Level-Up Your Business Process with Microsoft Azure

Alex Thompson Digital Engineering, Modernization January 31, 2022

Cloud Transformation

There’s no question that cloud computing is on the rise, with more than 81% of companies running at least one application on cloud technology. The needs of any business are constantly changing, regardless of size or industry.

Microsoft Azure is cloud technology that has been a cornerstone in supporting those changes by processing large amounts of data and letting companies create dynamic and innovative ways of working. Without Microsoft Azure, many businesses would have been unable to work remotely throughout the peak of the pandemic.

Most larger-scale companies are successfully operating via cloud technology. While mid-size and smaller businesses are playing catch up, they’re struggling to harness the total value of what the cloud has to offer by moving applications without a complete digital transformation.

The Purpose of Cloud Transformation

Cloud technology is a big part of data modernization. When companies store something in the cloud, using developments like Microsoft Azure, they’re storing information on secure internet servers instead of computer hard drives.

The cloud is convenient, reliable and allows companies to expand their presence and workforce globally. When explained to those unfamiliar with the cloud, a great example is their email account.

Anyone who has utilized Gmail has used cloud technology, as all of that information is stored on internet servers instead of private computers. When you have to access your email, you can do it from any connected device, which means you do not have to be at home.

Cloud usage is skyrocketing because it provides businesses the means necessary to add to their remote teams and provide instant access to information employees need. There is no question that the cloud is vital to business modernization, notoriously making it easier to perform everyday company tasks such as:

File Storage

Companies can store various information using Microsoft Azure, from client files and employee email accounts.

File Sharing

Cloud-based services make it easy to share files with multiple people at one time. If you’ve ever used Google Documents or a photography website like Unsplash or Flickr, then you’ve taken part in file sharing on the cloud.

Data Backup

One of the most popular reasons companies begin to shift their applications to a cloud-based server is backing up crucial company data. Microsoft Azure can not only back up your files but provide ample protection for them as well.

As cloud transformation becomes more and more necessary, many companies are falling into the trap of moving IT systems to the cloud without executing the transformational strategy needed to harbor every app modernization aspect the cloud can provide.

Operating the cloud isn’t only about company connection and easy data storage. Instead, it’s about a complete and total company-wide digital conversion.

More than Moving a Legacy System to the Cloud

For many businesses, it seems only natural to move old and outdated systems to the cloud and call it a day. Unfortunately, this quick “lift and shift” makes for an overall ineffective usage of the cloud and may even make daily operations more complex.

Using the cloud is less about moving your legacy system and more about a complete and total legacy transformation. Yes, you need these systems because they are critical to the way you run your business, but instead of moving them, revitalize them.

The only way to get the most out of moving your current systems to the Microsoft Azure platform is to consider design deeply. Without the proper attention from a holistic viewpoint and embracing a complete digital transformation, companies place sensitive information on the cloud and face invasions from skilled attackers while lacking innovation and the agility needed to operate totally on the cloud.

So, what’s a company to do to successfully switch to Microsoft Azure?

Start with an Open API Model

Before you jump in and begin shifting your IT systems to a cloud server, step back and evaluate what this switch means to your company. It should represent so much more than easy access to applications and necessary files for your employees.

Successfully applying the use of cloud solutions requires a renovated company outlook. An open API model gives a way to standardize and automate your IT environment. Turning to the cloud to host your applications means adopting a modern security posture and working within an established yet agile operating model.

The cloud can seamlessly help you drive innovative business solutions and leverage new capabilities all-around. Still, before you implement, you have to take these new business stances and enforce them all around. You do not have to recondition your strategic outlook, but it is the only way to get the best performance possible from cloud-based solutions like Microsoft Azure.

When companies see cloud capabilities for what it truly is, the door opens to create a next-generation IT capable of enabling business growth and innovation within a rapidly evolving digital era.

Reaping the Most Value from Microsoft Azure

By now, we’ve established it’s no secret that some companies reap the full benefit of the cloud while others are creating a more complex operating system and wondering where they went wrong. The main difference is that companies that treat their employment of the cloud as a business-technology transformation were undeniably more successful than those that view the cloud as a quick fix.

Your company can successfully gain every drop of value that Microsoft Azure offers, including networking, analytics, and storage capabilities. Before you begin your Azure transformation, you’ll want to ensure that your focus is in the right place.

