Legacy Application Modernization: Benefits and Risks of Moving to the Cloud

Cloud computing services are increasingly popular to reduce costs and improve scalability, among other reasons. If you’re looking for legacy application modernization, it’s the perfect time to consider cloud technologies.

The process of migrating applications to the cloud involves using remote servers and a virtual environment. That could involve simply moving the application and the data to the cloud, or it could involve moving your entire IT infrastructure.

What are the Benefits of Moving to the Cloud?

Cloud migration offers several benefits to businesses, including improvements in…

What are the Benefits of Moving Legacy Applications to the Cloud?

  • Cost savings
  • Scalability
  • Flexibility
  • Security
  • Disaster Recovery
  • Collaboration

Let’s outline each benefit.

Cost Savings

Probably the biggest benefit of cloud computing is cost savings, as cloud applications do not require expensive on-site hardware. That can significantly reduce the initial financial investment. Because you don’t need servers and other hardware on-site, you also save on maintenance and energy costs. Those expenses are covered by the cloud provider, and you simply pay for what you use.

Scalability

If you have a legacy application, you’re likely looking to modernize it because you need to improve scalability. Cloud technology makes it easy to scale your application as your needs change. You can modify your storage, computing power, and bandwidth at any time—and you can do so quickly without major investments in time or resources.

Flexibility

As long as your employees have an active Internet connection and a device, cloud computing offers improved flexibility for workflows. If you have people traveling or working remotely, they can do so easily with a cloud-based application. That flexibility can also improve collaboration between team members despite differences in locations or time zones.

Security

Cloud service providers take on the responsibility of security. As their business relies on offering safe and dependable services for all their clients, they take the risks very seriously. They have the experience and the resources to invest in the most up-to-date protection against everything from cybersecurity to physical facility security. That eliminates the need for your internal resources to deal with security issues, as well as the related time and stress.

Disaster Recovery

Backing up vital business data is a key part of any organization’s IT operations. Cloud service providers are able to invest in technology that offers significant advantages when it comes to disaster recovery. You have choices, so you can purchase the backup and restoration services that work for you. For example, restorations could be on a file-by-file basis, by volume, or a full restoration of the complete backup.

Improved Collaboration

Cloud computing enables employees in different geographical locations and time zones to collaborate. The ability to access files, documents, data and other resources make it easier for staff members to work together. That increases productivity, efficiency, and competitiveness.

What are the Risks of moving to the cloud?

While the cloud offers significant benefits, like any business decision, there are risks. One of the biggest is a lack of cloud migration strategy.

Before moving a legacy application to the cloud, you’ll need the plan to ensure you can deal with issues like…

  • Architecture incapability
  • Data loss
  • Latency
  • Security issues
  • Visibility

Modernizing legacy applications requires a strategy to deal with these issues. That’s why an experienced partner like InApp can help. Our team can help you by reviewing your legacy architecture and creating a plan to consider all possible risks. We also review interoperability issues and make recommendations to make your transition as smooth as possible.

Contact us to learn more about how we can help you modernize your legacy application and decide if the cloud is the right choice for you.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is legacy application modernization?

Legacy application modernization is the process of upgrading an existing software application with updated technology to streamline workflows, improve integration, and add features that support both current and future needs.

What are the important components of cloud modernization?

Cloud modernization requires updates to infrastructure, application code, business processes, workflows, and platforms to ensure an application can work efficiently in a cloud environment.

What is cloud application modernization?

Cloud application modernization is the process of upgrading an existing cloud application with updated technology to improve workflow integration and add features that support both current and future needs.

What do you mean by cloud-native?

Cloud-native refers to software that is specifically designed and used to work with cloud-based architecture. These applications capitalize on the characteristics of a cloud computing software delivery model.

What is the difference between cloud and cloud-native?

Cloud-native refers to technologies that are specifically designed and used to work in the cloud, while cloud is a more general term that describes anything related to software that’s run in the cloud.