Modernizing is sometimes seen as the process of rejuvenating, changing, or redesigning applications. Generally, though, it is not that easy. Effective modernization includes seeing your present infrastructure holistically and customizing your apps to match evolving conditions and enhance your corporate operations.
There are several ways to modernize, and each one produces various results. This is because their goals, expenses, value, risk, and return differ as well. Once you have found your top modernization prospects, you should map them to the method that addresses your issue to decide on the best modernization plan for your company.
Remember that no two businesses are the same when you evaluate your choices. One cannot decide on a modernization strategy based just on what worked for someone else. Regarding your own resources and financial situation, you should evaluate the success of a plan. All things considered, the greatest modernizing strategy for you is the one that reduces your risks and makes use of your current assets.
Three often used methods for application modernization are:
Refacing :
Refacing, sometimes referred to as screen scraping, is the current graphical user interface conversion of legacy 5250 green displays. Although current screens provide decent functionality, it would be beneficial from more usability and accessibility. When seeking fast wins, IT managers sometimes turn to refacing; for a more comprehensive modernization plan, they seek buy-in from stakeholders.
This strategy presents a difficulty in terms of low Return On Investment (ROI). This is because refacing offers hardly more business benefit than improved display. You may increase your ROI, though, by refacing and adding more capability to your end-user tools that support output.
Renaming :
Rehosting also goes under the name “lifting and shifting.” It is the movement of your system to the cloud without architectural modification. Those wishing to migrate fast or those with significant on-premises expenditures generally consider rehosting. Rehosting is also common for businesses whose applications consist of commercial or off-the-shelf applications they do not have to update or maintain or whose applications do not demand continual changes.
Rehosting, however, has little actual advantages in the contemporary market when companies must innovate to survive. This is because innovation calls for creating fresh internal solutions or features at speed. Rehosting without making changes also provides little benefit. Just shifting to the cloud means losing the advantages of your current IBM i hardware design. You would also need to reface your 5250 green screens for cloud connectivity or web-enable them.
Re-architectural design :
Re-architecting, sometimes known as refactoring, is turning your legacy code in a more modern language like Java into something more compatible with clouds. Companies adopting this strategy usually do so to have their applications cloud-native and reap advantages like agility and speed.
But there is a drawback. Although this choice could solve some immediate problems, it is not long-term suitable. This is because the new code just falls short of the original one. Simply said, an Object-Oriented paradigm does not fit the RPG procedural programming paradigm. Re-architected codes will so require laborious maintenance and perform poorly.
You can find it tough web-enabling your applications or adding required new capability even if you can afford the maintenance. Have you the time to pick up fresh frameworks and languages? More importantly, are you able to find and onboard fresh developers with the necessary competencies?
Which areas of possible modernization call for attention?
The following spheres of your company infrastructure are greatly influenced by application modernization:
Combining :
Businesses have to include modern apps or technologies if they are to stay current in an always changing technological scene. You must access data from your legacy apps to accomplish this. Stated differently, your current systems have to communicate data with your new solutions. Here, modernizing is absolutely vital.
Usually, legacy programs save their data. They build compartmentalized systems that access data by manual intervention. You must thus modernize both the way your legacy programs interface with other programs as well as their data management.
Database :
Often closely linked with its database are legacy apps. Only the application is aware of its data access mechanism. Modernizing where it makes sense means isolating a legacy program from the database. The modernizing method you apply will determine that degree of separation.
Business intelligence apps cannot use data locked in legacy applications. This is because accumulating and interpreting that data is challenging. Your organization can thus be lacking understanding of business patterns shown in data you are not able to apply.
Individuals :
Modernizing also means providing developers and staff with the tools and architectures they need to shine. Starting an application modernization path, however, entails using new technologies that demand everyone to update their competencies. This implies mentoring together with official training and practical experience.
A modernization project presents a chance to teach staff members on the newest standards and business practices that will enable you to reach long-term corporate goals as well as onboard new technology or development tools.
What Defines an Application’s Architecture ?
An application comprises several component levels. These include the business logic, the source code, data access processing, the database, and additional data sources. Depending on your company’s needs, modernizing might influence either the whole structure or a component level. Examining the three application layers can help one to properly appreciate the architecture of an application:
Presentation Layer :
An application’s presentation layer is, quite simply, the user interface you encounter when using it. Modernizing this layer means switching from your 5250 green displays to a contemporary user experience akin to any modern web application. Modernizing the presentation layer of your application has benefits including:
- Modern users expecting graphical user interfaces now have access to your program.
- You get to retain the backend of your legacy application. This is especially helpful in cases when you do not have the source code of your legacy applications—a common situation for companies with decades of existence.
Still, a better presentation does not always translate your legacy apps into contemporary versions. Modernizing this layer by itself, though, may be sufficient depending on your company requirements and problem areas.
Business Layer :
Your computational business activities belong to the business layer. Among these are your data validation and algorithms. This is the layer where apps apply business rules and compute discounts, so verifying that the customer name is not blank, for example.
At this level, modernizing is more related to the business process than to appearance. Fundamentally, it entails restructuring source code and converting application capabilities into services. Stated differently, business rules are extracted into some additional business rules engine. This makes the business logic understandable for both current and legacy apps, therefore unlocking both of them.
Furthermore enabling other apps to leverage their business processing is the development of web services from legacy application capabilities. Separating the data layers and presentation of a legacy application helps by means of restructuring the business layer.
Companies wanting to relocate, rewrite, or replace an application will find this modernizing stage helpful.
Data Layer :
The data layer comprises the database, data access, and data processing. The database is locked within the legacy application; just one program has access. Modernizing this layer calls for isolating the database from the application and including data access systems allowing additional uses.
By modernizing your data layer, you may more effectively interact with contemporary technologies—especially with regard to business intelligence programs. Organizations wishing to relocate, rewrite, replace, or transform legacy applications as well as turn apps into services may find value in data layer modernization.
