Legacy System
[noun]
A distinctive aspect within the netamorphosis’ Technology service offering is that of legacy systems integration: one of the most complex aspects within a website platform ‘build’, but also our specialty.
Definition
A legacy system is an out-of-date computer system, method, technology, or application program ‘of relating to’, or being a previous or outmoded computer system. Such legacy products, legacy software and legacy technology may still be in use because it is impossible to upgrade/update their application programs or because their data might be impossible to revert/transfer into newer or standard formats.
In fact, within traditional retail companies and eCommerce businesses, and truly any company that has scaled its systems, there will come a moment when a system will become a legacy system: it is just a matter of time, as all technology has a life-span and is subject to become obsolete at some point.
On one hand, this translates to a system that has to be ‘worked around’, and it can be an impediment to growth and an organization being able to adapt to contemporary software system integration that serve more dynamic front-end user experiences. On the other hand, often times newer software also has restrictions in the ways that it is able to ‘receive’ data, and therefore a middleware needs to be introduced, which represents a middle step that typically normalizes data within the requirements of each system. Middleware is constructed in order to communicate between systems, to facilitate the passing of data from one system to the next, and is the most common go-to solution we would use to bridge the gap between the old and the new.
The challenge involved with integrated systems in both the most contemporary or newest software and the relationship with legacy systems, is that often developers or programmers that are certified within a new(er) software may not have intimate knowledge or better yet, solutions for interfacing with a legacy type of product or technology. And while developers and programmers of the most cutting-edge technology in theory should be able to build creative solutions using at times rudimentary call and response logic, often times this is overlooked within the tech world’s quest to be on the newest thing, resulting in a dearth of integration specialists.
Thankfully, that’s what we’re here for: no matter the type or complexity of the legacy system, we have always sorted out ways to ensure not only a full integration, but also scalable platform for growth for our neta clients within it.
