Is Your Existing Software Costing You More than its Worth?

Have you heard of legacy applications? A legacy application is software that is out-of-date or needs replacing. A company, organization, or department may have been using the same version of software for many years. This software becomes a legacy application and will surely need an update or a total replacement. Maintaining such older applications present daunting tasks and require additional expenditure. Some specific concerns that arise during legacy application maintenance are:

Security Implications: Older systems and applications are vulnerable to breaches because of the lack of regular security patches and updates.

Integration: Legacy systems don’t always integrate well with newer systems and can prevent a company from innovating.

Support: Lack of support for legacy systems – the original system architects have moved on, leaving a team without the required skill set to work with outdated technology.

Band-Aid Solution: When multiple IT administrators have tweaked the application over the years, it becomes more difficult to understand the application’s nuances.

The investment a company made for such legacy applications would have expired long ago. The world, as well as consumer mindset, is evolving at break-neck speed. A company’s legacy software applications need to be upgraded or migrated to more advanced applications.

What are your Options?

The functionalities of a legacy application can still be maintained while upgrading the system. The daily activities of a business won’t be affected if the upgrading process is performed by an experienced IT company. The following are some of the current options that a business can take to ensure that it operates software as per the latest trends and technologies:

Commercial Off-the-Shelf Software: This refers to software applications that are ready-made and available for sale to the general public. Such software apps are generally made for a particular purpose or industry. Any business belonging to that industry can use commercial off-the-shelf software. However, these pieces of software will not possess unique qualities that identify a particular business. Microsoft products and Google apps are two prime examples.

Pros	Cons
Initial costs much less when compared to customized software applications	Will not have unique features necessary for a specific business
Reduced maintenance costs	No scope for enhancements as the business grows. The maintenance costs may be low but so will be the profits
Several users, even those with totally no technical knowledge, can use them	The business may have to change its strategies and targets to accommodate the software
Trial versions may be available for free before implementing the full package	Will serve only one objective. Requirements of a business may expand but the software cannot include more features nor can it be migrated to a better environment.
No need to hire a maintenance or development team	Faults in original software development may cause system failure and this cannot be fixed

Customized Software: Customized software applications are developed for a specific user or group of users within an organization. Such software is designed to address the unique needs of a business as opposed to commercial off-the-shelf software. These software apps are developed for particular purposes and targeting specific audiences. The identity of a business is reflected in its customized software application.

Pros	Cons
Develop unique software to suit specific business goals and objectives. Customized software will provide definitive that will cross the investment and time spent to develop them.	It is a long process and hence can be time-consuming. All aspects of a business needs to be gathered
Such software provides long-term business gains and growth leaving further road for expansion.	It will involve higher costs for development, support, maintenance, and updates. Every stage of its lifecycle requires considerable money investment.
Modifications and enhancements can be made whenever required as its mother business will own the entire source code.	Any small change or modification will also cost extra
Highly secure, as it is developed by integrating tools that will protect the digital presence of a business from known threats.	A business could be overly dependent on the custom software development company. Modifications need technical expertise and can be made only be a development team.
Higher functionality, as customized software is developed after analyzing data collected from engineering, marketing, research and development, and general management departments.	Businesses must remain engaged with developers for the entire software development cycle. This will include gathering requirements, design, development, Quality Analysis, and testing.

Want to know what type of software application will exactly suit the requirements of your business or department?

Schedule a free consultation with us and we would be excited to assist you.

