Legacy to Cloud Migration | The Pros and Cons

Evaluating your business' legacy to cloud migration strategy is a necessary step for successful digital transformation. Legacy systems are old software applications and infrastructure that are still in use by businesses today. They were often built on outdated technologies and may not be compatible with modern cloud platforms. However, legacy systems can also provide a number of benefits, such as stability, reliability, and familiarity.

Cloud migration is the process of moving legacy systems to the cloud. This can offer a number of benefits, such as scalability, flexibility, and cost savings. However, there are also some challenges associated with cloud migration, such as security concerns and data migration costs.

Here are the key things to know about legacy to cloud migration:

• Legacy systems are old software applications and infrastructure that are still in use by businesses today.
• They offer benefits such as stability, reliability, and familiarity.
• Cloud migration is the process of transferring these systems to the cloud.
• This can offer benefits such as scalability, flexibility, and cost savings.
• There are a number of factors to consider when migrating to the cloud, such as the type of legacy system, the size of the legacy system, and the budget.

Table of Contents

What are Legacy Systems?

Legacy systems are old software applications and infrastructure that are still in use by businesses today. They were often built on outdated technologies and may not be compatible with modern cloud platforms. However, legacy systems can also provide a number of benefits, such as stability, reliability, and familiarity.

How Do Legacy Systems Work?

Legacy systems have been the backbone of businesses for many years. These systems are built on on-premise infrastructure and rely on traditional software architectures. They were designed to address the needs of their time and have been diligently serving various industries for decades. The working principle of legacy systems involves a closed environment where data and applications are stored locally within an organization's premises.

Typically, legacy systems are characterized by monolithic architectures, where applications are tightly integrated into a single unit. This design, while suitable for the time they were developed, presents challenges when it comes to scalability and adaptability to modern technologies. As a result, making changes or integrating new functionalities into legacy systems can be a laborious and time-consuming process. Organizations also require dedicated in-house teams to maintain and support these systems, leading to higher operating costs in the long run.

Despite these limitations, legacy systems have proven their stability and reliability over the years, allowing businesses to function efficiently. They have been customized to suit specific operational requirements, making them a comfortable choice for companies with well-defined processes. However, as the technology landscape evolves rapidly, these systems are gradually becoming outdated and unable to keep up with the demands of modern business environments. This has led organizations to explore newer alternatives like cloud migration to overcome the limitations of legacy systems and embrace the advantages of the cloud-based paradigm.

Benefits of Legacy Systems

Despite their age, legacy systems can still provide a number of benefits for businesses. These benefits include:

• Stability: Legacy systems are often very stable and reliable. They have been in use for many years and have been through extensive testing.
• Reliability: Legacy systems are often very reliable. They have been in use for many years and have been through extensive testing.
• Familiarity: Employees are often familiar with legacy systems. This can make it easier to use and maintain them.

What is Cloud Migration?

Cloud migration involves transferring data, applications, and other business elements from on-premise legacy systems to the cloud. The cloud offers a virtualized environment that provides numerous advantages over traditional setups. The migration process requires careful planning and execution to ensure a smooth transition without disrupting critical operations.

How does Cloud Migration Work?

Cloud migration is a strategic process that involves transferring an organization's data, applications, and other essential elements from on-premise legacy systems to cloud-based infrastructure. The goal is to leverage the benefits of the cloud, such as increased scalability, cost efficiency, and automatic updates, to meet the dynamic demands of modern business environments.

The first step in cloud migration is to evaluate the existing legacy systems. This assessment helps identify which components can be moved to the cloud and which may require modifications or updates to ensure a seamless transition. Cloud migration offers various deployment models, such as public, private, hybrid, or multi-cloud, allowing businesses to tailor the migration approach based on their unique requirements.

Next, the selected data and applications are transferred to the cloud environment using different migration techniques. One common approach is "lift-and-shift," where existing applications and data are moved to the cloud infrastructure with minimal changes. Another approach is "re-platforming," which involves making slight adjustments to applications to optimize them for cloud environments. For more complex legacy systems, "re-architecting" may be necessary, entailing a complete redesign of applications to fully embrace the benefits of cloud-native architectures.

Throughout the migration process, robust security measures are implemented to safeguard sensitive data. Encryption, access controls, and other security protocols are established to protect against potential threats. Once the migration is complete, businesses can enjoy the advantages of modern cloud technology!

Benefits of Cloud Migration

Cloud migration offers many benefits such as:

• Scalability: Cloud systems can be scaled up or down as needed. This can help businesses save money on IT costs.
• Flexibility: Cloud systems are more flexible than legacy systems. They can be accessed from anywhere and on any device.
• Cost savings: Cloud systems can be more cost-effective than legacy systems. This is because cloud providers typically charge on a pay-as-you-go basis.

