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This article guides properly integrating legacy data with modern software applications. Based on our team's experience integrating legacy systems, you will discover how best to do so.
What is Legacy System Integration?
Legacy system integration involves connecting legacy software with modern applications in such a way that their complementary roles complement one another to provide additional business benefits - for instance:
- Reduce Manual Work: Human errors increase when entering information multiple times into different systems; when all your systems work in concert, however, all that data entering needs only happen once; you can be much faster and more accurate at entering and inputting data.
- Integration Between Legacy Systems: Modern solutions enable better decision-making. You gain access to valuable data accumulated for decades; then identify patterns within it to make smarter strategic decisions; for instance, using CRM records from the past to help retain current customers while drawing in new ones.
- Access New Technologies: Functionality. Integrating new features or technologies into an existing system is the ideal way to easily add them without starting from scratch.
- Transitioning Legacy: software with modern systems can be challenging for older employees who may already know each tool on your staff well. To minimize learning curves and keep older staff productively employed, choose tools your workers already understand as part of an onboarding strategy for legacy apps with core business complex processes at play.
- Reduce Employee Learning Curve: Many legacy systems need more intuitive user-friendliness than modern equivalents and can be challenging for new employees to navigate. Integrating your systems will reduce dependence on these solutions - thus shortening learning curves and helping onboard more employees faster.
Integration between legacy applications and modern systems can improve business entire processes by optimizing core functions.
But integration shouldn't be used as a cure-all; only certain cases should require integration, like any medication. To find out which cases deserve consideration before moving ahead with integration plans.
What is the Best Way to Integrate Legacy Systems?
Legacy technologies will be around for a while as they still serve a useful function, and it would not make financial or logical sense to ditch all their components altogether.
Smart businesses understand this reality and are striving to balance both worlds as they move toward digital transition.
The goal of cost-effective integrations of legacy and modern applications without disrupting business operations is for enterprises to efficiently integrate legacy apps with modern ones while simultaneously maintaining legacy systems while adopting modern SaaS, cloud, and CRM solutions, including ERPs and CRMs.
Organizations facing this challenge must be agile and flexible while employing comprehensive governance measures to support B2B communication processes and processes while seamlessly integrating data from client systems into backend systems.
Here are a few effective methods of accomplishing integrations:
Build Integration
What frequency must an integration be created if your Ecosystem is continuously shifting? Integrations allow companies to tailor solutions specifically tailored for them and meet individual business requirements.
Yet creating these custom integrations is no small task: from proprietary in-house integration time requirements through programming requirements, it is an enormous endeavor that may cause any company pause when faced with this monumental undertaking of an ERP legacy integration solution.
Use APIs
Developers must implement this approach, and you are ultimately accountable for any changes or updates required.
Starting an API-centric integration takes little money but may take more time; skilled programmers who are up-to-date and aware of changes occurring with these APIs should be available.
Although these methods require considerable development knowledge and may take more work on an enterprise's part than one might imagine, they do have benefits.
Many enterprises opt for another more effective third approach instead.
Use Integration Connectors
Pre-built connectors come as part of an integrated platform and take less time than the other methods to build. Because a vendor will maintain them, the enterprise can quickly configure an app using them; your time-to-value will increase with flexibility, agility, and adaptability that other methods cannot match.
Integrate your Ecosystem Today
As long as new applications and systems meet your company's needs, an older IT infrastructure may serve its purpose effectively.
Integration Cloud provides an efficient platform to seamlessly link SaaS applications with legacy ones without the risk of disruption.
At the same time, flexible deployment options allow deployment plans tailored specifically to your company's needs and free your IT department from managing integrations.
Integra Cloud can assist in helping your company meet its business goals, from modernizing systems for faster onboarding of business ecosystems or meeting compliance regulations and customer SLAs up to full industry compliance and meeting customer SLAs.
What is the Relevance of Legacy System Integration?
What are the primary challenges associated with legacy system integration? You are typically stuck with your old system, including its inherent constraints and any necessary overhaul measures.
