5 Reasons to Prioritize Application Modernization

Businesses can adopt a gradual and exploratory approach to modernizing their apps to minimize costs or increase revenue. However, industry experts recommend a more proactive approach to digital transformation, especially if there are workforce or security concerns. Updating immediately can help organizations stay ahead of the curve and ensure their technology aligns with their goals and strategies.

Application modernization involves updating legacy software to operate on modern platforms and meet current business needs more effectively. With the rise of data theft and the shift towards digital, the urgency for application modernization has increased in recent years. This is particularly important in today’s competitive digital landscape, where businesses must keep pace with technological advancements to remain competitive and secure. The modernization process can include tasks such as repurposing software to align with contemporary concepts and leveraging new technologies to improve overall performance and functionality.

Businesses had two poor choices for application modernization a decade ago. The first option was to replace the existing app, which was hazardous, costly, and time-consuming. The second alternative was to preserve the old software indefinitely while relying on virtualization or APIs.

However, there are numerous ways to enhance handling legacy code now that the cloud and various modernization strategies are available.

Challenges with the Legacy Systems

Legacy systems are older computer systems and applications that are still in use but may be outdated and no longer fully supported by their original vendors. These systems can present several challenges for organizations that rely on them:

Limited functionality: Legacy systems may have different capabilities or features than modern systems, making it difficult for organizations to keep pace with changing business needs.

Lack of scalability: Legacy systems may need to handle increased workloads or large amounts of data, limiting an organization’s growth and competitiveness.

Security risks: Legacy systems may have a different level of security than modern systems, making them more vulnerable to cyber-attacks and data breaches.

Difficulty integrating with other systems: Legacy systems may need help communicating with newer methods, making it difficult to share data and automate processes.

High maintenance costs: Maintaining legacy systems can be costly, especially if they require specialized skills or are no longer supported by their original vendors.

Limited flexibility: Legacy systems are often inflexible and difficult to customize, making it hard to adapt to changing business conditions or implement new technologies.

These challenges can be addressed through application modernization, improving the functionality, scalability, security, and integration of legacy systems and making them more efficient and cost-effective.

Top 5 reasons for Application Modernization

Organizations with a forward-thinking mindset understand that staying silent is not a solution. Modernization is necessary for competitiveness, but many firms must set up a structured strategy by identifying some essential benefits for succeeding. While each organization has its own set of factors, the following are the main five reasons for legacy modernization in the cloud:

Compete and innovate

Long-term viability depends on the capacity to adapt to change and thrive in it. The adoption of new organizational competencies is made more accessible by modernization. A business can deal with unforeseen technological shifts, consumers, and competitors because of its agility. It also makes it more adaptive to potential market and technological upheavals.

Cloud computing adoption

A modernized, cloud-based architecture framework that supports bandwidth-on-demand, self-service provision, global appeal, and lower costs, thanks to multi-tenancy and regulated pricing, may be utilized due to legacy modernization.

Boost Development Speed and Cut Down on IT Backlog

Organizations can concentrate on providing new business benefits and lowering technical debt by simplifying resource provisioning and implementing agile development practices.

Maximize ROI for businesses

IT must serve as a company associate with the ability to provide functionalities in line with client and business requirements. To produce applications quickly and with higher quality, techniques and working practices must be updated.

Reduce Risk

Businesses that put off modernization run the risk of failing to meet crucial security and compliance criteria, endangering both their consumers and their operations. Organizations may utilize modernization projects to spend money on technology and procedure upgrades required for ongoing safety protocols.

Methods of Application Modernization

The following are typical methods for updating applications:

Lifting and shifting: “Lift and shift” is a term used in software development to transfer an existing system from an outdated platform, like an on-premises console, to a more modern one, like a public cloud service. This process is also referred to as rehosting. Using this method, you transfer the program “as is,” making few to no changes to its structure or underlying code. This indicates that while generally, it is the lowest time-consuming option, based on the system, there may be better approaches.

Refactoring: Refactoring is just another word for rewriting or reorganizing. This method of application maintenance management comprises taking an existing program and overhauling a sizable portion of its fundamental code to make it more compatible with a new setting, typically cloud infrastructure. This approach frequently calls for rewriting code alongside a significant restructure of the existing codebase. If a programming team wants to divide a monolithic system into more manageable, independent parts—microservices, a type of architectural choice—it may opt for this strategy. They might use microservices to exploit the advantages of cloud-native architecture and techniques, like containers and container management.

Replatforming: This method can be considered a compromise among the refactoring and lifting-shifting strategies. It entails complimentary upgrades that allow the old program to benefit from a modernized cloud platform, like updating or substituting the software’s backend database, rather than extensive modifications in code or structure, as with refactoring.

Rebuilding: Rebuilding resembles the re-factoring method almost precisely; however, you are beginning from scratch rather than remodeling here. This strategy allows you to create a cloud-based application that ultimately helps you increase innovation, save overall developing costs, and take advantage of technical improvements.

UI/UX Modernization:

It refers to the process of updating the user interface (UI) and user experience (UX) of an application to enhance its visual appeal, usability, and overall user satisfaction. This type of modernization can include updates such as redesigning the layout, using more modern and intuitive controls, improving accessibility, and incorporating responsive design for different devices.

Automation:

It involves using technology to automate repetitive and manual tasks, freeing up time for more strategic and valuable tasks. In the context of application modernization, automation can involve updating workflows and processes within an application to reduce manual effort, minimize errors, and improve efficiency. Examples of automation in application modernization include automating data input, integrating with other systems, and automating certain aspects of the application’s functionality to reduce manual effort.

How application modernization enables you to stay on top of trends

Competitive advantage

Your company may combine cutting-edge systems and innovations through cloud adoption, surpassing competitors. By cloud adoption modernization, you can gain a head start on your competitors while they’re still thinking about it. By App modernization, you can increase the firm’s utilization of digital technologies.

Superior compatibility

The compatibility of legacy programs with modern systems, innovations, and code is enhanced by legacy modernization. Also, it allows businesses to link their applications effortlessly, improving their capacity to accomplish current and prospective company requirements.

Cloud-native

Organizations can redesign their legacy systems to cloud-native practices with cloud adoption. You can then utilize the benefits of cloud computing, such as a swift time to market, agility, scalability, and cheaper expenses.

Improved efficiency

Reduced workload for IT operations by modernization, which allows for operational easiness. Modernizing an application improves operational and process efficiency. Frequently released updates for apps might contain bug corrections and safety patches.

Strong security

Most IT decision-makers acknowledge that out-of-date programs lead to a company’s vulnerability to security threats. This results from old programs’ inconsistency with new authentication mechanisms’ safety standards. Updating your applications may significantly lower the security threats that outdated systems present.

An increase in user pleasure

Using outdated technology can be very inconvenient, whether it’s for your staff or consumers. Satisfied customers and brand image will rise as programs update with a sophisticated user interface: design, contemporary characteristics, and functionality.

Maintaining relevance

Application Cloud modernization helps businesses stay current by maximizing digital innovations like AI, big data, and the cloud. It aids in building a flexible foundation for the long run development even as your IT atmosphere changes depending on current commercial tendencies.

Making a significant difference

Innovative technologies are now practically everywhere, and we have no choice but to utilize them since, if we don’t, our more developed competitors will take our place.

Operating a company using the standard “orthodox” method is not wise. Corporate applications must quickly adopt the newest features and keep up with technological advancements to support efficient business operations.

Why then do you wait?

The global application modernization market is growing at a staggering rate. 

Contact Zuci immediately to learn more about how application modernization can help your business succeed.