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Don't rewrite legacy systems for hybrid cloud – integrate them

Rewriting legacy applications is not the only option when building modern business systems. mWtech combines the best technologies, skills and processes to integrate valuable IT investments with modern business enablers.

Johannesburg, 01 Feb 2022
Leonard Solomyak, Principal Software Engineer at mWtech (Middleware Technologies).
Leonard Solomyak, Principal Software Engineer at mWtech (Middleware Technologies).

2022 will keep many organisations busy as they make up for economic slowdowns and increase their pace of digitisation. Hybrid clouds incorporating on-premises stacks represent the best digital transformation strategy for most companies. Yet how well legacy investments integrate with newer systems will define IT's ability to support the rest of the business.

A handful of companies can start with a clean slate. But many rely on competitive core systems that they want to incorporate into the hybrid world. A significant part of the challenge, says Leonard Solomyak, Principal Software Engineer at mWtech (Middleware Technologies), is re-coding applications from old language backends such as Adabas, Natural and COBOL into Java, .NET and relational databases.

"Re-coding legacy systems introduces challenges for the budget, maintainability and quality of transformed applications. Without going into technical nitty-gritty, the various issues arising from this lengthy and certainly expensive exercise include vendor lock-in, custom frameworks and ballooning IT budgets.

"It is often much more effective to bridge and re-use established backends, which you optimise for modern environments," he adds.

Bridge technologies close the gap between legacy investments and modern transformation. These technologies include ApplinX, EntireX and ConnX from Software AG, the leader in software integration:

  • ApplinX extends the outputs of legacy systems onto modern user interfaces such as browsers and mobile screens.
  • EntireX covers legacy procedures channelled from legacy API through modern API portals and gateways.
  • ConnX presents data in relational formats for business analytics and Java/DotNet applications development.

Understanding and transforming legacy systems

Transforming legacy systems isn't a straight journey from points A to B. First, one must understand the system's business capability and programming style.

Advanced software engineering tools, such as Natural Engineer from Software AG, generate such insights:

  • Separating presentation, business rules and data access code;
  • Identifying dead code and bad programming styles; and
  • Enabling the refactoring of Natural and Cobol code.

This refactored code integrates with user channels via bridge technologies. Research by mWtech demonstrates how this approach is much less error-prone and efficient: one integration development hour saves 10 to 20 redevelopment hours.

"We provide the architectural and engineering services to redevelop the system's architecture, install and configure the relevant bridge technologies, and connect legacy systems together seamlessly to appear as one modern web application," says Solomyak.

Such integration goes hand-in-hand with component development. Once a system is more accessible and collaborative with other parts of the organisation, it will encourage additional progress and change. To ensure legacy code engages with modern platforms such as Eclipse, mWtech deploys NaturalOne, the Java-like natural development environment with integrated DevOps and continuous delivery capabilities.

The mWtech difference

mWtech specialises in integrating and repurposing legacy and mainframe systems for modern transformation, including:

  • Assessment and modernisation objectives delivery;
  • Research of business processes;
  • Enterprise and technical services;
  • New user experience development;
  • Performance optimisation; and
  • Availability improvement.

If you want to accelerate your organisation's transformation journey without leaving valuable IT assets behind, talk to mWtech today.

Our professional services are fit for hybrid environments. We expose core on-premises applications to internet-based users and cloud computing via mWtech's numerous integration technologies. Highly experienced with major cloud providers such as AWS, Azure and Google, and home to top engineering talent around OpenStack and Bluemix, mWtech can assist with cloud readiness assessments and migration projects.

Chart your journey before you start: mWtech provides free assessment and proof of technology utilising Software AG solutions. This service includes architecture and infrastructure assessments and recommendations, and further detailed roadmap development.

Don't waste your time reinventing the wheel and orphaning your core business systems. Contact mWtech today and learn how we deliver customised cloud-hosted integration environments, utilising bridge technologies that have already helped numerous enterprises reach their transformation goals, strengthen confidence in their IT investment and grow their businesses.

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mWtech

mWtech is a 'middleware in cloud' company. Our approach to design, implement, deploy and operate has been developed with years of experience and expertise in the field. We can troubleshoot problems for you, rectify any issues that arise while your system operates seamlessly and improve it by continuously optimising our commitment and ongoing support.

Explore more about how we work at https://middlewaretechnologies.co.za/ or contact us at mwtech@middlewaretechnologies.co.za today to find out what we could do for you!