Application Replatforming

Overview

Replatforming is a process that can help you if your software has become slow. You can be facing struggles such as security issues, handling user demands, etc. All these issues can be solved with replatforming. What is replatforming? It is the process of moving your software application from the current platform to a new one. How is it done? Let’s answer all your queries in this blog, let’s get started.

Replatforming Definition

This process involves shifting your software application from the current platform to a new one. The shift can be made to an entirely new platform or a recent version of the current platform. The goal of this is to get the best out of it. It enhances the efficiency of the software. Replatform meaning: it is simply providing a new platform to work better.

Types of Re-platforming

The type of replatforming depends on the software application. Types of replatforming available:

Cloud replatforming

Your app is moved from physical servers to platforms like AWS, Azure, or GCP. This shift brings major perks. Your app can grow easier. You can adjust resources when demand changes. It also improves how you recover from disasters. The cloud offers these benefits and more making it a smart choice for many businesses.

Legacy modernization

Many companies depend on old software made with outdated tech. Legacy modernization updates these programs’ core structure to use new frameworks and tools. This makes them easier to maintain more secure, and faster overall.

Microservices replatforming

Monolithic apps bundle all functions together. They can grow unwieldy and hard to handle. Microservices replatforming breaks these big apps into smaller separate parts. This approach boosts flexibility and makes scaling easier. It also has an impact on fault tolerance. If one service crashes, the others keep working.

What industries does software replatforming play a role in?

Software replatforming benefits organizations across various sectors. Companies that use software apps to run their operations can gain from this strategy. Here’s some examples:

• E-commerce: Websites can handle busy times better after replatforming. They load faster and customers find things easier. New features like smart search and custom suggestions become possible too.
• Fintech: Banks and money apps get safer when they move to new platforms. They can follow new rules more easily and offer cool stuff like phone banking.
• Healthcare: Hospitals make patient info more secure by updating their systems. Doctors work smoother with new setups. They can add things like digital health files more easily as well.

Replatforming has an influence on many industries. It helps businesses keep up with what people want. Companies that switch platforms often see big improvements in how they work.

When should companies consider replatforming?

Your application might need replatforming if you notice certain signs. Keep an eye out for these warning signals:

• Performance problems make apps slow annoying users and hurting business. The process fixes this by using better tech and new infrastructure.
• When apps can’t handle more users or data, it’s a problem. Moving to a scalable cloud platform solves this. Cloud platforms grow with you giving you resources when needed. This helps your app handle more as it grows.
• Old apps might not be safe because their security is outdated. Replatforming makes apps safer. It uses strong security features from new platforms. This helps meet industry safety rules.
• Old software is costly to run. Only a few developers work with outdated tech making it pricey. Replatforming cuts these expenses. It makes the app simpler to maintain. Companies find it easier to find skilled workers for modern systems. The pool of talent grows larger. Updating also means less time spent fixing old bugs. Teams can focus on adding new features instead. Overall, replatforming has an influence on both costs and efficiency.

Overall, replatforming can help you scale your app, improve performance, enhance security, and help you lower the running cost.

How Does Replatforming Works?

Replatforming needs smart planning and careful action. Let’s break down the main steps:

• Assessment: Know your software. What works for it? What doesn’t? Knowing this can help you replatform better.
• Planning: Think about what you want to get out of this move. Are you trying to make your app faster? More secure? Able to handle more users? Having clear goals in mind will guide you as you change platforms.
• Selection: You should focus on factors like scalability, security features, cost, and available developer resources while selecting the right platform.
• Migration: This step is the core of replatforming. You move the app to the new platform. It depends on how complex the app is and what platform you picked. Here are some common methods used for migration:
  • Lift and Shift: This is a simple way to move the app. You just shift it to the new platform without changing much. This works well for apps that aren’t too complicated.
  • Refactoring: Sometimes, you need to change parts of the code to make sure it works well on the new platform. You fix up the code structure but don’t change what it does.
  • Rewriting: For complex apps built with old tech, you might need to start from scratch on the new platform. This takes more time but can make the app work much better and be easier to keep up.
• Optimization: The development team should fine-tune the app after moving it over. They need to make the most of what the new platform offers. This means tweaking the code to work better in the new setup. It also involves setting up services specific to the platform. The team might add extra features the platform provides too. 

These steps help the software application run at its best on the new platform.

Replatforming Vs. Rehosting Vs. Refactoring

Replatform vs Rehost vs Refactoring: People often mix up these words, but they mean different things:

Replatforming

Replatforming moves your app’s main features to a new platform. This platform might use different tech or an updated version of what you already have. It’s a big change for your app.

Rehosting 

Rehosting is easier. You just move your app to a new place but keep the same tech. For example, you could take your app from your own servers and put it on the AWS cloud. The operating system and coding language stay the same. This is rehosting.

Replatforming vs Refactoring 

Refactoring aims to enhance your app’s code structure without altering its main functions. It makes code easier to maintain more efficient, and simpler to grasp. You can refactor while moving to a new platform, but it’s not the same as shifting the whole app. The process focuses on improving what’s already there. Developers refactor to boost code quality and make future updates smoother.

What are the risks of replatforming and how to overcome them?

Re-platforming can bring big perks, but it’s not always smooth sailing. Let’s talk about some possible risks and ways to deal with them:

• Complexity: Replatforming can get tricky for big complicated apps. To handle this, you should split up the project into smaller bits. This helps you keep things under control and cuts down on mistakes.
• Downtime: Your app might go offline for a bit during the move. To avoid this, you need a solid plan. You could use stuff like blue-green setups or rolling updates to keep things running smoothly.
• Cost: Replatforming can be expensive and you need to be ready to spend.

Replatforming is not easy, it needs experts.