Modernizing business applications is an inevitable aspect of doing business. By transforming monolithic legacy applications into cloud applications any organization can speed up the delivery of new features, improve security to safeguard data and reduce spendings by eliminating the cost of maintenance of on-premises data centers. Modernization also enables organizations to scale faster with cost efficiency.

Applications are the foundations of organizations that enable them to run their day-to-day operation, playing a huge role in enhancing user experiences and services. However, maintaining legacy applications and infrastructure can easily become a burden in meeting new challenges and achieving business growth. The following factors can be considered as key drivers of modernization:

• Pressure to innovate: the need to constantly accelerate innovation and deliver features faster
• Licensing costs: rising and unpredictable costs of licensed software can easily become a liability
• Inability to scale: challenges arisen in connection with meeting the traffic demands and expectations of users
• Technical debt: building and maintaining legacy architecture become increasingly difficult over a period of time
• Security and compliance: older software poses a risk to security and compliance
• Skills misalignment:  on-premises practices no longer apply to cloud operating models

Application modernization can help to overcome the challenges. However, it is important to approach modernization as a journey, instead of looking at it only as the migration of infrastructure from on-premises to the cloud environment. Unlocking all the potentials of modernization requires planning and strategic thinking along with a trusted and modern service provider. Amazon Web Services (AWS) offers companies efficient processes and reduced costs so they can make the most of their existing investments.

Benefits of AWS

Improved financial posture

Companies looking to modernize technology can save money by using AWS. When planning the cloud migration to AWS, any organization can significantly reduce total cost of ownership. In addition, the hyper-scale, breadth of services and level of automation in AWS can achieve incremental savings, and over time, significant cost optimization.

Trusted provider

Migration to the cloud requires a provider with experience in retiring datacenters, the right programs and enterprise technologies ready to move applications to the cloud. AWS offers the Migration Acceleration Program and services, offering the right tools to achieve cloud migration.

Maximize the value of existing investments

Part of the digital strategy will likely require to run hybrid environments and maximize the use of existing solutions built on various services.  With AWS, companies can use innovative technology to run all their existing systems on a platform that allows integration with legacy applications and cloud native solutions.

Approach offered by AWS

Amazon Web Services (AWS) approaches application modernization by dividing the modernization roadmap into discrete increments that focus on three phases:

Assessment: the phase serves as the foundation for a well-planned modernization project. It includes the discovery of the application for modernization, preparation of the business case, evaluation of the overall organizational readiness and support in identifying the business and technological drivers.

Mobilization: it prepares the organization to build capabilities to modernize solutions in cloud. The phase includes steps from preparing technical review and architecture design to creating the organizational alignment and planning.

Modernization: application modernization can mean seven different strategies based on the application’s existing features and future role, like refactoring, replatforming, repurchasing, rehosting, relocating, retaining and retiring. For example, applications that will no longer be required can be retired, while some of them needs to be replaced.

What to do next

Umbrella Infocare, a Noventiq company, offers meticulously crafted cloud solutions to enable rapid innovation and growth for businesses. As recognized AWS Premier Tier Services Partners our experts are the most experienced partners and recognized as leaders in their markets. Leverage the deep technical expertise of our team and contact us for the details.