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"articleSection" : "Have you heard of legacy applications? A legacy application is software that is out-of-date or needs replacing. A company, organization, or department may have been using the same version of software for many years. This software becomes a legacy application and will surely need an update or a total replacement. Maintaining such older applications present daunting tasks and require additional expenditure. Some specific concerns that arise during legacy application maintenance are",
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A companyâ��s legacy software applications need to be upgraded or migrated to more advanced applications.\n\nWhat are your Options?\n\nThe functionalities of a legacy application can still be maintained while upgrading the system. The daily activities of a business wonâ��t be affected if the upgrading process is performed by an experienced IT company. The following are some of the current options that a business can take to ensure that it operates software as per the latest trends and technologies:\n\n<UL style=\"box-sizing:border-box; margin-bottom:10px; padding:0px; color:#333333; font-family:ralewayregular; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-variant-ligatures:normal; font-variant-caps:normal; font-weight:400; letter-spacing:normal; orphans:2; text-align:start; text-indent:0px; text-transform:none; white-space:normal; widows:2; word-spacing:0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width:0px; background-color:#ffffff; text-decoration-style:initial; text-decoration-color:initial\">\n\t<LI style=\"box-sizing:border-box; text-align:justify; margin-bottom:0px; margin-left:48px\">Commercial Off-the-Shelf Software: This refers to software applications that are ready-made and available for sale to the general public. Such software apps are generally made for a particular purpose or industry. 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Microsoft products and Google apps are two prime examples.</LI>\n</UL>\n\n \n\n<TABLE class=\"MsoTableGrid\" style=\"box-sizing:border-box; border-collapse:collapse; border-spacing:0px; background-color:#ffffff; color:#333333; font-family:ralewayregular; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-variant-ligatures:normal; font-variant-caps:normal; font-weight:400; letter-spacing:normal; orphans:2; text-align:start; text-indent:0px; text-transform:none; white-space:normal; widows:2; word-spacing:0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width:0px; text-decoration-style:initial; text-decoration-color:initial; margin-left:48px; border:1pt solid black\" width=\"620\">\n\t<TBODY style=\"box-sizing:border-box; border-top:0px\">\n\t\t<TR style=\"box-sizing:border-box\">\n\t\t\t<TD style=\"border:1pt solid black; background:#00b0f0; padding:0in 5.4pt; width:231.05pt; background-color:#ffffff\" valign=\"top\" width=\"308\">\n\t\t\tPros\n\t\t\t</TD>\n\t\t\t<TD style=\"border-bottom:1pt solid black; background:#00b0f0; padding:0in 5.4pt; border-top:1pt solid black; border-right:1pt solid black; border-image:initial; width:231.05pt; border-left:none; background-color:#ffffff\" valign=\"top\" width=\"308\">\n\t\t\tCons\n\t\t\t</TD>\n\t\t</TR>\n\t\t<TR style=\"box-sizing:border-box\">\n\t\t\t<TD style=\"border-bottom:1pt solid black; padding:0in 5.4pt; border-right:1pt solid black; border-left:1pt solid black; border-image:initial; width:231.05pt; border-top:none; background-color:#ffffff\" valign=\"top\" width=\"308\">\n\t\t\t<UL style=\"box-sizing:border-box; margin-bottom:10px; padding:0px\">\n\t\t\t\t<LI style=\"box-sizing:border-box; margin-bottom:0px; margin-left:48px\">Initial costs much less when compared to customized software applications</LI>\n\t\t\t</UL>\n\t\t\t</TD>\n\t\t\t<TD style=\"border-bottom:1pt solid black; padding:0in 5.4pt; width:231.05pt; border-top:none; border-left:none; border-right:1pt solid black; background-color:#ffffff\" valign=\"top\" width=\"308\">\n\t\t\t<UL style=\"box-sizing:border-box; margin-bottom:10px; padding:0px\">\n\t\t\t\t<LI style=\"box-sizing:border-box; margin-bottom:13px; margin-left:48px\">Will not have unique features