What is a Legacy System?
A legacy system is an outdated computer system or application that continues to be used despite the availability of newer alternatives. These systems often rely on older technologies and programming languages, making them difficult to maintain and integrate with modern systems. While they may have served their purpose well in the past, legacy systems can become a bottleneck for organisations looking to innovate and improve efficiency.
Benefits:
- Stability: Legacy systems are often highly stable due to years of use and refinement.
- Data Integrity: Proven track records of handling sensitive data can ensure data integrity.
- Cost-Effective: In some cases, the cost of replacing a legacy system may outweigh the benefits.
Use Cases:
- Financial Services: Core banking systems, trade processing platforms.
- Healthcare: Patient record systems, medical imaging software.
- Manufacturing: Production control systems, inventory management.
Key Components:
- Outdated hardware: Older servers, storage devices.
- Obsolete software: Applications written in languages like COBOL, Fortran.
- Complex infrastructure: Intricate dependencies and interconnections.
- Limited scalability: Difficulty in handling increased workloads.
- Security vulnerabilities: Outdated security measures.
