of your business functions are harmed. As a result, your system functions similarly.

You’re probably wondering how this method can help you modernize your app?

Well, in terms of modernization, this plan makes sense. The benefits of migrating to current open systems, such as a multi-tiered, SQL-based x86 environment or the cloud, are numerous.

• Migrating to the cloud can make your system more flexible in user-demand than on-site hardware. It offers cheaper upfront investment and improves data security, stability, and continuous updates.
• Moving to SQL-based x86 architecture systems results in lower purchase costs and less rigid requirements for cooling and space.

Applications are re-hosted in many major legacy migration scenarios when businesses want to expand their migration swiftly to satisfy a specific business case.

If your application is already on the cloud, you’ll find that it’s a lot easier to re-architect it afterwards.

2. Replacing

In certain circumstances, it is preferable to totally replace or eliminate the program with a new tool rather than investing in its modernization.

Replacing your previous application entails completely removing it and replacing it with a solution that meets your company’s needs.

You don’t have to reuse the existing business logic if you’re replacing it, but some amount of re-engineering, customization, and rewriting business logic is required.

You should only think about it if sustaining an old legacy system is challenging owing to various constraints.

3. Replatforming

Migrating your application to a new platform is referred to as replatforming.

To adapt to the new platform entails making minor changes to the application’s code. It does not, however, necessitate any changes to the code structure, features, or functions it delivers.

The purpose isn’t to completely rebuild the software; in that case, the rebuild method will suffice. Rather, systems are updated to run in new contexts, such as the cloud.

Application developers convert an existing system component to a managed service (such as a database service), ensuring that the business logic remains unchanged.

4. Refactoring

Refactoring is the process of reorganizing and optimizing existing application code without affecting the program’s exterior front-end behavior or functionality. It enables the solution of several technical issues as well as the enhancement of the application component’s functionality and structure.

Companies may make use of cloud-native capabilities and achieve maximum cost efficiency in the cloud by recoding a few pieces of an existing system.

5. Re-Architecting

Are you looking to switch from a monolithic to a serverless design for your application?

You should consider re-architecting – It is motivated by a compelling business need to add new features, scale, or improve performance – improvements that would be difficult to do in the present context.

It entails switching to a new application architecture and modifying the code to effectively utilize the platform’s new and improved capabilities. This kind of migrating has a medium level of risk and expense.

6. Rewriting (Rebuilding, Redesign)

Rewriting generally entails building a new system from the ground up that performs comparable duties.

When you need more than what the present system offers, it might be an excellent alternative. When the expense of sustaining an existing system exceeds the cost of replacing it, you can go for it.

It is a difficult process, regardless of the approach, technique, or strategy you use for software modernization. However, if effectively strategized, can bring returns that are well worth the risk.

Let’s take a look at some of the greatest legacy migration procedures for reducing risk.

Legacy migration is all about using and reusing existing applications while merging prior capabilities with current technology.

However, there are other obstacles and hazards to consider. There is a scarcity of recent documentation for the application. It’s difficult to break free from decades of app reliance, as teams have become acclimated to a specific manner of using the app.

Despite this, it is critical to continue with the migration.

I’m going to provide some best practices for legacy modernization that will reduce your risks and help you get the most out of your investment.

1. Involving the Stakeholders

Don’t underestimate the potential of engaging all the stakeholders in regular communications related to the migration process.

You can do the following:

• Ensure that all the stakeholders are involved throughout the modernization process and regularly meet to promote information sharing, transparency, and collaboration.
• You can begin by setting up interactive communication points in the form of newsletters, meeting minutes, and project progress reports.
• Keep up the momentum of modernization and stakeholder’s involvement going with structured accountability at every decision-making level.

2. Executive Buy-In from Day One

Remember that most legacy modernization projects are transformative and time-consuming, and the leadership team will require steadfast commitment from all stakeholders. Having executive buy-in from the start may make the difference between legacy migration success and failure.

Because of the scale, reach, and hazards of the modernization process, it’s critical that the organization’s executives be well aware that cross-functional resources may be engaged.

Do you know what might happen if you start the migration process without the support of the executive team?

The project’s schedule may be pushed back.

Having them on board with the migration project from the beginning may help reduce hurdles and ensure that all of the resources required for success are available.

3. Change Management

Do you know what the most significant stumbling block to effective legacy migration is?

It’ll surprise you to learn that the internal team’s attachment to legacy systems and how they worked is to blame.

In this instance, it’s ideal to train your internal employees on new technologies as quickly as feasible. It will help mitigate the expenses of migrating suppliers while also allowing timely input into a number of crucial design decisions. It may be done by avoiding relying on a vendor who is unfamiliar with your company’s operations.

4. Commitment to Timeline

It’s tempting to review the application and seek some changes after the modernization process has begun, even if it’s at the last minute.

Is it, however, worthwhile?

Remember that everyone on your team who is participating in the modernization process must realize that modification requests made late in the project’s life cycle might cause it to be severely delayed, if not completely derailed. Everyone must keep their word and stick to the schedule.

Make sure your protocols are in place to accept any requests that are brief and aligned with essential concerns. As a result, such requests that can be addressed after the project is launched should be submitted to a backlog for future application updates.

5. Continuous Testing

Every modernization project requires testing to be successful.

Don’t wait until the application modernization process is completed to begin testing. It must start early in the process and include end-users.

So, how can you ensure that sufficient testing is carried out?

For testing, include cross-departmental representation. When creating test cases and scenarios for error-free integration and system testing, it will decrease any risk.

All unanticipated integration issues and functional gaps will be identified and resolved by a cross-departmental team.

In the end, have Patience!

Keep in mind that legacy modernization is a long process. And in the long run, this transition will be beneficial to your company.

You must have a strategy in place to handle the cost reductions obtained as a result of the legacy modernization process – To maximize your total ROI, you’ll need a strategy for how you’ll spend your money.

Are you ready to go on a journey to modernize your outdated applications? Have you been able to settle on the best strategy for legacy modernization?

If this is the case, please contact us. If not, we can assist you in doing so.

We can assist you in dealing with the upgrading of your complicated legacy systems with adequate planning.

We are a Pennsylvania-based technology company with extensive expertise in digitally transforming businesses and organizations across a wide range of industries.

Let’s talk.