Modernising outdated business applications

Replacing packaged software
Replacing old commercial or closed solutions with new alternative software may require integration with other applications, databases, cloud services or third-party APIs. For example, modernising an application may require integration with social media, payment systems or analytics tools. This allows for flexible customisation and adaptation of applications to specific business needs, as well as saving on licensing fees.

Cloud migration
Refactoring is part of the modernisation process. While it is possible to simply move applications without significant rewriting, it is not worth talking about modernisation without a major restructuring of the application. Cloud platforms make it easy to scale computing resources based on business needs.
Application modernisation is the process of updating legacy software. When modernising business applications, they are most often broken down by functionality into small, independent components, enabling a smooth transition from monolithic to microservice architecture. Such a modernised application is easily scalable.

When modernising a legacy application, especially across multiple platforms, the application is reconfigured, repositioned, re-coded, re-architected, re-engineered, interoperable, replaced and decommissioned. All of these processes require a comprehensive approach and professionalism from developers.

Version Upgrade
Version upgrades adapt all application systems to user feedback and new market requirements. They fix identified bugs, add new features and improve performance. When requested by support or for maintenance reasons, the application must be rewritten in a modern programming language.

Platform change
Modernising legacy applications extends their life rather than replacing them completely. Anything that runs on legacy systems will sooner or later be migrated to modern cloud platforms or mobile devices. Platform switching means moving an application from one operating system or hardware platform to another.

Containerisation
Containerisation, particularly using Docker technology, has become a popular solution for modernising business applications. Containers provide isolation and portability for applications, making them easier to deploy and manage. Scalable and flexible infrastructures can be built quickly and cost-effectively.

Refactoring
Refactoring source code involves changing the structure of an application to improve readability and performance. Refactoring eliminates code duplication and optimises algorithms using modern programming approaches and patterns.
Competitive analysis
Before you start modernising, you need to find and analyse existing competing applications. Identify bottlenecks, performance issues, legacy technologies and business requirements. Based on this data, you can select the best solution and develop a modernisation plan.

Test and debug
Thorough testing and debugging of the changes made is an important part of modernisation. Testing identifies errors in the code, fixes problematic parts and checks the application for performance and reliability.

Magenta Favorita Development Case
Our client is a financial institution that approached us with the problem of an outdated accounting and transaction processing system in their business application. The application was written in COBOL, a programming language that is now quite rare.

Applications developed in COBOL remain mission critical and continue to generate revenue. However, the main problems with software products written in COBOL are related to its monolithic architecture and the complexity of integrating with other systems. There was a need to extend functionality and improve performance when processing large volumes of transactions.

Magenta Favorita Unipessoal LDA specialists updated the application's web interface and made it available for browsers. Modern APIs were integrated to ensure seamless interaction with other systems. Standard protocols and data formats (REST, JSON, SOAP) were used to facilitate integration. After migrating to a functionally identical C# application running on Windows and .NET, Magenta Favorita carried out the necessary testing and debugging to ensure that the application functionality was correctly adapted and that the application itself ran smoothly.
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