Mainframe applications have been powering critical business processes for decades, but they also come with high costs, complex maintenance, and limited flexibility. If you want to modernize your IT infrastructure and take advantage of the latest technologies, you should consider the benefits of migrating mainframe applications to the cloud.
Benefits of Migrating Mainframe Applications to the Cloud
There are many benefits of migrating mainframe applications to the cloud to consider when making decisions around application modernization for you organization.
1. Scalability
Cloud platforms can handle large volumes of data and transactions with ease, and allow you to scale up or down as needed. You can also leverage cloud services such as analytics, artificial intelligence (AI), and the internet of things (IoT) to gain new insights into your data.
2. Security & Reliability
Cloud providers offer built-in security features and compliance standards to protect your data and applications. You can also benefit from cloud backup and disaster recovery solutions to ensure business continuity. Investing in reliable security operations is one of the most important benefits of migrating mainframe applications to the cloud.
3. Cost Efficiency
Another important benefit of migrating mainframe applications to the cloud is reducing your operational expenses and avoiding capital-intensive mainframe refresh cycles. You can also optimize your resource utilization and pay only for what you use.
4. Improved Support Capabilities
It is difficult to find developers who still develop or support mainframe applications, and it will only become more difficult in the future. Moving to the cloud and to modern development frameworks will improve your organization's ability to support your applications.
5. Agility & Innovation
Cloud platforms enable you to adopt modern development practices such as DevOps, microservices, and containers, which can accelerate your time to market and improve your customer experience. You can also access a rich ecosystem of cloud tools and services to extend your mainframe capabilities.
How to Migrate Mainframe Applications to the Cloud
Now that you understand the benefits of migrating mainframe applications to the cloud, there are different approaches to making the move., Make sure to choose the one that best suits your business needs, budget, and timeline. Here are three common methods to migrating your mainframe applications to the cloud:
Lift & Shift
This is the simplest and fastest way to migrate your mainframe applications to the cloud without changing their code or architecture. You can use cloud-based emulators, or virtual machines, to run your mainframe workloads on the cloud. However, this approach limits the overall benefits of migrating mainframe applications to the cloud as outlined above.
Re-Platform
This method involves changing the underlying platform or infrastructure of your mainframe applications, such as moving from a proprietary database to a cloud-based one. This can improve your performance, scalability, and compatibility with other cloud services.
Refactor
This method involves changing the internal architecture or code of your mainframe applications, such as breaking them into smaller microservices or rewriting them in a modern language. This can enhance your flexibility, maintainability, and innovation potential.
Connect with an RDA Migration Expert
No matter which approach you choose, you can leverage cloud-based tools and services to automate, monitor, and optimize your migration process. You can also work with experienced cloud partners who can help you assess, plan, and execute your migration strategy.
Migrating your mainframe applications to the cloud can be a rewarding journey that can transform your IT landscape and unlock new opportunities for growth. If you are ready to take the next step, contact us today for a free technical consultation.