Before embarking on any integration journey, an exhaustive audit must be performed on the existing system.
Consider integration as part of your solution for certain cases such as these:
- Your business could rely on large volumes of legacy data, which may be vitally important. Migrating this system could cost more than simply dealing with its shortcomings - by incorporating it into more modern systems, you will maximize its value and gain maximum use out of it.
- Ensure that your system serves its intended purposes for business continuity - ensure value addition and tasks are completed as intended!
- If your new business involves merging, but for one or more of the reasons listed above, it is impossible to migrate towards more modern solutions, consider merging instead.
- Have a successful system in place with plenty of data? But do you want to add features?
- Your system works flawlessly or contains valuable data; however, its interface could be improved.
- Have a system that is operating flawlessly or contains large volumes of information? Unfortunately, in order to comply with legal obligations, you are legally obliged to share this data and share it.
Let's examine the challenges that this process brings.
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What are Some of the Main Challenges in Legacy System Integration?
Integration may initially seem effortless compared to the cost associated with modernizing an outdated legacy system or creating one from scratch.
Once we closely examine the details of legacy integration, it becomes apparent that it's no simple matter. According to recent research, one of the greatest roadblocks to digital transformation is needing help integrating new technologies seamlessly with existing IT systems.
Legacy system integration can be an intimidating undertaking. Here are just a few reasons:
- Lack of Knowledge: Integrating legacy systems requires people who specialize in outdated technologies - if these experts do not exist on staff, then your chances of success diminish significantly; many colleges stopped teaching COBOL programming languages back in the 80s; this makes finding expertise even harder now that many COBOL specialists have retired and it may take you longer than expected to find someone qualified enough.
- Lack of Documents: Many legacy applications need proper documentation, making the integration process that much harder for new developers who come after. With no clear understanding of its underlying logic or past fixes from those responsible, integration becomes even harder to manage.
- Data of Low Quality: Outdated formats and structures must be organized before integrating your information.
- Resist Change: You make an excellent point. Your employees may resist change to their routines despite knowing your legacy system inside and out for many years; thus, it will be important for you to explain its advantages while simultaneously making its transition as painless as possible.
- Security Concerns: Cyber threats pose a grave danger for legacy apps. According to one survey, 74% of healthcare organizations experienced at least one cyber-attack, and 70 of those organizations still utilized legacy software. Integration increases this risk exponentially, requiring you to have a solid plan to safeguard both before and after the implementation of legacy integration projects.
Trying to connect older software and new technology may sometimes prove challenging, yet this doesn't equate to "mission impossible."
Main Approaches to Integrating Legacy Software with Modern Software
No single recipe exists that perfectly connects old systems and modern software. Still, we have selected the top legacy integration techniques from most difficult to easiest to help you understand all your options.
Integration Point-to-Point
P2P Integration refers to connecting two applications using custom code. While P2P may seem like an effortless solution for connecting old systems with new, it only becomes worthwhile when:
- Your team needs more expertise when it comes to implementation strategies.
- Integration should act on fundamental importance (for instance, updating customer details in CRM every time your ERP changes occur).
- Two homegrown products are being utilized rather than third-party options.
- Have these systems operating in your home.
Finding other means might be preferable if you need multiple apps running simultaneously on an older system. Why?
Businesses rely heavily on third-party apps that are constantly developing to run efficiently, necessitating creating multiple integrations and updating them each time the third-party app integrating with legacy system releases updates.
Building one integration can take months of hard work; you are unlikely to keep pace even at scale.
Enterprise Service Bus (ESB)
An Enterprise Service Bus (ESB) could be your perfect answer if you want to integrate legacy systems with multiple applications.
An ESB serves as the central software component that connects numerous apps into an ecosystem, acting like a translator between systems by translating messages between systems, composed of message transformers and applications "plugged-in."
How does an Enterprise Service Bus work in practice? Imagine an administrative system for a hospital that utilizes multiple applications which accept data in different formats like XML, CSV, JSON, and TEXT; with such an ESB installed, the information flow will likely look something like this.