necessary for a specific business</LI>\n\t\t\t</UL>\n\t\t\t</TD>\n\t\t</TR>\n\t\t<TR style=\"box-sizing:border-box\">\n\t\t\t<TD style=\"border-bottom:1pt solid black; padding:0in 5.4pt; border-right:1pt solid black; border-left:1pt solid black; border-image:initial; width:231.05pt; border-top:none; background-color:#ffffff\" valign=\"top\" width=\"308\">\n\t\t\t<UL style=\"box-sizing:border-box; margin-bottom:10px; padding:0px\">\n\t\t\t\t<LI style=\"box-sizing:border-box; margin-bottom:0px; margin-left:48px\">Reduced maintenance costs</LI>\n\t\t\t</UL>\n\t\t\t</TD>\n\t\t\t<TD style=\"border-bottom:1pt solid black; padding:0in 5.4pt; width:231.05pt; border-top:none; border-left:none; border-right:1pt solid black; background-color:#ffffff\" valign=\"top\" width=\"308\">\n\t\t\t<UL style=\"box-sizing:border-box; margin-bottom:10px; padding:0px\">\n\t\t\t\t<LI style=\"box-sizing:border-box; margin-bottom:13px; margin-left:48px\">No scope for enhancements as the business grows. The maintenance costs may be low but so will be the profits</LI>\n\t\t\t</UL>\n\t\t\t</TD>\n\t\t</TR>\n\t\t<TR style=\"box-sizing:border-box\">\n\t\t\t<TD style=\"border-bottom:1pt solid black; padding:0in 5.4pt; border-right:1pt solid black; border-left:1pt solid black; border-image:initial; width:231.05pt; border-top:none; background-color:#ffffff\" valign=\"top\" width=\"308\">\n\t\t\t<UL style=\"box-sizing:border-box; margin-bottom:10px; padding:0px\">\n\t\t\t\t<LI style=\"box-sizing:border-box; margin-bottom:0px; margin-left:48px\">Several users, even those with totally no technical knowledge, can use them</LI>\n\t\t\t</UL>\n\t\t\t</TD>\n\t\t\t<TD style=\"border-bottom:1pt solid black; padding:0in 5.4pt; width:231.05pt; border-top:none; border-left:none; border-right:1pt solid black; background-color:#ffffff\" valign=\"top\" width=\"308\">\n\t\t\t<UL style=\"box-sizing:border-box; margin-bottom:10px; padding:0px\">\n\t\t\t\t<LI style=\"box-sizing:border-box; margin-bottom:13px; margin-left:48px\">The business may have to change its strategies and targets to accommodate the software</LI>\n\t\t\t</UL>\n\t\t\t</TD>\n\t\t</TR>\n\t\t<TR style=\"box-sizing:border-box\">\n\t\t\t<TD style=\"border-bottom:1pt solid black; padding:0in 5.4pt; border-right:1pt solid black; border-left:1pt solid black; border-image:initial; width:231.05pt; border-top:none; background-color:#ffffff\" valign=\"top\" width=\"308\">\n\t\t\t<UL style=\"box-sizing:border-box; margin-bottom:10px; padding:0px\">\n\t\t\t\t<LI style=\"box-sizing:border-box; margin-bottom:0px; margin-left:48px\">Trial versions may be available for free before implementing the full package</LI>\n\t\t\t</UL>\n\t\t\t</TD>\n\t\t\t<TD style=\"border-bottom:1pt solid black; padding:0in 5.4pt; width:231.05pt; border-top:none; border-left:none; border-right:1pt solid black; background-color:#ffffff\" valign=\"top\" width=\"308\">\n\t\t\t<UL style=\"box-sizing:border-box; margin-bottom:10px; padding:0px\">\n\t\t\t\t<LI style=\"box-sizing:border-box; margin-bottom:13px; margin-left:48px\">Will serve only one objective. Requirements of a business may expand but the software cannot include more features nor can it be migrated to a better environment.</LI>\n\t\t\t</UL>\n\t\t\t</TD>\n\t\t</TR>\n\t\t<TR style=\"box-sizing:border-box\">\n\t\t\t<TD style=\"border-bottom:1pt solid black; padding:0in 5.4pt; border-right:1pt solid black; border-left:1pt solid black; border-image:initial; width:231.05pt; border-top:none; background-color:#ffffff\" valign=\"top\" width=\"308\">\n\t\t\t<UL style=\"box-sizing:border-box; margin-bottom:10px; padding:0px\">\n\t\t\t\t<LI style=\"box-sizing:border-box; margin-bottom:0px; margin-left:48px\">No need to hire a maintenance or development team</LI>\n\t\t\t</UL>\n\t\t\t</TD>\n\t\t\t<TD style=\"border-bottom:1pt solid black; padding:0in 5.4pt; width:231.05pt; border-top:none; border-left:none; border-right:1pt solid black; background-color:#ffffff\" valign=\"top\" width=\"308\">\n\t\t\t<UL style=\"box-sizing:border-box; margin-bottom:10px; padding:0px\">\n\t\t\t\t<LI style=\"box-sizing:border-box; margin-bottom:13px; margin-left:48px\">Faults in original software development may cause system failure and this cannot