Why offload the management of your critical legacy systems?

Legacy IT systems are outdated or old systems, technologies, and/or software applications. Many organisations continue to use these systems even today as they can be entrenched into their IT estate and perform the critical functions they were initially intended to do.

Generally, legacy systems no longer have maintenance and support and are limited in terms of growth. Nevertheless, many organisations are unable to replace legacy IT systems as they are familiar with them. However, the risks present in ageing solutions often result in massive losses.

In this blog, we will discuss the legacy IT challenges and why you should offload the management of your legacy systems. We will also talk about what your company should do after discontinuing the use of such systems.

Reasons to offload the management of your critical legacy systems

There are multiple drawbacks of legacy systems. For instance, one of the most common legacy IT challenges is data integration. Remote connectivity might also be tough to come by with a legacy system.

1. Vulnerable to security threats

Many legacy systems aren't equipped to offer sufficient protection against malicious attacks. There are two key reasons for this. Firstly, older legacy systems contain decades' worth of data which is a treasure trove for attackers. This makes such systems more likely to be a target for hackers. Secondly, when legacy software becomes outdated, the software developer will stop sending updates. This can leave legacy IT systems vulnerable to cyber-attacks.

2. Time-consuming

Legacy systems are plagued with problems around agility and speed. Organisations using these systems know how long it can take to retrieve or upload data, extrapolate reports and insights, or carry out a backup. The time consumed by legacy systems can be a major drain on an organisation's resources.

The time you lose because of inefficient technology can prevent your team from focusing on value-adding tasks that enhance your organisation's performance.

3. Retiring IT specialists

IT workers are retiring, and younger professionals don't have the relevant skills or knowledge such as AIX needed to deal with legacy systems. This means that when these legacy professionals retire, it can be quite challenging to replace them.

4. Incompatible processes

Legacy systems are losing their touch as tech advances and moves away from conventional systems. Additionally, many businesses focus on efficiency and the customer experience, and to offer the best product and/or service, you require compatible systems.

Nowadays, several business processes and tasks need automating, such as document automation that legacy systems fail to offer.

How to move forward

The best way to move forward after offloading legacy systems is to use IT managed services. These services give your organisation access to a highly dedicated and skilled IT team without it being an in-house resource. They can effectively ensure your critical IT infrastructure runs seamlessly.

At Celerity, we offer a vast range of IT managed services to keep your software up-to-date, cost-effective, and compliant. At the same time, we ensure your business stays safe from cyberattacks. To learn more about our services, contact us today!