What is the Risk of Staying on Legacy Software and How to Modernize It
Legacy software still runs a large part of the global economy, but recent data shows that this reliance is becoming a serious constraint. Recent studies show 80% of organizations say legacy applications directly limit their ability to adopt new technologies, while more than half report increasing costs tied to maintaining outdated systems. Organizations using outdated infrastructure take longer to detect and contain breaches, driving higher recovery costs and operational disruption.
Despite these risks, many businesses hesitate to act. As Igor Omelianchuk, CEO of Corsac, explains, “Most companies understand their legacy systems are a risk. What holds them back isn’t lack of awareness, it’s fear of disrupting operations that still depend on those systems.”
That tension between risk and stability defines most modernization discussions today.
Why Move from Legacy Software
Legacy systems rarely fail all at once. They continue running, which creates a sense of safety, but over time, processes around them slow down. Simple changes take weeks instead of days, and integrations feel fragile. Teams become cautious because no one is fully confident in how the system will react.
Legacy platforms require specialized, often scarce, knowledge that increases maintenance costs. Businesses spend more time and budget on keeping the systems running rather than innovating them. Security pressure grows as well since the system’s logic and components are in the hands of a couple of senior developers.
There’s also a less obvious cost: decision-making slows. Legacy systems make it harder to experiment, launch new features, or respond quickly to market changes. Andrew Lychuk, co-founder of Corsac, describes it from what he sees in projects: “Legacy software doesn’t just slow down the tech. It slows down teams. People hesitate to change anything because every update feels risky.”
Eventually, companies realize that standing still carries more risk than moving forward.
Modernization Options of Legacy Software
Modernization doesn’t have to mean ripping everything out. In reality, most companies take a careful, step-by-step approach that is most suited to their needs.
Rehosting (Lift and Shift)
Rehosting involves moving a system to newer infrastructure or the cloud without changing the application itself. It can improve reliability and simplify operations, but it leaves most technical debt in place.
Refactoring
Refactoring focuses on improving specific parts of the codebase. Problem areas are cleaned up, dependencies reduced, and performance issues addressed. The system behaves the same for users, but it becomes easier to support and extend.
Replatforming
With replatforming, parts of the system are adapted to work with newer platforms, frameworks, or managed services. The core logic usually remains intact, while the environment becomes more stable and scalable.
Rebuilding
Rebuilding means rewriting the application based on current business requirements. This option is typically chosen when the existing system can no longer support the company’s operations. It requires careful planning and strong alignment with business teams.
Replacing
When the system is no longer relevant and cannot be modernized by any other means, the only way to make it support your business needs is to replace it. Replacement means a radical change in business workflows, thus requiring careful evaluation of alternatives and proper management.
To sum up, staying on legacy software often feels safer than migration, In reality, higher maintenance expenses, security risks, and issues of scalability eventually catch up. Modernization offers a way forward, but only when it’s planned around business needs, not just technology. This is where an experienced legacy software migration provider like Corsac makes a difference. With 18 years in software migration and over 100 projects completed, Corsac goes beyond code modernization, helping businesses rethink and optimize the core processes. With Corsac, your software is in reliable hands.
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