be fixed</LI>\n\t\t\t</UL>\n\t\t\t</TD>\n\t\t</TR>\n\t</TBODY>\n</TABLE>\n\n \n\n<UL style=\"box-sizing:border-box; margin-bottom:10px; padding:0px; color:#333333; font-family:ralewayregular; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-variant-ligatures:normal; font-variant-caps:normal; font-weight:400; letter-spacing:normal; orphans:2; text-align:start; text-indent:0px; text-transform:none; white-space:normal; widows:2; word-spacing:0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width:0px; background-color:#ffffff; text-decoration-style:initial; text-decoration-color:initial\">\n\t<LI style=\"box-sizing:border-box; margin-bottom:0px; margin-left:48px\">Customized Software: Customized software applications are developed for a specific user or group of users within an organization. Such software is designed to address the unique needs of a business as opposed to commercial off-the-shelf software. These software apps are developed for particular purposes and targeting specific audiences. The identity of a business is reflected in its customized software application.</LI>\n</UL>\n\n \n\n<TABLE class=\"MsoTableGrid\" style=\"box-sizing:border-box; border-collapse:collapse; border-spacing:0px; background-color:#ffffff; color:#333333; font-family:ralewayregular; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-variant-ligatures:normal; font-variant-caps:normal; font-weight:400; letter-spacing:normal; orphans:2; text-align:start; text-indent:0px; text-transform:none; white-space:normal; widows:2; word-spacing:0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width:0px; text-decoration-style:initial; text-decoration-color:initial; margin-left:48px; border:1pt solid black\" width=\"620\">\n\t<TBODY style=\"box-sizing:border-box; border-top:0px\">\n\t\t<TR style=\"box-sizing:border-box\">\n\t\t\t<TD style=\"border:1pt solid black; background:#00b0f0; padding:0in 5.4pt; width:214.35pt; background-color:#ffffff\" valign=\"top\" width=\"308\">\n\t\t\tPros\n\t\t\t</TD>\n\t\t\t<TD style=\"border-bottom:1pt solid black; background:#00b0f0; padding:0in 5.4pt; border-top:1pt solid black; border-right:1pt solid black; border-image:initial; width:211.75pt; border-left:none; background-color:#ffffff\" valign=\"top\" width=\"282\">\n\t\t\tCons\n\t\t\t</TD>\n\t\t</TR>\n\t\t<TR style=\"box-sizing:border-box\">\n\t\t\t<TD style=\"border-bottom:1pt solid black; padding:0in 5.4pt; border-right:1pt solid black; border-left:1pt solid black; border-image:initial; width:214.35pt; border-top:none; background-color:#ffffff\" valign=\"top\" width=\"308\">\n\t\t\t<UL style=\"box-sizing:border-box; margin-bottom:10px; padding:0px\">\n\t\t\t\t<LI style=\"box-sizing:border-box; margin-bottom:0px; margin-left:48px\">Develop unique software to suit specific business goals and objectives. Customized software will provide definitive that will cross the investment and time spent to develop them.</LI>\n\t\t\t</UL>\n\t\t\t</TD>\n\t\t\t<TD style=\"border-bottom:1pt solid black; padding:0in 5.4pt; width:211.75pt; border-top:none; border-left:none; border-right:1pt solid black; background-color:#ffffff\" valign=\"top\" width=\"282\">\n\t\t\t<UL style=\"box-sizing:border-box; margin-bottom:10px; padding:0px\">\n\t\t\t\t<LI style=\"box-sizing:border-box; margin-bottom:13px; margin-left:48px\">It is a long process and hence can be time-consuming. All aspects of a business needs to be gathered</LI>\n\t\t\t</UL>\n\t\t\t</TD>\n\t\t</TR>\n\t\t<TR style=\"box-sizing:border-box\">\n\t\t\t<TD style=\"border-bottom:1pt solid black; padding:0in 5.4pt; border-right:1pt solid black; border-left:1pt solid black; border-image:initial; width:214.35pt; border-top:none; background-color:#ffffff\" valign=\"top\" width=\"308\">\n\t\t\t<UL style=\"box-sizing:border-box; margin-bottom:10px; padding:0px\">\n\t\t\t\t<LI style=\"box-sizing:border-box; margin-bottom:0px; margin-left:48px\">Such software provides long-term business gains and growth leaving further road for expansion.