The Complexity of Digital Transformation

Digital transformation is not easy, and if it were, every small to large scale company across the globe would employ it overnight. The sheer volume of work that it takes to enforce digital transformation is staggering and involves significant changes in company economics, processes, and skills, along with organizational modifications.

So often, a digital transformation fails, even with an incredible tool like Azure, simply because the infrastructure change is seemingly impossible to manage. Before you throw in the towel, school yourself on the most common failures of attempted cloud transformation, and take the necessary steps to stop them.

Avoid Transformation Chaos with Azure

A digital transformation is often complex. Ancient organizational structures, authoritarian leadership, and inefficient workflows can hinder a successful digital transformation, but these are also reasons to enforce one. In 2020, companies of all sizes struggled to convert to a remote-based model, and for the most part, lack of time to plan and the inability to accept change were the culprits.

Digital transformation isn’t something that should happen overnight. This change is a massive undertaking and requires careful planning and the construction of a whole new way of working and communicating.

Azure is a fantastic choice digitally, as it provides a broad range of hybrid connections and plenty of security and reliability. With more data centers and delivery points than any other cloud service, Azure is the perfect foundation for your digital transformation rebuild.

Why RPA is Not a Silver Bullet to All of Your Automation Problems

Alex Thompson Data and AI January 25, 2022

As time goes by and new generations move into new workforce positions, and most employees consistently express the desire to work remotely, the need for Robotic Process automation is apparent. The mantra that lives behind most modern companies, even giants like Target and Starbucks, is to work smarter and not harder.

Automation is great for so many things. The main talking points in favor of automation include increased productivity and higher production rates. Automation is fantastic for better use of materials, improved safety, a better quality product, and shorter labor hours for employees, which leads to an uptick in employee satisfaction.

It only makes sense that, as a business owner, you want to cut costs, standardize processes, and minimize errors. However, you might be missing out on all the perks of automation if you’ve invested only in Robotic Process Automation or RPA.

Frustrations that Come with RPA Investment

While many businesses soar utilizing only RPA as their automation technology, plenty don’t. There are many frustrations that business owners have brought to light concerning Robotic Process Automation’s limitations, mainly rigidity.

It is madly irritating to invest in an automation solution that doesn’t solve your pain points, especially when you have to spend more money than you originally intended to see any results at all. Struggling to find a return on investment probably means you’re missing crucial pieces to your automation puzzle.

RPA definitely has its place, but if you cannot seem to make it work, it’s probably time to investigate intelligent automation solutions. Intelligent automation allows for more complex processes, eliminating the amount of unstructured data accumulated with RPA only. Here are a few downfalls to Robotic Process Automation.

Magnification of Errors

Many robots in RPA cannot detect glaring errors that a human can pinpoint. If your current data has issues, RPA will pass it on through the workflow, which means that mistake is making its way down the line without rectification.

Sustainability in the Long-Term

RPA is popular for fast automation and quick fixes, but there lies a possibility for taking too many shortcuts and ignoring efficiency from the start. A ton of work must go into digitizing and automating administrative processes, and when first implemented, RPA serves as a decoy from establishing efficiency the right way.

Maintenance

RPA systems are notorious for requiring detailed maintenance, and many solutions must be custom-made to fit your business. If you plan to change how your business runs in the future, it’s not likely that your RPA robots will take well to the change. For RPA solutions, minor changes equal massive disruptions.

Risks

RPA is an artificial intelligence that doesn’t solve complicated automation problems like sending or handling purchase invoices. You’ll likely need a more complex form of intelligent automation to complete this job, so investing in RPA might be moot from the very beginning.

Endless Resources

RPA makes it easy for businesses to become overburdened with technical debt and maintenance services. Continually implementing more bots is not cheap, but with RPA, it’s necessary to keep your automation accountable and cover all the bases, sucking up a ton of your internal and financial resources.

Each RPA bot requires system tracking, screen, and field maintenance any time process changes go into effect. Since this is the case, many companies find that it’s too expensive with too much time lost to an automation solution that doesn’t work as well as it should or could.

Finding the Right Solution

Highlighting these issues isn’t to say that Robotic Process Automation won’t work for certain companies and business processes. Instead, it’s about highlighting the benefits of intelligent automation and encouraging business owners to move forward with technology that has more answers and isn’t so rigid and rules-based.

