How to identify legacy applications, reduce risk, and modernize infrastructure

In business, change is a given and flexibility is a smart strategy for staying ahead. The allure of new technology can be strong, especially since most people assume that applications will be upgraded within about three years anyway. The reality, though, is that tools often last far longer. As the rate of technological innovation continues to increase, the reality of working with software and hardware—old, new, and everything in-between—is changing. It’s important to be aware of what legacy applications are—and how to handle them in your organization.
What are legacy applications?
Techopedia defines legacy applications as “applications, platforms, hardware setups, programming languages, and other technologies that have been superseded by newer options.” In the business context, legacy indicates the age of the technology used to support the software or hardware, not necessarily the importance of the function the technology provides. Legacy systems are still in use because they provide essential business functions, regardless of their supportability. This can complicate the decision of how and when to upgrade.
Issues
No matter how vital the business function associated with legacy tools, there are some undeniable issues associated:
• Maintenance and support costs. This includes hardware (lifecycle, replacement availability, etc.); the operating system and software itself; and anything with support no longer in place.
• Lack of ability to scale and change. Outdated applications are not flexible and unable to support dynamic business needs.
• Knowledge management required. Team members must learn old technologies to provide support.
You might be asking: if legacy applications are so troublesome, why are so many still in use?