Read More: Options To Modernize Legacy Systems
A doctor enters their prescription into their app. Apps need to exchange information in a common format, including lab test results, medications prescribed, diet restrictions, and cost.
Once this occurs, the app of a physician no longer holds responsibility. A message queue will record any applications requesting prescription information.
A queue of messages checks each app is "eligible" to receive information, then forwards all requested details directly to converters.
Information collected for each prescription is converted and transmitted directly to its intended app recipient. Should one or more apps become temporarily inoperable, ESB will temporarily store and send messages out as soon as the service becomes online.
Though an ESB offers superior solutions over P2P, there are certain drawbacks. An ESB does not set limits or provide load balancing, thus making frequent crashes in busy environments likely.
ESBs tend to be on-premise and unsuited for microservices; their design was intended for internal applications instead of external ones and can store large volumes of data, making ESBs seen as traditional integration methods that often need to be revised with new applications.
API (Application Programming Interface)
An API defines how an application should behave to gain access to data or features of another app. Think of an API like an intermediary messenger who accepts messages and replies with responses in language both systems can understand - for instance, a hotel management system might need information from weather app App B to determine an affordable room price tomorrow; App A may contact its API then - provided everything follows protocol - return it directly back to App A in return for returning said data out through App B's API back out through API A again for processing!
A similar process applies when one software needs to use features from another software application. For instance, App A might want to determine hotel rates based on certain weather variables using App C's predictive analytics API for predictive analyses.
Apps A, B, and C never share all their functionalities or data - only what's necessary. While APIs and ESBs share similar capabilities, application programming interfaces (APIs) often outshone their counterparts on several fronts - for instance:
- APIs simplify integration; with them, you can seamlessly incorporate hundreds of apps into one system, while an ESB's ecosystem remains fragile as only limited applications can be connected simultaneously.
- APIs do not function like Enterprise Service Bus (ESBs); instead, they're designed for microservices and cloud architectures and compatible with both internal and third parties' internal apps. Modern apps typically support APIs, so there's no need for other integration methods to get things going.
- APIs can be reused. That means you do not need to develop new APIs each time you expose data or functionality from one system to another system.
- API Gateway's features allow for APIs to take full advantage of monitoring and analytics to monitor API performance, restricting how often requests come through; this helps prevent crashes from happening.
- Your data and functionalities could be used by making API access available to third-party customers, who could then pay you.
APIs have quickly become the go-to way of connecting technologies. Chances are good that any services you wish to integrate with your current environment support API connectivity; using any other integration method might prove more challenging; in certain countries, banks must share data via API with providers of financial services if this option exists.
If your legacy system already features an API, life may be easier; otherwise, it will prove challenging as its design predates the introduction of APIs, and creating one from scratch will likely take more work and money than expected.
Furthermore, creating APIs requires significant expertise and working closely with technologies used by your legacy application - remember refactoring so your legacy system becomes API friendly as part of this process!
APIs offer greater efficiency compared to P2P or ESB integrations.
Platform as a Service (PaaS)
If you need more expertise to build APIs from scratch for your legacy system and wish to save time searching for talent, you might find an alternative approach available to you.
PaaS solutions provide SaaS solutions that integrate applications with varied integration capabilities. An iPad comes equipped with adaptors and connectors, which have already been preconfigured, APIs, and ESBs; companies using one can build and manage various integrations at scale, while legacy systems may even benefit.
Implement integrations quickly, with minimal code usage, by following our straightforward methods:
- Your vendor will handle maintenance for all integrations they are responsible for.
- Are iPaaS services that work with old programming languages like X12 or EDIFACT and can convert them to formats modern systems can understand?
- Integration platforms can also assist your compliance requirements by offering all the tools for standards such as HIPAA and GDPR compliance.
- Integration platforms enable you to connect applications on both sides of the cloud - cloud-based and on-premise - via one seamless experience. Top-of-the-line integration platforms offer optimal solutions that connect cloud-based and on-premises applications seamlessly.
