Tip of the Week: Legacy Systems Care

When it comes time to update your technology, you’ll want to do so with a clear intention to optimize your operations. Some businesses still rely on legacy systems that are far from ideal and have long since grown outdated. Moving away from a solution that you have invested so much time into, however, can be a daunting task–especially if you don’t have technical expertise to call on.

What is a Legacy System?

Just because an application is “old” doesn’t mean that it is a legacy system. The definition is a bit more complicated than that. A legacy system is one where the technology is keeping your business from growing or adapting to new circumstances. Sometimes the software used might be incompatible with the rest of your infrastructure, and it can hold your organization back if you refuse to let it die.

In many cases, the legacy systems you have in place will lack appropriate support and maintenance, as they are no longer being supported by the development team behind them. This can add unnecessary strain to your IT systems and the staff using them.

Ultimately, these legacy systems are a necessary evil for many companies, but this doesn’t mean that they cannot be updated, either. If businesses want to free themselves from the chains of the past, they must cast aside legacy systems in favor of more modernized solutions that offer greater value.

How to Overcome Legacy Complications

Your legacy systems need to be modernized; there’s no way around it. Here are some simple practices you can use to work toward this end goal:

• It’s more than just your system: Your legacy systems impact more than just your technology. Consider how your employees and processes might be impacted if you were to make an adjustment to your infrastructure. To make the transition as seamless as possible, be sure to keep them in the loop throughout the entire process.
• Don’t rush to get it all done: It’s okay if you don’t modernize your IT all at once; split it into parts and projects that will enable you to chip away at it over time. You don’t want to risk modernizing too much too fast and spreading yourself too thin, or worse yet, disrupting operations in the process.
• Identify your technology challenges: Before implementing technology to solve a problem, think about what the problem is and how it needs to be addressed. Business technology is amazing these days, and there is a solution to just about any dilemma out there.
• Work with flexibility in mind: Whatever legacy processes you are trying to update, you should try to make them flexible in nature so that they don’t hold your company back in the future.

Technology does not last forever, and you can’t expect it to. You can take the appropriate steps now to make your technology challenges less frustrating in the future. To learn more about how we can help you upgrade away from your legacy applications and implement better technology solutions for your business, contact us at (978) 482-2020.