Automation is pointless if it’s not impactful or increases your tech debt. Because of this, we must acknowledge the shortcomings of RPA while recognizing that, in some instances, it holds its own.

Where RPA Does Work

Companies on a global scale find it necessary to upgrade their automation solutions and artificial intelligence. However, RPA does work well regarding some workplace processes, such as clicking and dragging, copying and pasting, making if/then decisions, making simple calculations, and opening emails and email attachments.

It is important to note that RPA carries out these automated tasks without recognizing content and works best with structured data only. Intelligent automation proves to be the missing piece for so many teams worldwide, over and over again.

AIML: All Automation Solutions are Not Made Equal

If your company requires a well-rounded solution to automate data extraction and the processing of important documents, then you’ll need something backed by Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence. Equipped to handle more complex organizational processes, intelligent automation actually involves humans and asks for help to achieve a better outcome for all.

Benefits of Artificial Intelligence

Artificial intelligence is nothing new, but its capabilities continue to mature year after year. Artificial intelligence is necessary for plenty of jobs within almost every workplace, including:

Machine Learning Perks

Machine Learning is the force behind many innovative technologies, from security and anti-virus applications to supplying the shopping algorithm you see on your Amazon homepage. Machine Learning isn’t perfect, but it has many benefits when applied correctly, and it could have a lasting impact on you and your company goals.

Identify trends and patterns easily
Machine Learning algorithms can improve with time
Adapt without human intervention
Automated predictive analytics

Companies want accuracy and reliability from their automated solutions, especially when it comes to handling increasingly challenging everyday processes. With RPA, one bot performs the same task repeatedly, without adapting or reaching out for human help.

With intelligent automation, the playing field changes completely. There’s no doubt about it; intelligent automation drives better outcomes, period.

The Answer is Intelligent Automation

Intelligent automation is the answer to seamlessly automating your complex business functions. Not only does intelligent automation enable your company or organization to work alongside entirely flexible automation, but intelligent automation assists you in reaching your business goals and objectives.

If you want to quickly accomplish tasks that grow increasingly difficult by the day with accuracy and stellar connectivity, then intelligent automation is for you. Here are just a few benefits to executing intelligent automation.

Increasing process efficiency at a high level
Optimizing back-office operations
Reduce costs and risks
Increase workplace productivity while catching automation errors along the way
Service and product innovation technologies
Improve your customer experience
Monitor fraud detection
Reduce business costs
Save your time for essential tasks
Cut way down on human errors
Reconcile your data from various company systems
Trace audits and analytics
Amp up client service times
Skyrocket employee satisfaction
Endless flexibility to create new processes and modify older ones
Formulate predictions based on collected data

Of course, intelligent automation also has its pitfalls, but when compared to the perks, it’s easy to make the decision. To be fair, there are periodic problems that might pop up when implementing intelligent automation:

With Intelligent Automation, your company no longer adheres to legacy software and current methodologies. Software changes often interrupt how an RPA solution works, but intelligent software is not susceptible to crashes and malfunctions because of minor or major modifications.

Intelligent Automation and Long-Term Company Goals

There is no better solution than intelligent automation to help your company achieve long-term goals. Your business needs automation that opens doors instead of restricting processes. While streamlining is essential and possible with RPA, there is no room to evolve.

Intelligent automation provides many businesses with the choice to move forward, successfully automating processes that involve unstructured data and without requiring out-of-reach training data sets. This type of high-maintenance, low-performance automation (RPA) is simply out of reach for many enterprises.

RPA is not entirely unaffordable, to begin with, but keeping up with it and maintaining it every time you update anything within your process or workflow becomes costly very quickly. When you’re spending too much in one area, it limits cash flow to other parts of your business.

By implementing intelligent automation from the very beginning, you’ll cut costs in the long run while setting yourself up to succeed without stalling due to your automation choice. Companies stuck in one spot due to the restrictions placed on them by their current automation solution become one of two things: frustrated with way too much money invested or completely irrelevant.

To build a future-proof foundation, you have to begin with intelligent automation.

