When we speak about legacy systems, generally we're referring to the older computer networks that companies no longer have the tools to access. There's a sense that we're talking about something far in the past. But there's sobering information from a recent Gartner study that shows how newer businesses should still consider mainframe modernization.
Why? Simply put, everything new is on the way to becoming old. Chloe Green of Information Age recently quoted from the findings to demonstrate simply getting ERP isn't the catch-all answer some businesses might think that it is.
Green quotes Andy Kyte, vice president of the company that produced the report, on how even relatively recent advancements are being shown to be passed in the wake of new advancements.
"Early ERP adopters, particularly large organizations in energy, manufacturing and distribution industries, are paying the penalty of a decade or more of excessive customization," he said.
As an example of the problematic reach that IT failure may have, a recent Computer Weekly article detailed the danger that out-of-date IT poses to banking institutions, particularly the Royal Bank of Scotland. This partly came to public attention due to a dangerous glitch that occurred two years ago.
This may not be the only bank in a similar position, and IT modernization shouldn't seem completely out of the realm of possibility as one of the most important aspects of running a successful modern business. Even if we aren't heading into the age of "postmodern ERP," the business that has the most staying power should constantly assess the stability of their programs.