In today’s digitally first society, large businesses face constant pressure to deliver services that are faster, more reliable, and more scalable. Legacy applications, once the backbone of corporate operations, often become bottlenecks as they struggle to meet modern demands. This is where application modernization plays a crucial role.

Application Modernization goes beyond merely updating technology; it requires aligning IT infrastructure with business objectives to enhance competitive advantage, agility, and innovation. This process demands a strategic, phased approach from large corporations. Here’s how to achieve it.

Why Modernize?

Legacy application modernization systems are often monolithic in design, costly to maintain, and challenging to scale. They often struggle with compatibility issues with cloud services, harbor security vulnerabilities, and hinder digital transformation efforts. By modernizing software, businesses can:

Reduce operational costs
Improve Performance and Scalability
Enhance Security and Compliance
Increase Agility and Speed of Innovation

Key Strategies for Enterprise Application Modernization

Assessment and Planning

Before embarking on any application modernization project, conduct a thorough evaluation of your application portfolio. This evaluation should include:

Assessing the applicant’s present status
Identifying the systems critical to business operations
Calculating modernization’s risk and expense
Sorting applications according to their complexity and impact

Create a roadmap that aligns modernization efforts with business objectives.

Choose the Right Application Modernization Strategy

Not all applications require a complete rewrite. The following are some Popular modernization strategies based on the 6R’S model:

Rehost (Lift and Shift): Transfer apps with little modifications to a new infrastructure
Replatform: To maximize performance in a new setting, make minor adjustments
Refactor: Usually for microservices migration, change the internal structure without changing the exterior behaviour
Re-architect: Update the new applications to satisfy the specifications
Rebuild: Utilize modern technologies to fully reconstruct the application
Retire or Retrain: When appropriate, remove or leave applications in their current state.

Cloud-Native Transformation

Cloud-native designs utilizing serverless computing, Kubernetes, containers, and DevOps techniques are becoming more and more popular among modern businesses. Cloud-native applications are built for continuous delivery, scalability, and resilience.

A hybrid or multi-cloud strategy can benefit big businesses by providing flexibility, cost savings, and compliance advantages.

Implement DevOps and Agile Practices

Agile and DevOps practices should be integrated alongside application modernization efforts. These approaches encourage:

Continuous Integration/Continuous Delivery (CI/CD)
Automated testing and deployment
Shorter release cycles
Better collaboration between development and operations teams

This cultural and process transformation is essential for sustained modernization.

Data Modernization

Legacy application modernization often relies on outdated databases. By modernizing the data layer with real-time analytics, data lakes, or scalable cloud databases, modern applications can make effective data-driven decisions.

Security and Compliance

Integrate security into each stage of the development lifecycle by using DevSecOps techniques. Additionally, ensure that the application modernization strategy for regulated industries meets all compliance standards.

Canarys assists you in creating the groundwork for long-term growth, creativity, and agility

For large enterprises, application modernization is a continuous journey rather than a one-time initiative. It requires cross-functional cooperation, executive support, and a clear goal. When executed effectively, modernization not only reduces costs and technical debt but also establishes a foundation for long-term growth, innovation, and agility. Embrace modernization as an opportunity to transform your company into a truly digital and future-ready organization, rather than viewing it as a challenge.