Why the Future of Digital Transformation Lies in Human-Centered Automation

Alex Thompson Digital Consulting, Modernization January 19, 2022

Digital Transformation

Digital transformation is an ever-present entity in every industry across the globe. Companies and organizations worldwide are continually looking for ways to update their automation processes to keep up with the rest of the world.

The problem with current automation technology approaches is that they fail to center on humans, which though it seems counterintuitive, is actually an essential component of digital transformation. While it’s only natural that we embrace digital possibilities of all shapes and sizes, it’s crucial to remain focused on the part that humans play.

What is Human – Centered Automation?

Human-centered automation represents the evolution in current automation approaches. It investigates the automated workflows of companies and organizations today and focuses on how humans’ work will change and contribute to digital transformations.

Businesses must keep up with the automated pace of the current workforce. However, failing to implement how humans can assist in that progression, unlocking boundless potential along the way, is a huge business mistake. Automating specific tasks improves customer service experience while improving decision-making and response times, but including human capabilities in the mix will put certain companies ahead in the long run.

Human-Centered Automation encourages collaboration between humans and machines, but it’s so much more than that. The development of intelligent automation that focuses on the assistance of human beings to succeed contributes to a surge in digital transformation due to the existence of growing, AI-driven models that can effectively support it.

Essentially, humans and machines are learning to work together.

Streamlining Operations

The success of a business relies on many factors, including the balance between digital and human-centered automation. Achieving this balance helps improve user experience and streamline operations. Manual development approaches to the content that your customer base requires to move forward as your client are likely relatively slow.

Handwritten forms and emails to PDF files and other paperwork documents are necessary for user communication. Automating these tasks leaves room for next to zero errors and improves the customer experience without cutting out human interactions.

While automated systems are fantastic for loan approvals and lab tests, it isn’t easy to get a meaningful customer service experience without a human being. Consumers still want that connection, and human-centered automation focuses on not letting it go.

Creating a Human-Centered Automation Experience

For many companies and humans who work within them, going to work is about much more than a paycheck. People choose their careers based on the ideology that they can make a difference, whether within the workplace or the world. Instead of letting technology take over, we must use the desire for a better existence, for change, to drive us to grow with our technology.

Human-centered automation creates synergy between technology and humans. There is no question that both computers and humans have their strengths, and when we can utilize them to play off those strengths together, the business possibilities are endless. Business owners should gauge their technology and human employees’ needs and capabilities and assign tasks accordingly.

It’s evident that the way humans work will evolve as the need and demand for technology grows. This ever-growing need for technology is not something human employees should fear, primarily regarding the loss of their jobs, but instead harness, so backlogs and other tedious tasks that are better automated can ease employee stress.

Employers will never experience a more valuable resource than their employees. By adding in digital advancements, you’re freeing them from ongoing, repetitive tasks and allowing them to serve your customers and focus on the work that matters. Employee satisfaction is a top priority for every company within all industries, and automation assists significantly in achieving this satisfaction.

Evolve and Upgrade Your Workplace

Staying stuck in the past means the inability to keep up with your competition. Automation is inevitable, so make it work for you and your team. It’s unlikely that there is another company with the same processes and dynamics as yours, and it’s vital to ensure ease of integration for any automation you implement.

Not only do you want to maximize the return on your digital investment, but you’ve got to focus on limitless employee potential as these changes take place. Artificial intelligence is at its best when humans supervise, and this is a core concept of human-centered automation as the future of all digital automation.

Enhancing Your Customer Journey

Automation isn’t only for making the lives of your employees more manageable, but it greatly assists in your customer journey. You can gather purchase intent and eventual conversions by optimizing engagement and personalizing relevant messages that hit on pain points and interests.

Digital automation leaves employees free to solve complex customer issues, creating a daily workflow that improves the customer and employee experience. When an automated CRM service handles most of your customer interactions, the integral pieces of your business are always taken care of by hands-on employees.

The Future of Digital Transformation

Many parts of our daily routine, both work and personal, are entirely automated, from when we wake up until our robotic home assistant shuts our lights off at night. While digital transformation proliferates in the workforce, it’s nothing without the humans who manage and co-exist beside it. Human-centered automation focuses on the concept of teamwork and taking technological advances to the next level through human implementation and management.

