Migrating packaged, off-the-shelf software applications creates complexities that must be carefully managed. The success of any application migration is greatly influenced by properly planning, provisioning access, and managing users. But upgrading or migrating to new applications creates challenges for IT teams that are focused on maintaining existing infrastructure.
The choice to upgrade to the latest software is an easy decision because it usually improves workflows that streamline business processes and enhances productivity and mobility. Budgets, licensing terms, and projected organizational productivity improvements are often the primary considerations for deciding when to migrate business applications.
Cultural considerations should also be taken into account. Your employees want to be aligned with a workplace that offers modern tools to get jobs done effectively. They want to build new skills and not be left behind. They want to feel like they are within an organization that will help them advance their careers. Providing access to modern, in-demand technologies is an important way to offer that support.
Planning for improved mobile access is also an important factor in application migrations. Many legacy applications offer little-to-no ability for employees to access applications and data from smartphones and tablets. Enabling simplified-yet-secure access from mobile devices is essential for most business applications.
Application migration also creates the opportunity to streamline development and support. For example, many companies incorporate container technologies into the application migration process to ensure that the packaged software runs reliably when moving from testing to deployment. Software containers also make it easier to migrate to different server environments, thus providing the enterprise with greater application portability in the future.
Because application modernization places increased demands on IT, it’s more efficient for most organizations to augment internal IT resources with experts in application migration. This approach helps you discover where your challenges are before you start, ensure you have the information you need to understand key issues, and evaluate the impact of a planned migration on your support personnel and end users.
If you’re planning a major enterprise-packaged software migration, you should also consider whether additional training or documentation is required.
Data centers can go from leading edge to out-of-date very quickly in this age of ever-evolving technology. Keeping pace with a modern infrastructure can be a challenge. Connection offers a set of easy-to-consume service options to support your unique needs. With the proper services, you can effectively migrate your packaged software applications, optimize your infrastructure, achieve significant savings, and gain new efficiencies along the way.
Our team of experts can help you ask the right questions about your environment and give you the insights you need to help decision makers understand what is at stake in your application migration, how are you going to deal with unexpected issues, and the best areas to invest your resources for maximum ROI. For more information, learn more about our Software Packaged Services and our Applications and Database Solutions.
