Future-proof legacy

Legacy applications are, without doubt, robust and built for long life spans. So why are they failing the fitness criteria?

The reality is that today’s fast-changing digital environment is making markets, customers and boards demand more—exposing the architectural and maintenance limitations posed by legacy applications. This is the key reason why Application Modernization is rising to the top of every CIO’s agenda.

The primary goal of application modernization is to create added business value from existing applications. Application modernization, as a concept, implies migrating from legacy applications to new platforms that have the required business functionality and can integrate with other systems when required. This means, legacy applications must come under the scalpel and get doctored—reused, renewed, consolidated, retired or built anew—to improve their fitness.

Approaches to modernization

Typically, after an organization determines the target environment, examines the existing gaps and points of failure, and identifies the applications (or components) that need modernization, it can adopt two approaches: the Greenfield Approach and the Two-Speed Approach.

Greenfield Approach: This approach is prescribed when a complete change in environment is required, driven by the limitations of legacy applications. Here, the team begins from scratch, capturing use-cases, defining requirements and articulating outcomes. The team begins by building the first block of the application and then progressing steadily until all the blocks are in place (See Figure 1), putting in place the equivalent of foundational development. The result is total transformation. This approach is time consuming and often, laborious (See Figure 2).

Figure 1: The Greenfield Approach starts from scratch, putting in place one block after another to achieve total transformation

Figure 2: Operational Factor Analysis for Greenfield Approach

Two-Speed Approach: This approach is prescribed when the prognosis suggests there are multiple interdependencies of the legacy system with other applications in production. The Two-Speed Approach provides quick fixes – new functionality or upgrades for components that were not working efficiently (See Figure 3). There is no change in the fundamental architecture of the application. A fast track team delivers the customized development. This approach is ideal when time is of the essence (See Figure 4).

Figure 3: The Two-Speed Approach creates quick fixes without changing the architecture of the application

Figure 4: Operational Factor Analysis for Two-Speed Approach

Several parameters determine the approach that is best suited for an organization/application.

How to ensure app modernization success

Central to success in both the approaches to application modernization are the surround factors. These factors ensure there is no compromise on the strategic goals of the organization.

The most important factor to consider is IT Governance. Strong governance keeps a check on unnecessary IT sprawl, reducing capital spends and business risk. The involvement and commitment of senior leadership and business stakeholders further ensures choice of the right modernization approach, thus improving outcomes and delivering the target value.

A principle that allows organizations to opt confidently for modernization is a clear vision and plan of what the business environment needs and the likely demands from customers. This prevents the organization from using or creating unnecessarily complex products, processes and technologies.

Frequent and clear communication—from top management as well as customers—is a cornerstone in determining when an application needs attention. From this follows the decision to adopt the right approach to application modernization.

Applications are the lifeblood of a modern organization. They capture data. They allow ideas, information and intelligence to flow. They enable transactions and collaboration. They expose business opportunities. Organizations must therefore ensure they dedicate the best resources and pick the strongest vendors and IT partners in the journey of application modernization.

For CIOs, modernization need not be a daunting or distant reality. New technology is cheap, reliable and widely available to help extend the value of existing applications. The opportunity to renovate IT is real and that opportunity is now.

About the author

Shree Kumar Bagri

Consultant, Business Application Services, Wipro Limited

Shree has over 13 years of IT experience in Java and Oracle Fusion Middleware Integration across multiple domains like manufacturing, healthcare, banking, telecom etc. He has been actively involved in working with business users, mapping their requirements to the technology architecture. His area of expertise is to provide business domain acumen aligned to strategic vision and client requirements amidst the technological landscape.

He can be reached at shreekumar.bagri@wipro.com

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