DevSecOps: How to Make Security Everyone’s Job

Alex Thompson Digital Engineering January 17, 2022

DevSecOps

There’s no question that technological security DevSecOps within any company is crucial to keeping vital information safe. While security seems like an upper-level IT responsibility, it’s essential for every person within the company, every employee who goes through the onboarding process, to understand the company security measures.

DevSecOps, which stands for Development, Security, Operations, is an approach to business culture that insists on integrating security as a shared responsibility on all levels. From board members to interns, employees must consider safety in every piece of work and every decision made.

The Role of Company Security

In the past, the role of company security rested heavily on one team, specifically in the final stages of program development. Security must be integrated into the company mindset just as development and operations are now. DevSecOps means streamlining the development process and asking every employee to prioritize security in every decision made.

Every person within a company should be liable regarding security measures, even if they are not on a designated security team. Bringing security forward into the software development life cycle will improve planning, test code and keep everyone accountable.

Not to mention, leaving security at the end of the development cycle often makes the development stage longer than intended. Security throughout is the key.

Security and Apps and Data

Security, as it pertains to applications and data, is an integral part of the life cycle of an application and all of its updates. Think of it this way; DevSecOps is all about security measures built into the application instead of surrounding the perimeter. With DevSecOps automation, the security comes from the inside.

To help your developers write code with security in mind, they require a security mindset. By instilling the belief that security reigns during the onboarding process, you create a company that revolves around the importance of security in every application development stage.

To develop an outstanding DevSecOps strategy revolving around data and app security, your team has to start with determining the risk tolerance in every stage of development and carry out a risk/benefit analysis.

Fully consider what security measures and controls are necessary within the new app you’re in the process of developing. DevSecOps automation is essential here because running a manual security check at every stage of development is time-consuming.

Work Environment Regarding Data Security

Security starts at the bottom. To effectively make app development safety and security part of your company at every level, you’ve got to create an environment that focuses on that security. A few things can help you create a security mindset, asking employees to behave and think differently. Eventually, security will become a natural part of their day-to-day work.

Automate the Work Environment

When the work environment is automated, it minimizes the number of hands in the development pool. A massive part of adequate security is creating awareness while minimizing unauthorized access or connections.

Encrypting Data Between Applications and Services

Without question, integrated security services minimize the possibility of unauthorized access. By taking measures at every level, the chances of a data or security breach are lower.

Making Security Company-Wide While Implementing DevSecOps

It can seem counterintuitive to implement DevSecOps while asking everyone working within the company to focus on security measures. However, even though the concept and enforcement of DevSecOps architecture focus on automating work environments to eliminate the number of people that have their hands in the development process, it’s crucial for all teams to thoroughly understand security to protect development at every level.

A security-based frame of mind doesn’t mean giving all team members and employees access to vital security aspects of applications in the development stage. Instead, it encourages them to think about the security measures necessary while they’re doing their part.

Company-wide security mindsets serve to provide insight where there once was none, and it can absolutely work alongside DevSecOps. The embedding of security into every move of all teams involved in your company makes for a secure end-product, without question.

Allowing these two philosophies to work in conjunction gives your team the chance to strengthen, and therefore, turn out products and applications that work with security built from the inside out.

A Security-Centric Environment Works

There’s no question that an environment that focuses on security works regarding every stage of development. A stronger product is the end-game, and it’s a very likely result when a security-centric mindset combines with DevSecOps architecture, automation, and implementation.

If your company hasn’t started making security a priority at every stage, it’s not too late to start. It will take a while for your current employees to fall into the rhythm, but including it as part of the onboarding process will bring about fast changes for the better.

How Modern Data Architecture Drives Business Performance

Alex Thompson Data and AI January 11, 2022

Modern Data Architecture

From helping businesses make educated decisions to reducing operating costs, big data really is a big deal.
But why?

As technology continues to evolve, so does the need for insight into customer behavior and market trends. Even though most businesses are using big data, not everyone knows how to use it effectively.

To make the most out of data and analytics, you need to understand how modern data architecture operates and the reasoning behind it.

In this guide, we’ll dig deeper into big data and discuss the role of a data architect. We’ll also discuss how modern data architecture can bring your business into the future.

What is Big Data?

Big data is large volumes of data, both structured and unstructured, which businesses are inundated with every day.

But it’s not just the type or sheer amount of data that’s important; it’s how it’s used to make strategic business decisions.

What is Data Architecture?