Benefits of Migrating from Legacy Systems to the Cloud

There are a number of benefits to migrating from legacy systems to the cloud. These benefits include:

• Scalability: Cloud systems can be scaled up or down as needed. This can help businesses save money on IT costs.
• Flexibility: Cloud systems are more flexible than legacy systems. They can be accessed from anywhere and on any device.
• Cost savings: Cloud systems can be more cost-effective than legacy systems. This is because cloud providers typically charge on a pay-as-you-go basis.
• Security: Cloud providers offer a high level of security. This is because they have the resources to invest in security measures.
• Compliance: Cloud providers can help businesses comply with industry regulations. This is because they have the expertise to understand and implement compliance requirements.

Disadvantages of Migrating from Legacy Systems to the Cloud

There are also some challenges associated with cloud migration. These challenges include:

• Security concerns: Some businesses may have security concerns about migrating to the cloud. This is because cloud providers have access to their data.
• Data migration costs: Migrating data to the cloud can be expensive. This is because businesses need to pay for the cost of data transfer and storage.
• Technical expertise: Migrating to the cloud requires technical expertise. This is because businesses need to understand how to migrate their legacy systems to the cloud.

Things to Consider When Moving from Legacy Systems to Cloud

There are a number of things to consider when moving from legacy systems to the cloud. These include:

The type of legacy system

First and foremost, the type of legacy system plays a significant role in determining the complexity of the migration process. Some legacy systems may be more compatible with cloud platforms, making the transition relatively smoother. On the other hand, certain legacy systems built on outdated architectures or with extensive customization may pose integration challenges and require more effort to migrate to the cloud effectively. Conducting a thorough assessment of the existing legacy infrastructure will help identify potential roadblocks and enable the development of a well-tailored migration strategy.

The size of the legacy system

Another crucial consideration is the size of the legacy system. Larger and more complex systems will naturally take longer to migrate due to the volume of data and applications involved. Patience and meticulous planning are vital during this phase to avoid disruptions to daily operations. Businesses may choose to prioritize certain components or opt for a phased migration approach to manage the process more efficiently and minimize downtime.

The budget

The budget allocated for the migration project is equally important. Migrating to the cloud can incur significant costs, including data transfer, setup, and ongoing subscription fees for cloud services. It is crucial for businesses to have a clear understanding of their financial capabilities and establish a comprehensive budget that covers all aspects of the migration, including potential unforeseen expenses. Investing in cloud migration can be financially rewarding in the long term, but businesses need to ensure that they are financially prepared for this transformative shift.

DreamFactory and Legacy Systems

One of the main risks of not modernizing is that, in many cases, the competition already has or has strategies underway to do so. This gives them a competitive advantage that may be hard to match. 

DreamFactory offers many options for bringing legacy systems up to date. With DreamFactory, you can:

• Bring extended technology lifecycles through building real-time interfaces to legacy environments. 
• Add modern security to legacy platforms instantly, solving vulnerabilities in previously unprotected APIs through authentication, role-based access controls and volume limiting. 
• Integrate mainframes and modern application environments using the Scripted Services connector as a bridge. This solution offers tight integration with Python, Ruby, PHP and NodeJS scripting environments. 
• Create a REST API. You can replace legacy APIs easily with a secure, standardized, fully documented and reusable REST API.
• Additionally, DreamFactory can help you manage your data portfolio. Using our services, you can de-risk legacy system replacements. 

With so many costs to analyze and so many legacy tools that you may need to replace, it can be difficult to begin the process of modernization. With cutting-edge API solutions, DreamFactory can lead your company through the next steps of legacy migration. 

Frequently Asked Questions: Legacy to Cloud Migration

What are Legacy Systems?

Legacy systems are outdated computer hardware, software, or applications used for a long time, providing stability but with limitations such as high maintenance costs and lack of compatibility with modern technologies.

How Do Legacy Systems Work?

Legacy systems operate on on-premise infrastructure with tightly integrated, monolithic designs. They may hinder seamless integration with new technologies, requiring dedicated in-house teams for maintenance and support.

What is Cloud Migration?

Cloud migration is the process of moving an organization's data and applications from on-premise legacy systems to cloud-based infrastructure. It offers cost efficiency, flexibility, and automatic updates.

How does Cloud Migration Work?

Cloud migration involves evaluating existing systems, choosing cloud deployment models, and transferring data and applications to the cloud using techniques like lift-and-shift or re-platforming. Robust security measures are established to protect sensitive data, enabling organizations to embrace modern technology and scalability.

What are the Benefits of Migrating from Legacy Systems to the Cloud?

Benefits include scalability, cost efficiency, enhanced collaboration, and automatic updates.

What are the Disadvantages of Migrating Legacy Systems to the Cloud?

Disadvantages include data security concerns, integration challenges, and potential downtime during migration.