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In 2018, a 1956 Ferrari 290 MM (like the one above!) was sold for a whopping $22,000,000 in Los Angeles, California. Who spends $22M on an old car, right? But wait, there’s more. A 1955 Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR Uhlenhaut Coupe was sold for over 40,000,000 in May 2022.
The buyers of these cars make their purchases with the full understanding that maintaining these vehicles when all the parts may no longer exist will be challenging. But they buy them anyway since these are true classics and their inherent value makes them worth owning.
The point here is that old isn’t always useless. They could still be worth a fortune with the right care, even with a few faults and deficiencies. And just like classic cars, old and weak software—also known as legacy software—has many quirks and flaws. However, with the right fix (what the folks in the biz call “legacy modernization”), these old systems can still be valuable, too.
Today, more companies are adopting various legacy modernization trends because building new applications from scratch can be very expensive. In most cases, updating old software can reduce expenses and boost efficiency.
So if you’re looking to get your legacy applications more productive, this is where you should be.
Want to enhance your software or need help modernizing legacy systems? We’d love to help.
Let’s take a tour of the latest legacy modernization trends to see what to watch for when it comes to software system upgrades that work.
Legacy application modernization (say that ten times fast at a cocktail party!) is the process of updating or enhancing an enterprise’s digital infrastructure (software, applications, etc) with the aid of more recent technologies to optimize performance and ensure quality output.
When you watch car restoration shows like Wheeler Dealers, Overhaulin, or the old Pimp My Ride, you see rundown jalopy cars get so swaggy that you almost think it’s the recent model. This is what a legacy modernization procedure does to old legacy software.
In today’s world, companies adopt various legacy application modernization approaches to ensure that their old programs remain viable, and operate at optimal levels. Some of these modernization trends include; Hyper Automation, cloud migration, CI/CD implementation, Augmented analytics, and A/B testing.
The concept of legacy modernization exists because most companies around the globe have their fair share of legacy applications–it’s hard to avoid if your company makes it past the five-year mark (let alone the 10 or 30 one!).
Legacy programs are old and outdated applications that are still in use because they are critical to certain business operations. However the continuous use of these systems affects operational efficiency, and in worse cases can lead to massive losses for the business.
According to a recent survey by the consortium for software quality, legacy systems cost US companies more than $500 billion in 2018, and the cost will only continue to rise as software continues to eat the world (as venture capitalist Marc Andreesen so famously said).
A recent study asserts that legacy systems inhibit the efficiency of at least 90% of organizations. So you’re not alone—and it’s not always your fault that your software gets quickly outdated. Technology is evolving at a mind-blowing pace, about 2x every 18 months. This means that you can have a legacy system just 18 months after freshly deploying the program. (18 months!! Time to grab the bourbon…)
The problem is that the effects of maintaining an old rickety program can be disastrous and nobody (customers, shareholders, your mom) cares if you only recently deployed the system.
Here are specific reasons why legacy software modernization is usually non-negotiable for a company:
Concerned about finding the right people to help you modernize your software systems and architecture? We get you skilled professionals that are perfect for your organization.
As you seek to update or upgrade your legacy software, here are some of the top legacy system modernization tools at your disposal:
The term hyper-automation doesn’t describe a set of tools and it is not a process. It essentially refers to combining advanced technologies to strategically automate as much of the legacy system as possible. One of the main ingredients in hyper-automation is RPA (Robotic Process Automation). At its most basic, RPA software performs automated repetitive tasks the way humans do.
Hyper-automation is a framework for scaling automation, building on the successes and limitations of RPA. The ultimate hyper-automation goal is to automate enterprise automation with the combination of advanced technologies.
A/B testing is the statistical way of comparing two or more versions to determine which version performs better and feedback analysis enables you to understand if the difference between two versions is statistically significant.
A common dilemma that companies face is that they think they understand their customers but in reality, customers will behave much differently than they would think consciously or subconsciously.
Users do not often even know how they make the choices they make, they just make them. When running an experiment or A/B testing, you might find out otherwise and feedback analysis can often be very humbling. So overall, it is better to conduct A/B testing and Feedback Analysis rather than relying on intuition.
For A/B testing to work, you must call out your criteria for success. Also, be sure to split your traffic into two so you can run A/B testing on both groups to get statistically significant results.
The CI/CD approach in automation testing is one very important trend in developing legacy systems. CI/CD stands for Continuous Integration and Continuous Deployment and refers to the software development life cycle. In the CI/CD approach for automation testing, the steps are usually written out within an infinite loop since it is a cycle that repeats forever.
The steps in the cycle include writing the code, building or compiling the code, release/testing for bugs, deployment, operation by end users, monitoring and feedback, and then planning improvements around the feedback. CI/CD is paramount in automation testing because it automates things that otherwise would have been done manually, thus there is a shorter cycle time.
