Mobile applications are an essential product for any kind of business, as the number of mobile phone users has reached 4,9 billion in 2021.
The apps on those devices are built in a rainbow of mixed-platform technologies, but as the years pass by, some of those technologies are becoming obsolete.
So in that cases, it's necessary to migrate those apps to new technologies to have a more efficient code that works better for the end-user.
For that matter, it's very important to find a business partner who has the skills to achieve a smooth transition, and who can advise you every step of the way.
Obsolete Technology and "Legacy Migration"
A "legacy" system is an outdated computing software that is still in use. While they may still meet the requirements they were originally designed for, they are typically based on old technologies that are no longer standard.
"Legacy system migration" refers to the modernization of old IT systems or apps to a newer software platform or codebase.
Companies don’t like to leave their old, reliable apps easily, as there are several concerns for moving into a new platform.
Latest technology trends may have features to improve their efficiency, but moving from one platform to another is not as simple as it seems.
The ability to maintain the historical data after migration, for example, is an absolutely valid concern and must be dealt with carefully to ensure the success of the migration.
Transferring data to new management systems also helps improve the code and can optimize the speed. By moving from old software architecture to a new one, a business can significantly boost efficiency.
There are several reasons for migrating from old systems, and by hiring a good migration solutions team, you can make the process as smooth as possible.
Let's check some of the benefits to approach new technologies for your existing app:
Multi-Platform Support
Some technologies developed a decade ago were completely dependent on the platform. There wasn't much choice at that time, but with the evolution of the open-source movement, the world of software development has changed dramatically.
As a result, now applications can run on multiple platforms and there are thousands of technologies to choose from.
Portability
Portability is another factor that makes migrating from old systems to fresh ones a good idea. For instance, the processing needs in different departments of the same company can be varied.
A certain department may need more storage space in the system, while others may need more processing speed. You need a system that works in both situations and is capable of delivering optimum response in all conditions.
You would need portable IT system modules for that, and most old legacy systems don’t have them.
Better Performance
Migrating an app to a fresh technology aims at increasing data processing, data saving, and speed. It also focuses on improving the interoperability of features.
Speedy performance depends on the optimum usage of hardware capabilities, and migration experts could help you achieve this by using better newer technologies.
To improve the performance, developers study the operating system, software UI, technologies that access hardware components, and much more.
A decade ago, most apps were designed following client-server relationship. There was a database server, and the app was installed on the user’s device.
The end-user used to access data with a client app on his workstation. If the developer needed to add new features, he had to redeploy the app on all the workstations.
Now, the digital world has more powerful laptops, tablets, and smartphones; and most old legacy systems cannot take advance of increased storage and computing power.
Therefore, today a business can benefit from new system models to migrate their apps.
Aesthetics and Branding
Most old systems weren't designed to be as eye-catching and UX aware as today. The really old ones were specifically built for huge desktops with text display and limited color options.
By migrating and modernizing the system, you can make it look sleek and aligned what your brand's present look.
For a business that is using old apps and designs for client interactions, making the system look good is of vital importance from the marketing perspective.
When Do You Need to Migrate Your App?
When you want to grow your audience
Migration to other mobile platforms greatly improves the growth of your audience. Hybrid application is an investment in the future.
It is cheaper than developing iOS and Android applications separately, and you can conduct research before making a decision to understand the demands of your users.
When you want to improve performance
The design of your app can be platform-oriented, brand-oriented, or a hybrid, it will all depend on your needs and goals.
Customization processes vary from iOS to Android, hybrid or native applications that provide quality unified UI, exceptional UX, and good performance across all devices of each platform.
When you want to update your app
Migrating to other mobile platforms is a great opportunity to review the existing app and modernize its look-and-feel.
Elements and features that seemed great a couple of years ago may be useless or look weird today.
Conduct testing with a skilled team and analyze users’ feedback to understand what updates are needed, to get the best of your migration.
Hire an IT expert with Migration Experience: Always a good idea.
In-house IT professionals may not have the experience to migrate your app smoothly. The right IT support can make or break your migration.
Security and Compliance
One of the biggest benefits of renewing old applications is security.
Data is the most vulnerable aspect during a migration. A team of outsourced migration experts can help not only securely move data but ensure the new application meets all industry compliance standards.
Licence Management
Twenty percent of software costs derive from the fact that companies don’t have proper control of their apps. When you modernize legacy applications, you may also need to renegotiate software licenses.
Managing licenses can be a problem, especially if you’re performing an application migration. Instead of trying to do it yourself, rely on experts to negotiate your license for you and get the best out of it.
Test Application Data
Apps migrations aren’t a plain data export. In addition to leveraging power users’ insights to identify critical differences, your tech team should also perform extensive data testing pre and post-migration.
Before it takes place, the team should make copies of the on-premises data, load it into the cloud and make sure it’s working as needed.
After the migration, the team should conduct user acceptance testing, get real users to use the app, and identify errors that went undetected during pre-migration testing.
Migrating your legacy application is no small undertaking. The average migration requires hours of work and implies a great team effort. If you don’t tie the migration to clear business goals, you’ll have a difficult time getting key players to participate.
When do you want to perform the migration? Do you need to scale better? Take advantage of new updates? Make your data more secure? Hire a team to guide you step by step in all the process?
Identify the big picture issue the migration will solve so that business leaders can get on board. Before embarking on a migration clearly explain the benefits of migrating and come up with key performance metrics to measure success.
By doing this before you start the migration, you will be able to deliver great business results to your company and a brand new app to grow your client's satisfaction.
Considering migrating your development?
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Get to know everything our company has to offer to your organization over at our website.
We can advise you free of charge, just get in touch with us here and let us know what you’re looking for.