In only a few short years, businesses shifted from traditional data mining and storage to more streamlined methods.

That’s where data architecture comes in.

Businesses that operate on modern data can anticipate future needs of consumers. They use this information to review emerging market trends and optimize their marketing strategies.

Organizations that fail to upgrade to modern data architecture ultimately lose customers and reduce their market share.

In simplest terms, data architecture defines the tools a business utilizes to analyze and manage data.

Modern data architecture takes things a step further.

Modern data architectures are platforms that bridge the gap between decision-makers and IT professionals.

With modern data architecture, the processes used to capture and deliver important data within the business are also an integral part.

More importantly, modern data architecture outlines how the parties will consume the data and how it’s delivered.

What is Data Architect?

Similar to architects who design residential homes, data architects create blueprints for specific data flows and processes.

The blueprints are based on the objectives within a business or organization. More specifically, they’re visionaries who design the framework for enterprise data and its management.

A data architect works closely with internal stakeholders, alongside external vendors, to create a data strategy that helps businesses make data-driven decisions.

Data architects also work to define reference architectures, which serve as guides for team members to expand current data systems.

Pillars of Successful Data Architecture

Well-designed modern data architecture always flows from right to left; specifically, from the data consumer to the data source.

Previously, data architectures were data warehouses. And because of their initial design and technology used, managing them was a time-consuming process.

Unfortunately, the gap between requests for data and final delivery often resulted in revenue loss or missed opportunities.

While modern data architecture still delivers usable data to a warehouse, it’s more agile and adaptable. It can change and evolve in response to the user’s needs.

With that said, there are basic components to modern data architecture that define its framework:

User-centric. As mentioned above, the focus is now on the user and their needs. Users can be either internal or external stakeholders. Their needs may vary depending on their department or role. Data architects can now collect and deliver requested data to meet the user’s objectives.
Adaptive. In modern data architectures, data flows from the source to the user. Successful data architecture always encourages collaboration.

It combines data from all parts of the business, in addition to external sources, into one specific place. Within this structure, data is seen as a shared asset.

Scalability. One of the most important pillars of modern data architecture is its scalability. Unlike traditional limitations seen in data lakes or databases, newer data architectures are faster and are easily accessible on the cloud.
Automation. Automating processes using cloud-based tools slashes production time. Processes that once took months to create are now built in just a few hours.
Intelligence. In conjunction with automation, machine learning and AI are the foundation of modern data architecture.

AI can swiftly identify and correct errors in data reporting, create structures for new data and advise on incoming data with in-depth analytics.

Elasticity. Scalability is only part of the puzzle. When it comes to modern data architecture, being able to roll back or scale on-demand is even more important. Elasticity gives administrators the power to shrink or scale without limitation.
Security. Security features are built into the data architecture to limit who has access to it. Well-designed architectures are aware of both current and emerging security threats. They’re also GDPR and HIPAA compliant.

How Data Architecture and the Cloud Work Together

Even though it seems like cloud computing is relatively new, theoretically, it’s been around for 40 years.

But with such an accelerated shift to a more cloud-based model, it’s important to understand how data architecture and the cloud work together.

With rapidly changing demands of data, businesses need scalable or elastic architectures at their disposable.

Thankfully, the cloud allows for rapid scalability, which is a cost-effective solution. It’s especially useful in cases of on-demand development as well as prototyping.

The cloud is also resilient. It can process large amounts of big data quickly in real-time. According to Gartner Research, enterprise data spending will account for approximately 15% of global spending on IT by 2024.

It’s also estimated that over 70% of businesses and organizations currently using the cloud are also planning on increasing cloud spend when they expand their modern data architecture.

Modern Data Architecture and Your Business

The main goal of data architecture is to streamline the way businesses gather, store, distribute and ultimately use data.

Another important goal is to provide valuable data to the right people within the business or organization.

Not so long ago, when specific data was needed, a request was made, and IT would find a way to deliver it in a timely manner.

This typically involved hours of manpower prior to delivery. In turn, this type of architecture made it difficult to access the right information when necessary.

Modern data architecture breaks the barrier between strategists and IT.

It enhances collaboration, communication, workflow, and productivity. Businesses can determine which data is most useful, the best way to source it and how to distribute it to the right internal stakeholders.