In other words, CI/CD fights problems before they slip into the main code base. In this way, it also helps to prevent technical debt.
One of the most popular approaches in legacy system upgrading is the mobile-first strategy. The mobile-first approach ensures that everything works on mobile view first before considering a larger screen. In today’s world, this approach is a best practice carried out by almost every major tech company.
But first, you need to consider how to integrate it into your system in the best manner possible. For example, should you make a web version that is accessible from any device or a distinct mobile application? It all depends on your specific situation.
In recent years, Artificial Intelligence (AI) chatbots have emerged as a leading trend in legacy modernization. In contrast to rule-based bots, AI bots do not need a large database, and therefore most companies readily implement them. The distinction is that rule-based bots are unable to locate the solution if it is not present in their database.
However, because the AI bot is self-learning, you only need to give it clear, beginning data—regardless of how little of it there is. Given that a well-designed bot can eventually replace dozens or even hundreds of customer care professionals, it is a top option for companies that provide customer assistance.
Cloud migration is one of the most difficult but essential techniques for modernizing outdated apps. Cloud storage facilitates data transport and processing, speeds up information exchange, and strengthens third-party software integration. Additionally, SaaS-based mobile app development and DevOps implementation are made simpler by cloud-based tools.
However, if your legacy program contains obsolete databases and libraries or is overly complex, the transfer may prove to be a significant difficulty. It is best to get assistance from a qualified team in this situation. They will choose the best migration strategies and procedures to preserve all of your data and effectively organize it on a new platform.
DevOps is a concept and a technique that emphasizes agility, collaboration, and automation. DevOps Adaptation can address many of the common problems that plague some organizations, however, it is not a panacea. Faster time to market, higher ROI, greater user/customer satisfaction, increased productivity, improved collaboration, early detection, and repair of faults are just a few of its advantages.
To improve how people explore and understand data in analytics and BI systems, enhanced analytics makes use of enabling technologies like machine learning and AI to help with data preparation, insight production, and data explanation. Because these technologies enable business users and executives to swiftly extract value from their data without requiring in-depth technical knowledge or data expertise, augmented analytics is incredibly valuable to them.
Business users and executives may access pertinent data, formulate the best queries, and swiftly obtain insights into the context of their company with the aid of augmented analytics.
Ready to implement a system modernization process for your legacy applications but don’t know how to begin? We do! Read on:
So you’re probably wondering what is the optimal way to keep your old applications constantly updated. Let’s cut to the chase: offshore developers are your best bet to get the job done.
Why offshore developers?
First, many legacy modernization procedures create some amount of disruption; having engineers who work from a remote location to modernize your legacy applications helps keep them focused and not influenced by non-technical internal stakeholders who may not be equipped to fully understand the context of the upgrade.
Second, offshoring is usually more cost-effective and faster than trying to hire locally. Plus it gives you access to a much wider pool of talent that may have the requisite skills and knowledge needed for the legacy system in question.
And when it comes to offshoring, Turnkey is your best partner.
The typical offshoring firm is a lot like legacy software: they are outdated and inefficient. We’ve modernized and optimized the concept of offshoring to fit the demands of today’s clients.
Our approach is better because it means your team of legacy system developers will fit within your roadmap and work within your culture and play by your rules. In other words, this is your fully dedicated team that you fully control.
Ready to modernize your legacy systems without the pain and hassle of traditional offshore vendors? We’d love to chat.
Just a quick reminder, legacy modernization is the process of making legacy systems more contemporary and able to communicate with other modern systems. Adapting legacy modernization trends is non-negotiable if you’re going to remain competitive in the market. But importantly, you have to implement an efficient approach, which can be difficult to do. Call TurnKey and let us do the hard work for you.
Legacy applications hinder business growth and can lead to cyber-attacks. Companies need legacy modernization to enhance operational efficiency, satisfy ever-changing customer needs, reduce security risk and bolster profits. Moreover, first impressions matter: you don't want to create a customer experience that is defined by slow performance.
There are various legacy modernization strategies and each one is very useful for specific legacy app problems. The best practice is to decide on which approach to implement based on the particular problem(s) you are seeking to resolve.
Technology is developing at an astounding rate—some experts say software is outdated in about 18 months. This means that 18 months after the program is first deployed, you can already have a legacy system! To remain competitive and consistently offer quality products with a great customer experience, you must modernize your legacy systems.
One of the most crucial methods for updating obsolete programs is cloud transfer. Cloud storage improves third-party software integration by facilitating data management and processing, speeding up information exchange, and transporting data. Cloud-based tools also facilitate the introduction of DevOps and SaaS-based mobile app development.
TurnKey Staffing provides information for general guidance only and does not offer legal, tax, or accounting advice. We encourage you to consult with professional advisors before making any decision or taking any action that may affect your business or legal rights.
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