Make the right technology choice when modernizing your legacy applications

To remain competitive, organizations increasingly face the challenge of modernizing their legacy environments. These applications are often built with outdated technologies that no longer meet today’s requirements. They are difficult, or even impossible, to maintain, scale, or integrate with other critical systems. While modernization itself is a significant step, the technology choice for legacy applications is crucial to ensuring your organization’s long-term success.

There are many technologies available for modernizing legacy applications and monolithic architectures. These include cloud-native architectures (such as microservices, containers, and serverless computing), modern programming languages (like Java, Python, Node.js, and .NET), and database technologies such as SQL and NoSQL. But which technology should you choose? For many organizations, this is a difficult question. Your goals play a crucial role in making the right decision.

What are your organization’s objectives when it comes to IT? Or what is the driving force behind modernizing a legacy application? Is it to improve scalability, enable easier integration with other systems, enhance cybersecurity, or increase productivity? Or perhaps you’re aiming to achieve several goals at once? Defining clear objectives is essential, as they guide your technology choices throughout the transformation process.

Current infrastructure

First and foremost, the organization should begin with an analysis of the current infrastructure. This can be done through a thorough audit that provides insight into the existing technical infrastructure and answers questions such as: which technologies (for example Delphi, COBOL, MS-Net) are currently in use, what integration possibilities exist with other applications, and which parts of the legacy environment truly need replacement? With this analysis, you can make a well-informed choice for a particular technology and facilitate a smoother transition to a new system later on.

Functional requirements

Daarnaast moet je als organisatie ook kijken naar de functionele vereisten van de gemoderniseerde applicatie. Deze vereisten bepalen onder andere de keuze voor programmeertalen, frameworks en databases. Een complexe legacy omgeving vraagt mogelijk om robuustere en schaalbaardere technologie dan een enkele applicatie. 

Costs and budget

The costs of the technology, including licenses, implementation, training, and maintenance, must fit within the available budget. Choosing open-source solutions can initially save costs but may require more effort in maintenance and support, which can result in higher expenses in the long run.

It is also important to consider the Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) and the expected Return on Investment (ROI) that the new technology can deliver over time. Select technologies that offer a favorable balance between TCO and ROI.

Available expertise

Does your organization have enough IT specialists in-house to implement and maintain the chosen technology? The availability of qualified developers and administrators is an important factor. Preferably choose well-known and widely used technologies for which sufficient qualified developers are available. This enables your organization to quickly maintain and further develop new applications. If you lack this expertise internally, consider upskilling your IT specialists or bringing in external support from an IT vendor.

Maintainability and support

Is the new system easy to maintain through software patches and updates? Do the vendors of the new technology provide extensive documentation and support? The same applies here: well-known and widely used technologies have a wealth of knowledge available in the market. An active and engaged community around a particular technology can also be a valuable resource. An active user group not only shares knowledge about technical issues but also identifies bugs and simultaneously makes recommendations for continuously improving the application.

Improved user experience

The chosen technology should enable an optimal user experience. This applies both to the end users and to the developers working with the technology. For end users, a pleasant and clear user interface, fast loading times, and smooth interactions are of great importance. For developers, access to the backend of the application and the ability to easily modify and adapt components play a major role.

Security and compliance

Due to the ongoing cyber threats, modern applications today must meet the strictest security requirements. Modern systems need to be capable of protecting business data and customer information. A data breach can result in hefty fines. Therefore, choose a technology that offers robust security protocols and compliance capabilities. In general, most providers of modern technologies offer built-in security features, and users have the option to regularly download updates and patches.

Scalability and flexibility

A modern application must be able to grow with your company’s ambitions and market developments. Therefore, choose a technology that can be easily scaled up or down as needs change. Cloud-native solutions and microservices architectures often provide this desired flexibility. Additionally, the chosen technology should be able to easily adapt to changing business requirements and shifts in customer demand.

Risk analysis

Also assess the risks associated with choosing a particular technology. This includes technical risks (such as potential integration issues), as well as business risks, like dependence on a single vendor. Vendor lock-in occurs when an organization becomes so reliant on one supplier that it is (almost) impossible to switch or part ways. This creates an undesirable power imbalance for the vendor and can lead to future price increases for the technology in use. Ultimately, this can put your organization’s profitability under pressure.

Beyond choosing the right technology, the way of collaborating can also play an important role here. If you work with blended teams (collaborations between internal and external developers) there is often more knowledge sharing, which reduces the risk of vendor lock-in.

Integration possibilities

The new application must seamlessly integrate with existing and new systems. This requires a thorough analysis of the current IT infrastructure and compatibility with the chosen technology. APIs, integration platforms, and the use of widely accepted standards play an important role here. Also assess whether it is possible to host the new technology from the cloud, as this offers advantages in terms of cost savings and flexibility.

Migration possibilities

Another important consideration is the potential complexity of moving from the legacy environment to the new technology. Are there tools or frameworks available that enable a gradual transition? Do you have enough expertise in-house to carry out this migration? It may be necessary to rewrite the code of certain applications in a new language or framework to function properly in the modernized environment.

Future-proofing

Choose a technology that not only meets current needs but also supports future innovations. The new technology should provide capabilities for upcoming advancements in areas such as artificial intelligence and machine learning. Be sure to review the vendor’s roadmap as well. Avoid trends that may quickly become outdated, and opt for established solutions with projections for long-term growth and stability.

Need help modernizing legacy applications?

Choosing the right technology for legacy modernization is a strategic decision that requires careful consideration. The factors outlined above provide a guideline to analyze your current situation. This makes it easier to make a well-informed decision that increases the success of your modernization project.

Modernizing applications is an ongoing process. Therefore, continuously evaluate your modernized applications and be prepared to make adjustments as technologies, business needs, and customer demands evolve. With the right approach and technology choice, you can transform your legacy applications into powerful, modern tools that propel your business forward in this digital era.

Looking for advice and support? The experts at NetRom Software are ready to advise and guide you through this important modernization process. We have done this for many of our clients and have expertise across a broad range of technologies. Interested in brief free consult to explore the possibilities? Schedule a short call and get to know our approach. Together, we will modernize your legacy applications and ensure your organization is future-proof.