Perhaps the number-one problem IT faces in its pursuit of cloud computing is the challenge of integrating legacy systems with cloud applications. Most software or application vendors have Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) written that that provide access to the data or processes in their systems, leaving individual IT teams to create the programs and infrastructure that manage these interfaces. That might seem like a straightforward task, but anyone who has attempted it knows that it is neither quick nor simple when dozens of applications are involved.
The benefits of solving this issue are clear. Legacy systems run on expensive and obsolete platforms, and they are often written in archaic languages that are incomprehensible to current staff. Legacy systems do not have the agility that most modern businesses require to support changes in their processes and keep users satisfied in a sustainable and cost-effective manner. There are scores of business and technology drivers pushing enterprises toward modernization.
Traditionally, organizations did one of three things to solve the many issues presented by legacy apps: they could replace them, they could wrap them in modern interfaces, or they could live with the challenges. Of course, these approaches all have significant flaws, including high cost, high risk and failure to solve the original problems. Luckily, there is a fourth option for IT teams faced with legacy challenges. They can draw on the capabilities of integration platforms, which allow them to:
Solutions are needed that automate integration on both sides of the firewall as well as on-premise and in the cloud. An integration platform can enable IT to automatically apply mission-critical data changes to every system, saving manpower, reducing human error and improving productivity. Those benefits are all the more appealing when one considers the alternatives.
By Glenn Johnson, Senior Vice President, Magic Software Enterprises Americas