It’s important to think of your application modernization initiative as a journey for continuous improvement and not just a project. This mindset can bring enormous benefits including:
Application Modernization vs. Digital Transformation
Digital transformation is a broader initiative that takes advantage of technology to impact every aspect of a company’s organization, systems, and culture. Application modernization is often a key component of that digital transformation journey.
Application Modernization is better defined as the practice of upgrading newer systems and software systems which are often undertaken by high-ranking IT executives such as COO and CIO. These kinds of initiatives are typically undertaken to improve operations and infrastructure with long term vision.
The Modernization Challenge
Most enterprises are adopting a cloud-first strategy because of the enormous benefits of moving apps and services to the cloud. The problem arises when you have a complex environment with multiple legacy applications and business processes that must be maintained for at least a time while other applications move to the cloud. Those critical legacy application services that are critical to your business present a challenge, and there are several approaches including:
REHOST
This is the strategy of moving legacy apps to the cloud as they are.
It is the lowest level solution and provides minimal benefits.
RIP & REPLACE
“Rip and replace” is just what it sounds like.
Where you Rip out the old app and put in a new system. This is the most challenging and ambitious course.
GRADUAL REPLACEMENT
The Gradual Replacement Strategy
From a risk standpoint, rip and replace and rehosting as is present significant risks on each end of the spectrum. Rehosting may seem safe, but it provides the least amount of benefit with no clear path to further modernization. Rip and replace is also tempting because of the potential of making global change that has the most benefit, but it also introduces the risk of enormous disruption.
For complex environments with numerous legacy applications, often a better strategy is to gradually replace applications. By adopting a continuous improvement strategy, applications are first integrated, as they currently exist, through platforms to share data and automate processes with newer cloud-native applications.
Applications are replaced or rebuilt strategically, and gradually, learning at each step, then repeating the process. Because applications are replaced gradually over time, the risks and negative impacts on the organization are minimized and are much easier to manage.
Integration with an API Abstraction Layer
Modern, cloud-native applications invariably are built with an API-first architecture. Legacy siloed applications usually do not have APIs, nor is it practical to retrofit them. This presents a major integration challenge, often resulting in IT teams creating stand-alone integration solutions for sharing data between applications which can be cumbersome, complex, and fragile.
This API Abstraction approach has substantial benefits including data quality, managing changes more effectively, and improved security. And, once you create this API abstracted layer, you can expose your API to external vendors, customers, and partners without giving direct access to your internal systems.
Looking further forward, gradually replacing those legacy is much more straightforward because your API is now in place and you simply need to create those services and endpoints for a much more seamless integration.
Starting the Application Modernization Journey
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Have you considered a Lighthouse Project?
How to get started on your application modernization journey is always difficult.
Tackling the most crucial systems is tempting, but it can also be fraught with additional risk.
To mitigate that risk and to demonstrate the value of application modernization, consider a Lighthouse Project, which is an easily defined project that serves as a model for your ongoing application modernization initiative.
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Application modernization doesn’t happen overnight, and it’s never done. Continuous improvement of your systems is the key to successful transformation. Not sure how to start that journey?
