Legacy Software Support

What is legacy software?

Legacy software refers to applications and systems built using older technologies that may no longer be supported or widely used. Despite their age, these systems can remain essential to your day to day business operations and may not need replacing if they still meet your requirements. With the right support and maintenance, they can continue to serve your business for years to come.

How is legacy software supported?

That all depends on the software itself, the condition it's in and the underlying technology but it could be one, multiple or all of the following:

Bug fixes

Starting with the basics, sometimes, all your software needs is some bog standard bug fixes to see improvements. If you've had the system for years and had very little in the way of maintenance, chances are, it has developed some issues that aren't blatantly obvious and may instead be causing some subtle problems with performance or certain functionality.

Security updates

Older software can contain security vulnerabilities that weren't known about when it was originally developed. Unsupported frameworks, outdated libraries and unpatched components can leave your system exposed to security threats. Where updates are available, these can be applied to address known vulnerabilities. In other cases, outdated components may need to be replaced or the code modified to reduce the risks.

Compatibility improvements

Operating systems, browsers and other technologies evolve and change all the time and the technology used to build your older software may not be built to withstand such changes. You might find that certain features stop working, integrations break or users encounter unexpected errors after an update to another system. Updating the affected code, adapting integrations or replacing components that no longer work can fix this.

Performance improvements

A very common problem with legacy software is that it has become slow and clunky with load times increasing and performance degrading when multiple people are trying to use it at the same time. Inefficient database queries, outdated code and processes that haven't been optimised can all contribute but improving how the software processes and retrieves information can make a noticeable difference.

Feature enhancements

Maybe you're in the situation where your software still works exactly as it should do but it's your business that's moved on. Perhaps you have introduced new services, taken on significantly more customers or made changes to your processes. In these cases, you can add new features or enhance the ones you've already got to better reflect your new environment.

Modernisation

Sometimes the issues are a bit deeper than irritating yet relatively harmless bugs and feature enhancement fixes. If your software relies on obsolete technologies, unsupported frameworks or an architecture that makes even the most minor of changes risky, expensive or painful, you might be a good candidate for software modernisation. This might involve restructuring or replacing significant components or changing technologies altogether.

The risks of unsupported legacy software

Unsurprisingly, legacy software tends to carry more risk than more modern solutions built with more current technologies and this is particularly true if the software has not had regular maintenance or is built with unsupported tech. This can leave your business exposed to a range of issues, including: 

Security vulnerabilities - By definition, unsupported software no longer receives security patches which leaves known weaknesses open to exploitation.

Unexpected failures - Outdated components of the software and unresolved bugs can cause errors, downtime and even potential data loss.

Higher maintenance costs - You might get away with very little to no maintenance for a time, but the longer you leave it, the more problems there will be. Add to that the fact that developers with experience in older technologies tend to be harder to find and you may well find yourself facing some rather hefty costs.

Growth limitations - Older software may not support new features, integrations or workflows without significant changes. This means you could potentially miss out on opportunities to improve efficiency, expand your service offering or adapt to changing customer demands.

Compatibility problems - Older systems are usually not built in a way that allows them to work with newer operating systems, browsers, hardware and third party applications meaning core functionality can stop working when changes are made.

Should you consider legacy software support?

Whether or not your business would benefit from regular support for your legacy software completely depends on the software itself and what you are actually looking to achieve through said support. Nevertheless, here are some scenarios that suggest you might be a good candidate:

The software in question is business critical

If your software is business critical, there are very few situations where it's worth risking not having support. Regular maintenance and updates can expand its lifespan and prevent disruption to your crucial operations by identifying and resolving issues before they become too problematic.

You're experiencing recurring issues

If you're noticing the same bugs, errors and/or performance problems regularly, ongoing maintenance and support can be used to identify and resolve the underlying issues that are causing them.

You need to make semi regular changes

If the software still largely meets your requirements but you require occasional changes such as new features, integrations or adjustments, having support can help you extend its capabilities and ensure the changes happen in a reasonable timeframe. 

You are not ready to replace it

There could be many reasons for this such as it being too disruptive, costly or resource intensive. Whatever the reason, if you don't want to replace the software then regular support and maintenance can keep the system performing as best it can whilst you plan your next steps.

Can you support software that is unsupported by the vendor?

The answer is yes - in many cases we can. Even when the original vendor no longer supports the software, we may be able to provide ongoing maintenance, bug fixes and further development depending on the technologies and whether we can access the source code.

We'll assess the system first to understand it's condition, identify any problematic areas and limitations then establish what is realistically achievable. If we can support it, we will discuss your options and agree on the level on support based on your requirements. If it is too risky or impractical to maintain, we'll tell you whether modernisation or a full rebuild would be a better long term solution.

Which legacy technologies do Cool Code Company work with?

Final thoughts

Legacy software doesn't necessarily need replacing just because it's getting older. With the right support, you may be able to keep your existing system running reliably, address technical issues and continue making improvements without the cost and disruption of starting from scratch.

At Cool Code Company, we can assess your software, help you understand its limitations and recommend a practical way forward. Whether that means ongoing maintenance, fixing existing problems or exploring software modernisation, we'll give you an honest assessment of what's possible.

If you're concerned about the future of your legacy software, get in touch to discuss your options.