Outdated and obsolete. These are words you don’t want associated with your business. However, they may accurately describe the enterprise software you currently rely on for your most critical processes. Conducting a software audit today will help determine if the technology that served you well yesterday is jeopardizing your long-term future.
What is a legacy system?
A legacy system refers to an outdated software application that relies on old technology to manage current business requirements. Many of these systems were developed in the 1980s and 1990s, and while they once pioneered a new wave of business technology, they have become obsolete due to their inability to be modernized.
Legacy systems were not designed with today’s fast-paced market in mind and lack the innovations made available through modern solutions.
What are the advantages of legacy systems?
Keeping a legacy system can grant you the ability to maintain the status quo in the short term. Administrators and users who are resistant to change will experience friction when undergoing a migration and the training that’s required to adopt a new system. This can be avoided through the convenience and familiarity that a legacy system provides to experienced users. However, while many older organizations still depend on applications that have been in place for decades, this sense of comfort comes at a cost.
What are the disadvantages of legacy systems?
With legacy software, businesses can face serious issues such as:
- Security vulnerabilities
- Maintenance problems
- Restricted growth and low scalability
- Lack of integration with other applications
- Slow business processes
Maintaining a legacy system can be prohibitively costly, causing you to lose valuable opportunities and profits. You may experience stability today, but many of the problems associated with outdated technology are hiding just beyond the surface.
Why upgrade to a modern system?
Switching from legacy software to a modern system can bring a wide range of benefits to your organization including:
- Scalability
- Accurate, real-time data and insights
- Anytime-anywhere access to information
- Integration with modern tools and software
- Frequent security updates and patches
- Process optimization
Modern systems are constantly being updated and supported by vendors which means stronger security and features and functionality that take advantage of the most recent technological advancements.
Many companies ignore the benefits of modern software because they don’t recognize the limitations of their current, outdated system. It’s gotten the job done in the past, but is it capable of supporting you through growth and evolution?
Selecting the right technology is key in laying your pathway to success. Let us help get you there.
