Legacy Systems Migration

When they were first implemented, legacy applications and databases needed the power of the mainframe, symmetric multi-processor or RISC-based platforms to perform effectively and support their capacity requirements. While the performance profile of many systems has remained constant, the innovations and capabilities of n-tiered architectures has increased exponentially. In such cases, the total cost of ownership can be reduced by moving the data and applications to a new target environment.

Client Situation

Organizations are continually under pressure to reduce costs. On a regular basis, technology leaders review their application portfolios to identify candidate systems that could be moved to environments with lower operating costs. Additionally, the expanding shortage of people with training and experience in many legacy technologies leaves organizations at risk of not being able to sustain legacy systems, much less respond to changes in their business environments. These systems are characterized by:

• aging legacy technologies that are difficult to maintain with scarce qualified resources
• proprietary hardware or software environments with high operating costs
• applications that effectively execute business processes and enforce business rules, and
• performance profiles that no longer fit legacy system operating characteristics.

The combination of changing business requirements, chronic shortage of qualified legacy systems experts and need to reduce costs compel organizations to seek alternatives for sustaining legacy systems.

IAI's Solution

IAI can migrate legacy applications and databases to modern operating environments. This systems modernization approach, also known as replatforming or rehosting, consists of four key elements:

• moving the data to a server-based relational database management system
• migrating the application code largely unchanged to the desired platform using emulation technologies for CICS/COBOL, or
• morphing the application code into an application server architecture
• modernizing the systems interfaces to function from the new architecture, and
• possibly, evolving to a web-enabled user interface

Value of this Approach

This approach extends the life of mature legacy systems, while enabling use of a broader pool of resources, qualified and interested in working in modern technologies. This is an ideal solution for organizations to lower the total cost of mission-critical system ownership.

IAI’s Legacy Modernization Practice

To learn more about IAI’s capabilities to migrate legacy systems to new environments, see:

• Solution Architecture for legacy platforms, databases and languages
• Methodology and Tools that we use to automate and manage projects
• Client Summaries for government and commercial projects
• Micro Focus Partnership
• Modernization Alliances
• Contact us!