</LI>\n\t\t\t</UL>\n\t\t\t</TD>\n\t\t\t<TD style=\"border-bottom:1pt solid black; padding:0in 5.4pt; width:211.75pt; border-top:none; border-left:none; border-right:1pt solid black; background-color:#ffffff\" valign=\"top\" width=\"282\">\n\t\t\t<UL style=\"box-sizing:border-box; margin-bottom:10px; padding:0px\">\n\t\t\t\t<LI style=\"box-sizing:border-box; margin-bottom:13px; margin-left:48px\">It will involve higher costs for development, support, maintenance, and updates. Every stage of its lifecycle requires considerable money investment. </LI>\n\t\t\t</UL>\n\t\t\t</TD>\n\t\t</TR>\n\t\t<TR style=\"box-sizing:border-box\">\n\t\t\t<TD style=\"border-bottom:1pt solid black; padding:0in 5.4pt; border-right:1pt solid black; border-left:1pt solid black; border-image:initial; width:214.35pt; border-top:none; background-color:#ffffff\" valign=\"top\" width=\"308\">\n\t\t\t<UL style=\"box-sizing:border-box; margin-bottom:10px; padding:0px\">\n\t\t\t\t<LI style=\"box-sizing:border-box; margin-bottom:0px; margin-left:48px\">Modifications and enhancements can be made whenever required as its mother business will own the entire source code.</LI>\n\t\t\t</UL>\n\t\t\t</TD>\n\t\t\t<TD style=\"border-bottom:1pt solid black; padding:0in 5.4pt; width:211.75pt; border-top:none; border-left:none; border-right:1pt solid black; background-color:#ffffff\" valign=\"top\" width=\"282\">\n\t\t\t<UL style=\"box-sizing:border-box; margin-bottom:10px; padding:0px\">\n\t\t\t\t<LI style=\"box-sizing:border-box; margin-bottom:13px; margin-left:48px\">Any small change or modification will also cost extra</LI>\n\t\t\t</UL>\n\t\t\t</TD>\n\t\t</TR>\n\t\t<TR style=\"box-sizing:border-box\">\n\t\t\t<TD style=\"border-bottom:1pt solid black; padding:0in 5.4pt; border-right:1pt solid black; border-left:1pt solid black; border-image:initial; width:214.35pt; border-top:none; background-color:#ffffff\" valign=\"top\" width=\"308\">\n\t\t\t<UL style=\"box-sizing:border-box; margin-bottom:10px; padding:0px\">\n\t\t\t\t<LI style=\"box-sizing:border-box; margin-bottom:0px; margin-left:48px\">Highly secure, as it is developed by integrating tools that will protect the digital presence of a business from known threats.</LI>\n\t\t\t</UL>\n\t\t\t</TD>\n\t\t\t<TD style=\"border-bottom:1pt solid black; padding:0in 5.4pt; width:211.75pt; border-top:none; border-left:none; border-right:1pt solid black; background-color:#ffffff\" valign=\"top\" width=\"282\">\n\t\t\t<UL style=\"box-sizing:border-box; margin-bottom:10px; padding:0px\">\n\t\t\t\t<LI style=\"box-sizing:border-box; margin-bottom:13px; margin-left:48px\">A business could be overly dependent on the custom software development company. Modifications need technical expertise and can be made only be a development team.</LI>\n\t\t\t</UL>\n\t\t\t</TD>\n\t\t</TR>\n\t\t<TR style=\"box-sizing:border-box\">\n\t\t\t<TD style=\"border-bottom:1pt solid black; padding:0in 5.4pt; border-right:1pt solid black; border-left:1pt solid black; border-image:initial; width:214.35pt; border-top:none; background-color:#ffffff\" valign=\"top\" width=\"308\">\n\t\t\t<UL style=\"box-sizing:border-box; margin-bottom:10px; padding:0px\">\n\t\t\t\t<LI style=\"box-sizing:border-box; margin-bottom:0px; margin-left:48px\">Higher functionality, as customized software is developed after analyzing data collected from engineering, marketing, research and development, and general management departments.</LI>\n\t\t\t</UL>\n\t\t\t</TD>\n\t\t\t<TD style=\"border-bottom:1pt solid black; padding:0in 5.4pt; width:211.75pt; border-top:none; border-left:none; border-right:1pt solid black; background-color:#ffffff\" valign=\"top\" width=\"282\">\n\t\t\t<UL style=\"box-sizing:border-box; margin-bottom:10px; padding:0px\">\n\t\t\t\t<LI style=\"box-sizing:border-box; margin-bottom:13px; margin-left:48px\">Businesses must remain engaged with developers for the entire software development cycle. This will include gathering requirements, design, development, Quality Analysis, and testing.</LI>\n\t\t\t</UL>\n\t\t\t</TD>\n\t\t</TR>\n\t</TBODY>\n</TABLE>\n\n \n\nWant to know what type of software application will exactly suit the requirements of your business or department?\n\nSchedule <A href=\"/contact\" style=\"box-sizing:border-box; color:blue; text-decoration:underline\">a free consultation</A> with us and we would be excited to assist you",
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