Data Fabric and Architecture

In today’s digital landscape, change is inevitable. Businesses that consider data a strategic asset will be better equipped to navigate that change.

But to stay one step ahead, businesses and organizations alike need to use data fabrics to guarantee unlimited access to all their data sources.

Let’s break it down.

Every business needs to use data analytics to its fullest potential. To streamline the process, you also need data agility.

Data agility connects and then combines the data from various sources for review.

Data fabrics house the connections between all the data, regardless of type or where it comes from.

They can also tell you what the data does, and how it relates to other relevant data. Without data fabrics, your ability to use data analytics to its fullest potential might be limited.

Data Architecture Strategies

Similar to marketing, you need to have a solid strategy when developing your data architectures.

Here are a few things to keep in mind:

Information and Data Architectures

It’s also important to understand the difference between information and data architectures. Data architecture is about sourcing, collecting, and using available data.

Informational architectures are more about using the data that’s collected to make strategic business decisions.

The Takeaway

For businesses that embrace modern data architecture, the future has never been brighter. But as traditional methods of data collection, storage, and disbursement fade into the background, the need for meeting customer demands will only continue to grow.

At TVS Next, we help clients harness the power of AI and data assets. And as technology and data analytics continue to expand, businesses that use the power of modern data architecture will have an edge over those that don’t.

Kickstart Application Modernization: When Your Business Needs an Agile Scalable and Flexible System

Alex Thompson Digital Engineering, Modernization January 5, 2022

Application Modernization

Businesses need to upgrade their systems and operations regularly to provide customers with an optimal experience. Moreover, technological advancement has compelled businesses and organizations to quickly adjust to the fluctuating trends and minimize time spent marketing and selling products.

Application modernization, combined with cloud-based platforms, serves as an economical way for businesses to stay ahead of the trends. In addition, this modernization empowers firms to add efficiency to their processes and move towards a more resourceful digital future.

However, modernization can prove costly for businesses that haven’t invested in a methodological approach. If you plan to move forward with this initiative, you can implement strategically-targeted transformation projects that encourage broader modernization.

What Is Application Modernization?

Application modernization is an approach to upgrading previous software programs to meet the new demands and introduce novel computing approaches. This could include integrating new features, updated languages, frameworks, and infrastructure platforms.

Also known as legacy modernization, the approach allows firms to update their existing systems to improve efficiency and streamline operations. By taking this initiative, organizations can avoid investing in new solutions by leveraging technology to increase the lifespan of their existing applications.

The Processes Involved In Application Modernization

Application modernization is an approach that allows you to re-engineer a current application to attain a cloud-native architecture that best meets the organization’s existing needs.

In most cases of application modernization, businesses fail to maintain feature parity with the older versions of the application, which prevents them from attaining optimal results. Additionally, when the process of legacy migration is not proficiently planned, businesses can miss out on the chance to eliminate features of the application that have not been frequently used in the past. This can hike up expenses and keep the application from running optimally.

Therefore, the reengineering and redesign phases of application modernization must analyze and identify the components that are no longer required. This initiative allows organizations to create a proper plan for integrating new features while reimagining applications.

If your organization is undergoing the application modernization process, you need to create a detailed action plan. To start, identify what your users need and compare those requirements with the business goals and metrics. Essentially, you can then implement the modernization process to ensure complete optimization in your business practices.

That said, legacy modernization emphasizes a single application or specifically clarified applications. The process can be implemented in one of four ways:

Replatforming

Legacy modernization also includes re-platforming to the cloud. With this approach, minimal changes are implemented to ensure that the program can run in the cloud. For instance, re-platforming can be the ideal choice for businesses that can optimize their operation by using a cloud-based deployment model. However, re-platforming would become essential if the firm’s existing software lacks the required architecture that enables cloud compatibility.

Refactoring

Refactoring occurs when the business requires product evolution, but its current application needs restructuring to cater to that request. For instance, your business can go for refactoring if you wish to add an API layer to a legacy application to reveal its core assets.

Rearchitecting

If you have a high-value legacy application that experiences fluctuations, re-architecting it would be the right thing to do. This process ensures that the application undergoes a cloud-native rewrite, which further paves the way for product evolution and new feature development.

Additionally, you can also take on this approach to disengage the core business capabilities to optimize application stability. Or you could use it to move to cohesive, protractile application architecture.