Read More: What Is Modern Vs Legacy Applications?
On the downside, though, an iPaaS service provider depends on you for its success; without you as its driving force and the availability of suitable connectors and ESBs from which to draw upon.
Furthermore, legacy system formats might make integration platforms appear invisible; and thus deny users of their simplicity and benefit of use.
Challenges of Legacy System Integration
Legacy systems organizations with numerous obstacles that prevent them from shifting to digital transformation.
There can be various challenges:
- Maintaining legacy hardware can be costly. Software designed for older systems may no longer run on modern hardware.
- Legacy systems often require extensive maintenance, upgrades, and expansion work; maintenance becomes manageable with proper documentation for changes made or overall architecture changes made over time.
- Patching legacy systems is often necessary, yet frequently goes undocumented, leaving companies vulnerable to hackers due to vulnerabilities in legacy systems.
- Integration of legacy systems with modern APIs or applications is often complex. Straight point-to-point integration does not work when there are multiple point integrations. Any disruption caused by legacy systems could have devastating repercussions for business continuity and should therefore be handled rapidly to protect business operations from attacks or malfunction.
- Mainframe engineers can often be hard to come by due to legacy programming languages like COBOL.
- Legacy systems can be costly and time-consuming to redesign, as their use hinders organizational innovation and makes integration of AI/ML/IoT technologies difficult.
- Workaround legacy applications can delay new initiatives being deployed quickly, and maintenance becomes an additional burden.
- Mainframes have become ubiquitous in today's environment and must be approached with an innovative mindset for optimal use. Implementation of DevOps may prove more complex for organizations using legacy systems.
Migrating to modern hardware has many benefits, including increased agility, streamlined integration with stakeholders, and increased productivity.
Yet only some organizations take steps towards legacy modernization initiatives despite knowing its advantages; recently, there has been news coverage about failed attempts costing hundreds of millions, while many are reluctant to change existing systems that work effectively despite being difficult for information extraction.
Legacy Systems Restraint Supply Chain?
Legacy systems applications needing more flexibility may impede supply chain efficiency and create major disruptions.
Below are several major concerns associated with legacy systems that threaten supply chains:
1. Integration is Difficult
Integrating legacy systems with other applications and systems is often an uphill battle for organizations, yet integrations are necessary for supply chains to function successfully.
Integration may involve numerous systems and stakeholders such as distributors, suppliers, warehouses, or Transportation Management Systems (TMS). For optimal supply chain operations, all stakeholders must access all pertinent information to facilitate collaboration.
Providing this access allows more visibility of supply chain processes while opening opportunities to optimize. Businesses seeking a competitive edge must build data-driven supply chains relying heavily on collaboration and information exchange for optimal supply chain performance.
Integration between applications and systems used by different parties can become complex. Some might use on-premise legacy software while others use cloud solutions; endpoints, data formats, and standards vary between systems.
2. The Data is Buried in the Legacy Applications
- Due to their ineffective integration, legacy systems often contain vast stores of unexplored information.
- Unlocking data value to enhance supply chains is of utmost importance.
3. The challenges of Data Management and Process Automation are not Insignificant
Integrating different systems and managing all available data is challenging for companies, especially given that manual processes often remain more prevalent than automated solutions that could improve supply chains while eliminating human error:
- Data quality could also benefit from accessing more readily available integration solutions.
- Information availability and visibility.
- Accessing data through one central point can streamline the process.
- Making decisions based on an exhaustive overview of supply chains.
- Collaboration among partners within a supply chain is possible, and visibility and access are critical features.
- Contact one person for all data needs.
- Implementation of strategic supply chain decisions.
- Collaboration among partners within your supply chain may be possible.
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Last Thoughts
Integration of legacy systems is possible despite "spaghetti codes," poor documentation, and the absence of developers who specialize in technology slightly younger than your grandma's technology.
Suppose your budget does not allow for the replacement or modernization of equipment. In that case, integrating new software will breathe new life into old equipment - provided you use a deliberate strategy when doing this process.
