When it comes to updating an app, we inevitably talk about boosting it with the power of cloud computing. Two of the most common strategies to take this step are refactoring and re-platforming.
In the case of refactoring, we talk about situations where there is the need to rebuild the entire architecture of an app.
Refactoring can be very delicate, especially for those applications that users have known for a long time and, thus, have developed certain familiarity and expectations.
This valuable relationship begs for a frictionless migration to the cloud, which means your IT team has to do all to create an experience where users don´t have to face a steep learning curve to regain familiarity with the app.
On the other hand, re-platforming is a process in which the application core remains intact while some components are migrated and modified.
This option allows companies to make a gradual transition in which they can experience the benefits of a cloud service provider without fully committing or creating dependencies.
Companies must consider migrating their digital assets to the cloud, whatever strategy is used to modernize an application. In this article, we tell you why and what some tools can make migration to the cloud a straightforward process.
If you want to learn more, we also have an article on the beneifits of migrating to the cloud for your end user.
Why are Monolithic Applications an Obstacle to innovation?
Modern apps use cloud servers. Thus, they are flexible and can withstand sudden increases in requests without crashing and responding in seconds.
Apps that have not yet undergone modernization have issues meeting these demands because they work as solid blocks. They have a wide variety of services centralized, and often they are supported by processes that were not automated because the on-premise servers and technology at the time prevent it.
On the contrary, modern apps can analyze vast amounts of data to react in seconds. This capability is the basis of services as popular as the customized recommendations that many retail applications such as Amazon use.
Additionally, having a cloud-based app made up of small blocks enables localized innovation, where companies can create a whole new range of services without modifying the app.
The above is the case of Travelex, a company known worldwide for the currency exchange service it offers at airports. It also has international transfer services supported by AWS cloud services.
The Travelex Wire service, which was used to make international transfers between people, was brought to the cloud, meeting the strict requirements and security regulations of the United Kingdom. Shortly after, it continued to evolve.
This service created new products that use features already built and represent new business opportunities. In the specific case of Travelex Wire, the architecture built to make transfers to individuals allowed them to develop a new business-to-business transfer service in just 100 days.
Another interesting fact is that, according to AWS, using its services to modernize applications reduces costs per user by 27% and causes 34% fewer security issues. So, it is increasingly evident that using the power of the cloud to modernize applications improves the user experience concerning existing products and opens the door to a world of innovation and possibilities.
What tools can be used to modernize an app?
AWS also has services that make it easier to modernize digital services. One of them is the Amazon Migration Hub.
It is a single platform to view and track each feature you want to transfer to the cloud.
With the Migration Hub, it is possible to detect dependencies between functionalities and make recommendations for modernization strategies. This service is free of charge and included in any other tools used in the modernization, such as those designed to move databases from on-premise servers to cloud-based servers.
For this, there is AWS Database Migration Service, a transfer service whose advantage is that it does not render the database it takes to the cloud inactive; thus, the time that the app is down during the migration to the cloud is minimal. Another advantage is that it monitors the source and destination databases throughout the process and checks network connectivity. If there is an interruption, it starts the process from where it stopped.
At Pragma, we are AWS Competency Partners, and we'd love to help you to boost your business with all the power of cloud computing. Click here if you want to start a conversation.
