In Second Generation Legacy to Web Strategies
Via XML Part I - Business Strategic Issues, we discussed the business case for using XML
to implement application-to-application (A2A) integration within an organization and
business-to-business (B2B) integration via the web, with some of the technical issues that
impact on the business case. Although conventional wisdom would have it that the best
alternative is always to replace existing legacy assets, we are more cautious. In general,
we recommend:
- If the legacy application no longer fits the business, buy or
build new
- If the legacy application is meeting business requirements,
re-use it through modernization
If it makes sense for you to consider re-use of your legacy
application rather than replacing it in order to connect to the web, then we need to
address alternative implementations to do so. XML can be readily retrofitted onto legacy
applications, and that can be a very interesting proposition indeed to achieve B2B
integration.
In the process, as we shall see below, the application can be
modernized in other useful ways at the same time. It is not unusual that complaints
regarding legacy applications result from structural issues, such as the database,
language, hardware platform, or data model, and not the logical implementation of the
application. As we shall see, structural modernization of selected legacy assets can make
a lot of bottom-line business sense, in the appropriate circumstances. |
