89 percent of IT decision makers in UK businesses confess to keeping legacy systems alive just to keep old data accessible

They recognise, however, that this leaves them more open to security threats (87%) and eats up resources that could more productively used to support digital transformation (93%).

Also known as a legacy platform, a legacy system is an outdated computer system or application that are still being used despite an updated version or replacements being available.

The research carried out in 2018 by Macro 4, questioned IT decision makers about the challenges associated with ditching and replacing outdated legacy applications.

Problems caused by legacy

From increased security risk, incompatibility with new technologies, to even a negative company perception, there are many reasons why an outdated legacy system should be replaced or updated.

In particularly, 87 percent of the IT decision makers in the survey sample agreed that legacy systems are more vulnerable to security threats. At the same time, 82 percent acknowledged these applications are rarely compatible with modern security and authentication methods. This make them more susceptible to cyber hacks.

Another issue relates to compliance, with 84 percent of the respondents agreeing that it is harder to accurately track and control access to sensitive data in line with privacy regulations such as GDPR.

A legacy can cause a host of difficulties, such as massive running costs, and the lack of resources to implement digital transformation.

Why do businesses keep legacy applications?

Respondents of the survey gave a list of reasons, including:

• Too difficult to move the data somewhere else while keeping it accessible (54%)
• Reluctant to scrap their old applications (39%)
• Don't always have the right in-house skills to retire/decommission applications (32%)
• Lack of time and budget (62% combined)

Ready to make the change?

Undertaking such a big project requires plenty of things to consider to ensure a smooth transition from the old system to the new.

When updating or replacing their legacy system, companies should set a clear, pragmatic approach which clearly outlines the steps of the changeover. It can be a complicated process which requires a specialist and experienced expert to oversee.

PSP has a strong level of experience in taking over complicated legacy systems and supports many different types of systems, software and processes.

We are a trustworthy partner for your legacy support requirements. We have the experience and integrity to support you in your complex legacy systems needs providing a safe pair of hands until you are ready to move on.

Contact us today to find out more.