Feeling like your tech is slowing you down? Well, 90% of businesses are held back in terms of growth and efficiency due to legacy systems.
As digital transformation accelerates, clinging to outdated software can hinder your business, costing you time and money.
Legacy system modernization can help you upgrade your business. It enables your organization to innovate faster, improve user experience, and easily adapt to market changes. A successful legacy modernization strategy focuses on:
- System flexibility
- Scalable infrastructure
- Future-ready architecture
Let’s discuss why legacy systems are a barrier and how to modernize effectively to stay ahead.
Table of Contents
What are Legacy Systems?
Legacy systems are the old software or tech setups that a company cannot seem to abandon. It’s like using an old phone in the age of smartphones. They are still in use even if better, quicker, and modern solutions are available.
The reason?
- They’re tough and costly to maintain
- They usually don’t work well with new software
No more patchwork fixes. Our expert-led, end-to-end approach brings long-term transformation.
Signs Your Legacy System is Holding You Back
Does your software feel more like a burden than a tool? It might be time to let it go. Legacy systems have a way of slowing things down without you ever realizing it. They can harm security and your ability to innovate.
Let’s discuss some signs your legacy system is holding you back:
1. Security Vulnerabilities
As legacy systems get outdated, their security risk increases. Updates slow down or stop altogether, leaving the system open to cyberthreats.
About 74% of businesses experience a breach due to unauthorized third-party access connected to legacy systems.
That’s why it’s crucial to review your tech stack regularly. Legacy application modernization helps you avoid security risks and protect your data.
2. Poor Employee Experience
Outdated application modernization tools not only are difficult to work with but also lower team morale. When employees are stuck with slow, obsolete systems all day, it’s only a matter of time before they get frustrated.
According to the 2024 Third-Party Risk Management Study by Prevalent, 61% of organizations experienced a security or third-party data breach.
You’d agree that no one wants to lose skilled resources due to bad tech. Using strategies for successful modernization can increase productivity and create a smoother experience that makes your top talent want to stick around.
3. High Maintenance Costs
Many people assume that legacy system modernization can be too expensive. It’s true that new systems are a bit expensive, but sticking to the outdated systems may cost you more than you think.
Legacy IT doesn’t just slow things down but drains your budget, time, and productivity. Research shows US businesses lose up to $1.8 trillion every year due to old technology.
So, where do these costs come from?
- Constantly fixing issues with outdated tools
- Spending on system upkeep
- Wasting resources on employee downtime caused by inefficiencies
4. Bad Customer Experiences
Outdated systems don’t just slow things down but also frustrate users and customers. When customers are stuck with a bad experience, it can lead to a poor impression.
The legacy modernization approach will improve employee workflows and customer satisfaction, encouraging customers to return.
Let our experts boost your infrastructure with modern systems that run faster, smoother, and more efficiently.
Steps to Modernize Your Legacy Systems
Legacy system modernization takes time. It requires planning, the right tools, and a clear idea of what you’re looking to achieve. Here’s a step-by-step legacy modernization strategy to help you upgrade your system without hassle.
1. Evaluate Legacy Systems
Let’s start by understanding the common issues with legacy systems. A good way to do this is to compare your system to six important drivers to determine whether it’s time for an upgrade.
However, if your present system hinders your business growth, costs too much, or adds unnecessary risk, it’s time to change it. So, why continue with it if it’s not supporting your objectives or keeping you around?
The bottom line is that legacy application modernization makes more sense the more of these warning signs you see. It all comes down to ensuring that your technology truly serves your needs rather than working against them.
2. Define the Problems
If the legacy system does not meet current business or IT requirements, it’s time to refine the problems further. Here’s how to do it:
- Target the specific user stories
- Understand what works well in legacy software
- Know what works and what doesn’t
This overall way can help determine the modernization approach.
3. Evaluate Application Modernization
The next step is to start with a legacy modernization approach. But how?
Well, there are 7 Rs common approaches to application modernization. These approaches range from the simplest and fastest fixes to the more complex and revolutionary redesigns.
The 7 Rs of legacy modernization strategy:
- Retain / Encapsulate: Wrap up your legacy system with APIs so you can keep using it while slowly adding modern features.
- Rehost: “Lift and shift” your app to the cloud without touching the code, quick and simple.
- Replatform: Move your app to a new platform with some tweaks, but keep the core structure the same.
- Refactor: Clean up and reorganize the code to fix inefficiencies and make it easier to maintain.
- Re-architect: Overhaul the system into a new, more scalable architecture.
- Rebuild: Start from scratch and recreate the app, but stick to the same goals and features.
- Replace: Retire the old system completely and build a new solution that better fits your business needs.
4. Choose the Application Modernization Approach
When it comes to picking the best software upgrade strategy, it’s not just about effort and impact alone. Consider the following points to choose among the seven options:
- How much work is involved
- What kind of architecture are you dealing with
- The overall cost: both to modernize and to keep things running afterward
- Potential risks
- Day-to-day operations
- Security concerns
5. Find the Right Modernization Partner
Most companies don’t modernize their software frequently. It’s usually not their primary focus, and internal teams aren’t often fully prepared for the new technology. They may need training to get used to the new or updated system.
To save time from all this hassle, you can partner with the right software modernization partner. The agency can help you re-engineer your systems, tech, and processes with a modern approach that works for your business.
Here’s how to choose a modernization partner:
- Check their experience with digital transformation services and system re-engineering
- Must have a strong grasp of different modernization strategies
- Agile and DevOps practices to move things faster and smoothly
Having the right partner can save your time, reduce unnecessary stress ,and make sure your modernization journey leads to real results.
6. Observe and Optimize
Once the project has started, it’s essential to test and improve the application’s alterations. It ensures the program adjusts to evolving needs and prevents hiccups in:
- Hosting
- Software licensing
- Connectivity to other services or databases during the transfer
Get our expert modernization solutions for seamless and top-notch performance.
Still Unsure? Consult PixelCrayons for Modernization Strategy!
Legacy systems aren’t just old software. They’re anchors holding your business back. Outdated technology can cost you:
- Time
- Money
- Growth opportunities
It can slow down innovation and cause security risks. However, are you still stuck with aging systems? PixelCrayons helps you modernize without risking downtime or business disruption,
Let our experts provide digital transformation. Work with us to future-proof your business with minimal risk and maximum efficiency.
Our software modernization company takes care of everything from assessing your legacy setup to planning, migration, and support so you can focus on scaling your business without tech worries.
