The risks of application modernization

You probably know the benefits of application modernization - more capabilities, decreased maintenance cost, increased integration with web services, etc… All in all, most companies stand to gain more than they lose from modernization.

If that’s the case, why isn’t every company rushing to modernize? Well, as with any big undertaking, there are risks, and these risks hold many back. However, most of these risks come from a lack of experience…a fear of the unknown. I’d like to go over 3 of the most common modernization fears and then explain how to avoid them:

Fear #1: I might break something: This is by far and away the most common fear among IT leaders. Your old systems work fine, why risk breaking something? How will a modernization project interrupt your business? What if it breaks your system and you lose money while trying to fix it?

Fear #2: I can’t modernize because some of our old code is critical to our business. Parts of your old systems represent significant investments of both time and money. You know how complicated that code is and how critical it is to your company. Re-writing or converting that logic into another language is risky and time consuming.

Fear #3: It might cost much more or take much longer than planned. As with any project, you have a set budget for modernization. However, you’ve talked to others who’ve modernized before, and it always costs more than expected. How much more will it cost? What if we can’t afford the extra cost? Will we be stuck with a half-completed project?

The Solution: Knowledge is the key. You must know what application modernization entails. You must also understand each modernization method and how they differ. Some modernization methods are riskier than others and are more likely to break something. Other methods are relatively risk-free. Some methods won’t let you use your old code. Other methods will. Some methods are very expensive. Other methods are affordable.

If you don’t understand your modernization options, or what must happen in the modernization process, read this whitepaper entitled, "Crash course in modernization." It will explain everything you need to know about application modernization, as well as the differences between each approach. Most importantly, it will help you reduce or even eliminate many of the risks of modernization.