Retiring

Software applications, or their feature sets, are retired with the objective to cut down application complexity, identify technical perforations, and eliminate any component that does not offer value to the business or its application.

Why is Application Modernization Ideal for Low-Budget Businesses?

Implementing application modernization is ideal for businesses looking for a cost-effective solution. The process can be segmented to provide partial modernization that creates a foundation for a broader, enterprise-wide modernization that you can execute in the long run.

All in all, modernization on a small scale sets a stepping stone for full-scale legacy modernization. By starting small, you can make the necessary improvements in the workflow in a unified application and continue to bring value to your business.

When you are initiating your modernization strategy, you can:

Try out different approaches and features without investing a large number of resources
Assess the results of modernization by examining the positive outcome following its implementation. This can encourage your business to plan for long-term modernization
Add efficiency to operations that require the most updates. It can help improve responsiveness, agility, and speed in your organization’s applications

Benefits of Application Modernization

Legacy modernization provides businesses with several advantages. Let’s look at how your organization can benefit from this approach:

More Effective IT Agility

Research shows that 76% of organizations with successful modernization saw improvements in IT agility. Undergoing this process also empowered businesses to reduce their time-to-market by 10.3%.

That said, implementing modernization further assists businesses in increasing developer efficiency. This is because the applications are liberated from legacy monoliths, and the application is shifted or re-architectured to a new cloud platform. This process streamlines the process for further development.

Essentially, when applications are detached from legacy interdependencies and are moved to a flexible cloud platform, your developers can use advanced tools and practices to improve the associated workflows. As a result, developer efficiency is guaranteed.

Implementing this process also allows your team to experiment better and create new integration much faster. You can also remove or upload applications without any hindrances and minimize the application’s time-to-market.

Improved Flexibility

Since the process decreases the time to market, you can add agility to your business model. Moreover, the application modernization process has a segmented nature, which makes it easier for your developers to make the necessary changes.

As a result, you can easily cater to the changes in the market by swiftly adjusting your services instantly. For instance, if a customer demand or market force fluctuates, your business can stay ahead with legacy modernization.

Additionally, you can also make use of a development process for these applications, which can assist in identifying various ideas, including the likes of continuous delivery and platform thinking. Finally, you can defend the need for an all-enterprise modernization using these outcomes.

Inviting Talented Resources

Undergoing the process of application modernization can equip your team with experienced and talented resources. This is because in-demand engineers and developers gravitate towards organizations that streamline their operations and use their expertise to refine work processes using cloud tools and cloud-native methods. Additionally, the process builds your organization’s reputation and helps you train recruits more effectively.

How to Effectively Carry Out Application Modernization

App modernization needs to be thoroughly planned to provide benefits to your organization. Let’s explore a few ways you can plan this process:

Identify Apps With High ROI

It is essential for businesses with a limited budget to create a quick returns strategy. This is why you need to identify the applications that yield a high ROI after they are modernized. With this approach, you can explore the following:

Your business’s foundational capability?
The technical criteria. This may include legacy applications, the complexity of code, code hygiene, cost optimization opportunities, and coupling

You can then amalgamate the preceding information to create a foundation for your modernization approach.

Identify Your Business Needs

Essentially, application modernization must serve a purpose. This is why it is imperative to identify and write down your business’s short and long-term needs. This step will help you create objectives for modernization, which will influence the refactoring, re-architecturing, and re-platforming stages.

Pave the way for Future Modernization

Application modernization should be an ever-changing process. Therefore, you need to create a plan that allows your business applications the flexibility to evolve with the market’s fluctuating needs over time. Consequently, you must consider the evolutionary architecture methods, platform thinking and plan deep continuous delivery to ensure your business remains ahead in digital advancement.

The Bottom Line

The current digital atmosphere has made it imperative for businesses to integrate the latest technology to improve operations and delivery. Your organization can reap several advantages from undergoing application modernization. However, it is essential to make sure that you start the process by prioritizing high returns at the initial stage.

This will give you more reasons to implement future modernization. In addition, creating a strategic approach to modernization will certify that your engineering team includes talented resources, which can quickly perfect the applications over time. Finally, undergoing calculated modernization will enable you to maximize value from cloud migration, benefit from a high ROI, and collaborate with a cloud-native firm.

Archive for month