Business users are increasingly demanding that applications be available via the internet. The Internet provides access from anywhere once security concerns are properly addressed. Web applications also usually provide a much more attractive and useable interface. Unfortunately most legacy applications are not Web enabled!

One approach to handling the usefulness of these systems, while leaving the bulk of the processing logic in place, is to replace the current front end (often terminal emulation) with a more usable and efficient web based user interface. This is a mostly non-invasive approach to modernizing the legacy application which requires much less effort and testing while bringing immediate payback to an organization.

Very often this approach is taken in conjunction with one or more of the other legacy modernization approaches, such as SOA, but it can also be a useful effort of its own, especially if a more efficient interface leads to a better customer experience which ultimately improves the bottom line.

However, before rushing off with your new web design tool, be aware that web enabling may not be as simple as it sounds. Often along with a newer more user friendly interface comes a change of workflow and logic that make it not simply a user interface issue. In many legacy systems logic and business rules are often embedded in the 'client' part of the application which protects the server side logic from receiving 'bad' data and often packages functionality into very specific boundaries that the new interface may be proposing to cross. These issues need to be analyzed and addressed and sometimes compromises are necessary or the simple web enabling exercise can become more costly than a replacement.

As ever experience counts, knowing where to look for that logic and those business rules and knowing how to re-face with the minimum of disturbance makes the whole exercise much more viable.

Why Work with Caro?

Caro has performed significant legacy migration projects in the past including several Portal efforts. We know how to approach the issues, how to re-package the functionality and how to re-design with UI with the maximum impact and the minimal disturbance to the legacy logic.